# Crostics vs Cryptogram IQ

The clearest difference is ads: Crostics at none against Cryptogram IQ's shown. Crostics also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.6) and review sentiment (96% vs 83%). Cryptogram IQ's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 6 months). On price, ratings volume, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Crostics sells 4 one-off in-app purchases and Cryptogram IQ sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Crostics holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 628 and 216 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 96% of Crostics's written reviews are positive against 83% of Cryptogram IQ's.

Crostics ships an update every 6 months, Cryptogram IQ every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Crostics | Cryptogram IQ |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (628 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crostics/id1204549053/reviews)** | [4.6 (216 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cryptogram-iq-word-master/id6480098884/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **628** | 216 |
| Positive reviews | **96.0% of reviews** | 83.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 25 MB | 65 MB |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 | 12.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [John Blackburn](https://appshunter.io/developer/1637339755) | [Megarama Games Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/987479598) |

## What reviewers say

### Crostics

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crostics/id1204549053)

Engaging word puzzles that combine crosswords and quote deciphering. Solve clues to reveal a hidden quote, or use parts of the quote to solve the clues. Enjoy a beautifully designed, ad-free experience with adjustable difficulty.

**Highlights:** Reveal hidden quotes, Decipher clues using quote, Unlimited hints, Undo functionality, Light and Dark mode, Help section

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 Book | $1.99 | one-time |
| 2 Books | $3.99 | one-time |
| 4 Books | $5.99 | one-time |
| 8 Books | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Clean, intuitive, and modern interface
- 🎮 Fun and engaging gameplay mechanics
- 💡 Custom keyboard for faster input
- 🔇 Minimal, delightful sound effects
- ⭐ High-quality puzzle content

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional freezing and resizing issues
- 😴 Repetitive content across 100 levels
- ⚠️ Very easy difficulty level
- 📏 Shorter puzzles than traditional magazines
- 🔤 Unclear multi-word answer formatting

**Reported bugs**

- App freezes occasionally
- Unexpected resizing of interface elements
- Delete function requires multiple presses (workaround: long press available)

**Requested features**

- More puzzle books and content
- Word count indicators in clues (e.g., '2 words', '3 words')
- Spaces in clues for multi-word answers
- Author attribution guessing feature
- Ability to view solved puzzles after completion


### Cryptogram IQ

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cryptogram-iq-word-master/id6480098884)

Decode cryptic ciphers and solve word puzzles by connecting letters and numbers. Use logic and clues to decipher hidden quotes and expand your vocabulary. This game offers thousands of challenges to test your word search and logic skills.

**Highlights:** Decode cryptic ciphers, Solve cross-logic puzzles, Connect letters and numbers, Decrypt hidden quotes, Enhance logic skills, Expand vocabulary

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Fun and enjoyable gameplay
- 🧠 Keeps brain sharp and challenged
- 💡 New and different from other games
- 😌 Relaxing experience
- 🤔 Makes you think outside the box

**What reviewers complain about**

- 😵 Endless and overwhelming ads
- 💰 High cost to remove ads
- 🔄 Repetitive with few games

**Reported bugs**

- App faulty, won't open after reaching a certain level


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Crostics free?

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

### Is Cryptogram IQ free?

Cryptogram IQ is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Crostics or Cryptogram IQ?

Crostics is rated higher. Crostics averages 4.8 out of 5 from 628 ratings, while Cryptogram IQ averages 4.6 from 216 ratings.

### Do Crostics or Cryptogram IQ have ads?

Cryptogram IQ shows ads; Crostics does not.

### Which is updated more often, Crostics or Cryptogram IQ?

Crostics ships an update every 6 months, and Cryptogram IQ every 3 weeks. Most recently, Crostics was updated on October 14, 2026 and Cryptogram IQ on October 10, 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.*