# ston vs Kotobadle

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Kotobadle at 100% against ston's 35%. Kotobadle also leads on update cadence (daily vs every 3 weeks). ston's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and device support (3 vs 1). On price and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Kotobadle sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. ston asks for nothing beyond the download.

ston ships an update every 3 weeks, Kotobadle daily. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ston | Kotobadle |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.3 (128 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ston/id1238293204/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **128** | — |
| Positive reviews | 35.3% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Daily** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Freemium** |
| Size | 72 MB | 5 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 16.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Flat Games](https://appshunter.io/developer/1645533424) | [Tanveer Dhaliwal](https://appshunter.io/developer/1885877614) |

## What reviewers say

### ston

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ston/id1238293204)

This is a minimalist puzzle game with a unique design. It challenges your brain with mind-blowing levels and no time or move limits, allowing for a relaxing experience.

**Highlights:** Mind-blowing levels, Brain challenge, Minimalistic design, Relaxing music and sounds, No time or move limits

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Fun and enjoyable gameplay
- 💡 Interesting concept
- 👍 Nice design
- 👍 Good for learning
- 👍 Good customer care

**What reviewers complain about**

- ❌ Excessive advertisements
- ❌ Ads interrupt gameplay
- ❌ Ads are too long
- ❌ Ads don't have a close button
- ❌ Game crashes frequently

**Reported bugs**

- Ads don't have a close button
- Game crashes on startup
- Game doesn't open
- Slow movement
- Level 74 freezes

**Requested features**

- Add a timer for ads
- Put ads on a cooldown
- Add hints for difficult levels
- Add a level editor
- Add an online mode


### Kotobadle

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kotobadle/id6763937323)

Engage your vocabulary and deduction skills with this Japanese word puzzle game. Discover the correct five-letter word using color-coded hints. Features multiple modes for casual play or intense challenges.

**Highlights:** Five-letter Japanese word guessing, Color-coded hint system, Daily global challenge, Classic endless mode, Time Attack mode, Blind Mode for memory challenge, Survival Mode with limited lives

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Kotobadle Pro | $2.99 | per month |
| Kotobadle Pro Yearly | $19.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ston free?

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

### Is Kotobadle free?

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

### Do ston or Kotobadle have ads?

Neither ston nor Kotobadle shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ston or Kotobadle?

ston ships an update every 3 weeks, and Kotobadle daily. Most recently, ston was updated on October 7, 2026 and Kotobadle 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.*