# Learn Cryptic Crosswords vs Sylvi

The clearest difference is update cadence: Sylvi at every 3 days against Learn Cryptic Crosswords's every 9 months. Learn Cryptic Crosswords's advantage is review sentiment (95% vs 83%). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Learn Cryptic Crosswords sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and Sylvi sells 24 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Learn Cryptic Crosswords against 4.7 for Sylvi. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 457 and 338 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 95% of Learn Cryptic Crosswords's written reviews are positive against 83% of Sylvi's.

Learn Cryptic Crosswords ships an update every 9 months, Sylvi every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Learn Cryptic Crosswords | Sylvi |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (457 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/learn-cryptic-crosswords/id1281120570/reviews)** | [4.7 (338 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sylvi-language-penpals/id6478706305/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **457** | 338 |
| Positive reviews | **95.0% of reviews** | 83.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 9 MB | 143 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | +4 | 12+ |
| Developer | [Teazel](https://appshunter.io/developer/576525182) | [Sylvi Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1733715535) |

## What reviewers say

### Learn Cryptic Crosswords

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/learn-cryptic-crosswords/id1281120570)

Master the art of cryptic crosswords with this interactive guide. It breaks down clue types, offers step-by-step learning through six chapters, and includes practice exercises and puzzles to build your solving skills.

**Highlights:** Step-by-step clue explanations, Interactive exercises, Practice puzzles, Skill development guidance, Reference tools

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Discount price | $2.99 | one-time |
| Access to every chapter | $3.99 | one-time |
| Access to every chapter | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Excellent step-by-step guide
- 🚀 Comprehensive and informative
- 💡 Interactive and engaging learning
- 👍 Helpful and clear explanations
- 👍 Structured and logical progression

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional technical issues
- 🔒 Lack of cross-device progress sync
- 💰 Paywall after initial free content

**Reported bugs**

- Menu button freezing the app
- Inability to fill in answers directly

**Requested features**

- Ability to take notes within the app
- Integrated anagram solver and reference tools
- Option to skip ahead to practice puzzles


### Sylvi

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sylvi-language-penpals/id6478706305)

Practice foreign languages with AI penpals who provide tutor-level feedback on every message. Learn essential phrases, build vocabulary, and stay motivated with friends. Offers a free trial before subscription.

**Highlights:** AI penpals for language practice, Real-time message correction and explanation, Vocabulary building and memorization tools, Practice with friends, Streak preservation, Flashcards and leaderboard

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

**In-app purchases (24)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Sylvi Lite (Monthly) | $2.99 | per month |
| Sylvi Lite (Monthly) | $2.99 | per month |
| Sylvi Pro (Monthly) | $6.99 | per month |
| Sylvi Pro (Monthly) | $6.99 | per month |
| Sylvi Lite (Monthly) | $6.99 | per month |
| Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Monthly | $13.99 | per month |
| Sylvi Pro (Monthly) | $14.99 | per month |
| Monthly | $19.99 | per month |
| 3 months | $19.99 | per 3 months |
| Sylvi Lite (Annual) | $23.99 | per year |
| Sylvi Lite (Annual) | $23.99 | per year |
| Monthly | $24.99 | per month |
| Sylvi Lite (Annual) | $35.99 | per year |
| 3 months | $39.99 | per 3 months |
| 3 months | $39.99 | per 3 months |
| Annual | $49.90 | per year |
| Annual | $59.99 | per year |
| Sylvi Pro (Annual) | $59.99 | per year |
| Sylvi Pro (Annual) | $59.99 | per year |
| Sylvi Pro (Annual) | $79.99 | per year |
| Annual | $83.90 | per year |
| Annual | $89.99 | per year |
| Annual | $129.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent language learning tool
- 👍 Engaging and interactive
- 🤖 Helpful AI assistant
- 💬 Great for practicing conversations
- 📈 Noticeable improvement in language skills

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Subscription required for full access
- 🔒 Limited free features
- 🌐 Lack of language options
- 🐛 Technical issues with speech recognition
- 🕰️ Repetitive lessons

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent app crashes
- Subscription issues
- Inconsistent user experience

**Requested features**

- Expand language options
- Improve free version features
- Implement more personalized learning
- Add more advanced conversation scenarios
- Improve speech recognition accuracy


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Learn Cryptic Crosswords free?

Learn Cryptic Crosswords is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Sylvi free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Learn Cryptic Crosswords or Sylvi?

Learn Cryptic Crosswords is rated higher. Learn Cryptic Crosswords averages 4.8 out of 5 from 457 ratings, while Sylvi averages 4.7 from 338 ratings.

### Do Learn Cryptic Crosswords or Sylvi have ads?

Neither Learn Cryptic Crosswords nor Sylvi shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Learn Cryptic Crosswords or Sylvi?

Learn Cryptic Crosswords ships an update every 9 months, and Sylvi every 3 days. Most recently, Learn Cryptic Crosswords was updated on October 29, 2026 and Sylvi on October 30, 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.*