Comparison

Codenames vs Exploding Kittens® 2

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Codenames

Engage in a strategic word game of deduction and teamwork. Give one-word clues to help your team guess associated words before the opposing team. Enjoy a blend of casual fun and deep thinking with turn-based multiplayer matches.

Highlights
  • Turn-based multiplayer
  • One-word clue system
  • Teamwork and deduction
  • Multiple game modes
  • Spymaster and Operative roles
  • Logic and creativity challenges
Read full description

Codenames is a clever word game of deduction, teamwork, and strategy, inspired by the popular board game loved worldwide. Give one-word clues, link multiple words, and read your teammates’ minds to win before the other team does. Easy to learn, hard to master Codenames is simple to understand and instantly rewarding. Every match tests your logic, creativity, and intuition — a perfect blend of casual fun and deep thinking. Play at your own pace Turn-based matches let you play whenever you want, as much as you want. Start several games at once and return when it’s your turn — perfect for busy players. Smart fun for sharp minds If you enjoy games that make you think, this is for you. Every clue and guess matters — there’s no autoplay, no idle waiting, just pure wordplay and deduction. Why players love Codenames • Turn-based multiplayer — play with friends or online opponents. • Based on a beloved board game concept: give one-word clues, guess multiple words. • Exclusive twists and new game modes available exclusively in this version. • Choose your role — Spymaster or Operative — and master both perspectives. • One-time purchase unlocks a full experience — no freemium grind, no intrusive ads—just the pure enjoyment for the price of a cup of coffee for the dev team. Join millions of players and test how well you can get into the minds of others. Download Codenames today — the top multiplayer word game for clever thinkers.

About

Exploding Kittens® 2

Experience the chaotic fun of a popular card game with friends. This digital version features customizable avatars, animated cards, and new ways to play, including the highly requested "Nope" card. Engage in quick rounds of strategy and luck to be the last player standing.

Highlights
  • Customizable avatars
  • Emoji reactions
  • Multiple game modes
  • Animated cards
  • Online multiplayer
  • AI opponent
Features
Read full description

The ultimate card game with friends is back with a bang, people! EXPLODING KITTENS® 2 has it all – customisable avatars, emojis, oodles of game modes and cards full of quirky humour and animations sleeker than an oiled kitty with catnip-fuelled zoomies! Plus, the official EXPLODING KITTENS® 2 game brings the most-requested mechanic of all…the Nope card! Stuff a glorious Nope Sandwich right into the horrified faces of your friends – with extra Nopesauce, of course. HOW TO PLAY EXPLODING KITTENS® 2 1. Download the EXPLODING KITTENS® 2 online game. 2. Optional: Get your friends to download it too. 3. Each player plays as many cards as they like on their turn OR passes! 4. The player then draws a card to end their turn. If it’s an EXPLODING KITTEN, they’re out (unless they have a handy Defuse card). 5. Keep going until only one player is left standing! FEATURES - CUSTOMISE YOUR AVATARS – Dress your avatar up in the season’s hottest outfits (cat hair not included) - REACT TO GAMEPLAY – Personalise your emoji sets to ensure your trash talk has a razor-sharp edge. - MULTIPLE GAME MODES – Play alone against our expert AI or impress your mum with your sparkling social life by playing with friends online! - ANIMATED CARDS – The mayhem comes to life with awesome animations! Those Nope cards just hit different now… Steady yourself, think of calming waves and draw a card!

Screenshots

Codenames4 screens
Exploding Kittens® 24 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Codenames at none against Exploding Kittens® 2's 20. Exploding Kittens® 2's advantage is ratings volume (3.7K vs 1.1K). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Codenames costs $4.99 and Exploding Kittens® 2 $4.99 up front. Exploding Kittens® 2 sells 20 one-off in-app purchases. Codenames asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Codenames against 4.8 for Exploding Kittens® 2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.1K and 3.7K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 66% of Codenames's written reviews are positive against 60% of Exploding Kittens® 2's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Codenames ships an update fortnightly, Exploding Kittens® 2 every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 8 level
Codenames versus Exploding Kittens® 2: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCodenamesExploding Kittens® 2
Price$4.99$4.99
Rating4.7 (1.1K ratings)4.8 (3.7K ratings) — better
Positive reviews66.1% of reviews — better59.6% of reviews
Number of ratings1.1K3.7K — better
Update frequencyFortnightly — betterEvery 2 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
Best chart rank#15#9 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.015.0
Further details — not scored
Size221 MB443 MB
Age rating9+9+
DeveloperCGE Digital s.r.o.Marmalade Game Studio Limited

Customer experience

Codenames

All ratings1,090 ratings
Positive93.5%
Neutral2.5%
Negative4.0%
Written reviews437 reviews
Positive66.1%
Neutral14.9%
Negative19.0%

Exploding Kittens® 2

All ratings3,725 ratings
Positive94.1%
Neutral2.2%
Negative3.7%
Written reviews399 reviews
Positive59.6%
Neutral11.5%
Negative28.8%

User reviews

Codenames

From 1.1K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Smooth and intuitive gameplay
  • 🎨 Excellent visual design
  • 💰 Good value for money
  • 🕹️ Engaging single-player modes
  • 🤝 Enjoyable multiplayer experience

Room to improve

  • ⏱️ Long wait times for other players
  • 🌐 Connectivity issues and server problems
  • 🌍 Cultural differences and language barriers
  • 🔒 Restrictive clue-giving rules
  • 🤖 Jury system allowing questionable words

Exploding Kittens® 2

From 3.7K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Fast-paced gameplay
  • 👍 Charming animations and visuals
  • 🤩 Engaging and fun experience
  • 🎨 Customizable skins and backgrounds

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
  • ⏱️ Slow animations and gameplay
  • 💰 Expensive in-app purchases
  • 🤖 Unresponsive AI opponents

Bugs and requests

Codenames

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Initial launch with only Czech language support
  • Occasional app crashes and server disconnections

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add Codenames Duet mode
  • Implement AI/bot players for faster games
  • Allow custom word packs and themes
  • Add a 'speed mode' for faster gameplay
  • Improve the jury system to maintain game integrity

Exploding Kittens® 2

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Nope card not functioning properly
  • Leaderboard not updating correctly
  • Inability to leave a game after losing
  • Forced account creation for online play

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add a turn timer to prevent stalling
  • Allow custom deck creation and configuration
  • Improve online multiplayer stability and matchmaking
  • Bring back the original game's sound effects and personality

In-app purchases

None

Codenames

No in-app purchases

20 purchases

Exploding Kittens® 2

One-time20
  • Santa Claws Card Back$0.99
  • Mystic Mayhem Card Back$0.99
  • Beach Day Emoji Pack$0.99
Show 17 more
  • Beach Day Card back$0.99
  • Kitchen Chaos Emoji Pack$0.99
  • Kitchen Chaos Card Back$0.99
  • Mystic Mayhem Emoji Pack$1.99
  • MysticMayhem Cauldron Creature$1.99
  • Glenn Coco$1.99
  • Sea Rat Outfit$1.99
  • Beach Day Location$1.99
  • Slice of Heaven Outfit$1.99
  • Yucky Buddy Outfit$1.99
  • Kitchen Chaos Location$1.99
  • Santa Claws Pack$4.99
  • Mystic Mayhem Pack$5.99
  • Beach Day Pack$5.99
  • Kitchen Chaos Pack$5.99
  • Sun and Spice Bundle$7.99
  • Explosive Expansions Pass$9.99

Questions

Is Codenames free?
Codenames costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Exploding Kittens® 2 free?
Exploding Kittens® 2 costs $4.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Codenames or Exploding Kittens® 2?
Exploding Kittens® 2 is rated higher. Codenames averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.1K ratings, while Exploding Kittens® 2 averages 4.8 from 3.7K ratings.
Do Codenames or Exploding Kittens® 2 have ads?
Neither Codenames nor Exploding Kittens® 2 shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Codenames or Exploding Kittens® 2?
Codenames ships an update fortnightly, and Exploding Kittens® 2 every 2 weeks. Most recently, Codenames was updated on September 23, 2026 and Exploding Kittens® 2 on September 24, 2026.
Which is more popular, Codenames or Exploding Kittens® 2?
Codenames currently peaks at #15 in the App Store charts, and Exploding Kittens® 2 at #9. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

Other comparisons