# HatPick vs Word Chain Puzzle

The clearest difference is rating: Word Chain Puzzle at 4.6 against HatPick's 3.1. Word Chain Puzzle also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 5 months) and ratings volume (44K vs 25). HatPick's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10) and ads (none vs shown). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Word Chain Puzzle sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. HatPick asks for nothing beyond the download.

Word Chain Puzzle holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Word Chain Puzzle has 44K ratings behind it against 25, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 25% of HatPick's written reviews are positive against 16% of Word Chain Puzzle's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

HatPick ships an update every 5 months, Word Chain Puzzle every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | HatPick | Word Chain Puzzle |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.1 (25 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hatpick/id1253704501/reviews) | **[4.6 (44K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/word-chain-puzzle/id6736897776/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 25 | **44K** |
| Positive reviews | **25.0% of reviews** | 15.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#109** |
| Size | 10 MB | 366 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Rick Hutchinson](https://appshunter.io/developer/1253697991) | [Tribom Games](https://appshunter.io/developer/1792165246) |

## What reviewers say

### HatPick

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hatpick/id1253704501)

This app allows you to create custom lists for random selections, perfect for making decisions or playing games. Assign multiple 'slips' to choices for weighted outcomes and easily pick an item from your curated categories.

**Highlights:** Create custom decision categories, Add multiple choices within categories, Assign weighted 'slips' to choices, Randomly select an item from a category, No physical hat required for selections

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Word Chain Puzzle

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/word-chain-puzzle/id6736897776)

**Currently charting:** #109 Top Free · Word, #115 Top Grossing · Word (US App Store)

This word game challenges you to guess words and form chains of compound words or phrases. It's a brain teaser designed to expand vocabulary and sharpen language skills through engaging puzzles.

**Highlights:** Guess words to form chains, Connect compound words, Discover linked phrases, Expand vocabulary, Brain teaser gameplay, Progress through levels

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 100 Coins | $1.99 | one-time |
| 500 Coins2 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Beginners Bundle | $4.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads | $5.99 | one-time |
| Double Pack | $5.99 | one-time |
| Mini Bundle | $6.99 | one-time |
| 500 Coins | $8.99 | one-time |
| Mini Bundle2 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Super Chain Bundle | $14.99 | one-time |
| Super Chain Bundle | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🤩 Fun and enjoyable game
- 🧠 Challenging and educational

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Repeating word chains
- 💸 Excessive ads interrupting gameplay
- 🐞 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🔁 Repeated puzzles after certain levels

**Reported bugs**

- Notification glitch sending repeated notifications
- Game freezing and becoming unplayable
- Levels resetting after updates

**Requested features**

- More varied and unique puzzles
- Ability to disable hints and word suggestions
- Improved stability and reduced crashes


## Frequently asked questions

### Is HatPick free?

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

### Is Word Chain Puzzle free?

Word Chain Puzzle is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, HatPick or Word Chain Puzzle?

Word Chain Puzzle is rated higher. HatPick averages 3.1 out of 5 from 25 ratings, while Word Chain Puzzle averages 4.6 from 44K ratings.

### Do HatPick or Word Chain Puzzle have ads?

Word Chain Puzzle shows ads; HatPick does not.

### Which is updated more often, HatPick or Word Chain Puzzle?

HatPick ships an update every 5 months, and Word Chain Puzzle every 3 weeks. Most recently, HatPick was updated on November 4, 2026 and Word Chain Puzzle on November 5, 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.*