# Pool Words vs minesweeper

Pool Words and minesweeper both sit at 5.0 stars, but that hides the real split: 75% of Pool Words's written reviews are positive against 0% of minesweeper's. Pool Words also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 16 months). minesweeper's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2). On price, rating, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Pool Words sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. minesweeper asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Pool Words against 5.0 for minesweeper. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 1 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 75% of Pool Words's written reviews are positive against 0% of minesweeper's.

Pool Words ships an update every 2 months, minesweeper every 16 months. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pool Words | minesweeper |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pool-words/id1200458345/reviews) | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/minesweeper-deluxe/id1454379319/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **3** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | **75.0% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 16 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 47 MB | 18 MB |
| Requires iOS | 10.0 | 10.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Byrne Publishing LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/390060599) | [运杰 高](https://appshunter.io/developer/1023126440) |

## What reviewers say

### Pool Words

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pool-words/id1200458345)

A unique word puzzle game combining billiards with spelling. Pocket lettered balls to form words, with thousands of words available across multiple languages and themes. Features intuitive controls and an ad-free experience.

**Highlights:** Billiards-style word spelling, Full-screen table view, Play in any orientation, Intuitive play controls, Thousands of words to spell, Multiple languages and themes, Ad-free experience

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Smart Stick | $0.99 | one-time |
| 100 Dynamite | $0.99 | one-time |


### minesweeper

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/minesweeper-deluxe/id1454379319)

This game challenges your logic by having you uncover hidden mines on a grid. Use numbered clues to identify mine locations and flag them accurately. Features classic gameplay, custom map creation, and a library of player-designed challenges.

**Highlights:** Classic Minesweeper gameplay, 8 difficulty levels, Custom map creation, Player-designed map library, Logical thinking challenges

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pool Words free?

Pool Words is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is minesweeper free?

minesweeper is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Pool Words or minesweeper?

Pool Words and minesweeper are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 3 and 1 ratings respectively.

### Do Pool Words or minesweeper have ads?

minesweeper shows ads; Pool Words does not.

### Which is updated more often, Pool Words or minesweeper?

Pool Words ships an update every 2 months, and minesweeper every 16 months. Most recently, Pool Words was updated on October 18, 2026 and minesweeper on October 14, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*