Comparison

5 Second Rule vs Taboo

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

5 Second Rule

This is a fast-paced party game for groups where players must answer a question with three answers in just five seconds. Fail to answer in time, and face a fun punishment. Includes normal and adult-themed card decks for varied party experiences.

Highlights
  • Answer questions in 5 seconds
  • Come up with 3 answers
  • Buzzer timer
  • Punishments for failure
  • Normal card deck
  • Sexy card deck
Features
Read full description

Want to play something quick and fun with friends when you party? 5 Second is a party game for groups, for those who can act under pressure. Rules are pretty straightforward. Players are asked a simple question and they have 5 seconds to come up with 3 answers before the buzzer rings. If the player doesn’t give all the answers before the time runs out, you do the punishment. Can you name 3 types of screams in 5 seconds? Can you name 3 hairy things in 5 seconds? Can you name 3 brands of beer in 5 seconds? The game includes normal cards, and also you can turn on sexy cards if you want to get your house party to the next level. Links to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy can be found below Privacy Policy: https://day-games.com/privacy-policy/ Terms of Use: https://day-games.com/terms-of-use/

About

Taboo

A word-guessing party game where teams compete to describe words without using forbidden terms. Play remotely with friends via video chat and customize game settings for endless fun.

Highlights
  • Video chat integration
  • Team-based word guessing
  • Customizable game settings
  • Ad-free gameplay
  • Multiple language support
  • Themed card decks
Features
Read full description

Can you describe an APPLE without using the words RED, FRUIT, PIE, CIDER or CORE? Taboo is the ultimate brain-teasing, word-twisting adult party game. Play with video chat and throw a house party on your phone! Split into two teams and take it in turns to describe the words on the cards. Your team has to guess as many as possible before the timer runs out. If you use a taboo word by mistake, the other team will buzz and you’ll lose a point. Think fast and talk your way to victory! HOW TO PLAY TABOO: 1. Start a game and invite your friends. 2. Split into two teams and name your team. 3. The app chooses a Clue-giver for each team. Each team then takes their turn! 4. The Clue-giver draws a card. The Clue-giver must describe the word without saying any of the words on the card. 5. Team B will buzz if the Clue-giver says a taboo word! 6. Your team must guess as many words as possible before the time runs out. FEATURES - FULLY CUSTOMISABLE – Decide the number of players, rounds, how many turns per round and how many skips are allowed. - AD-FREE GAME – Have fun with zero ads to distract you. - COMPLETE STARTER CARD DECK – Includes cards from the original game. Expand your game further with additional themed decks! - FULLY TRANSLATED – Available in English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Turkish, Greek, Polish and Hindi. Get the perfect party game on your mobile now!

Screenshots

5 Second Rule4 screens
Taboo4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: 5 Second Rule at Free against Taboo's $1.99. 5 Second Rule also leads on review sentiment (45% vs 37%). Taboo's advantage is rating (4.9 vs 4.7) and chart position (#2 vs #45). On ratings volume, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

5 Second Rule is free to download; Taboo costs $1.99 up front. 5 Second Rule sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $9.99 per 7 days and Taboo sells 26 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Taboo holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 9.7K and 4.7K respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 45% of 5 Second Rule's written reviews are positive against 37% of Taboo's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

5 Second Rule ships an update every 3 weeks, Taboo monthly. Both last shipped on September 26, 2026.

Scorecard4 real differences · 7 level
5 Second Rule versus Taboo: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
Parameter5 Second RuleTaboo
PriceFree — better$1.99
Rating4.7 (9.7K ratings)4.9 (4.7K ratings) — better
Positive reviews45.2% of reviews — better37.2% of reviews
Number of ratings9.7K — better4.7K
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterMonthly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#45#2 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.015.0
Further details — not scored
Size28 MB272 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperBoris MikicMarmalade Game Studio Limited

Customer experience

5 Second Rule

All ratings9,711 ratings
Positive91.2%
Neutral3.4%
Negative5.4%
Written reviews208 reviews
Positive45.2%
Neutral7.7%
Negative47.1%

Taboo

All ratings4,680 ratings
Positive97.5%
Neutral1.3%
Negative1.2%
Written reviews242 reviews
Positive37.2%
Neutral14.0%
Negative48.8%

User reviews

5 Second Rule

From 9.7K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🤩 Fun game
  • 👍 Great for groups/parties
  • 😊 Enjoyable with friends/partner
  • 🐶 Cute dog review prompt

Room to improve

  • 💰 Expensive subscription model ($3/week)
  • 🤔 Unclear free trial/subscription details
  • ⏱️ Very short time limits (5 seconds)
  • 🤨 Some questionable/inappropriate content

Taboo

From 4.7K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Fun game
  • 🎉 Great for family and friends
  • 🥳 Lots of laughter
  • 🤩 Easy to play

Room to improve

  • 🤔 Limited number of cards
  • 🔁 Repeated cards after a few rounds
  • 💰 Need to pay for more cards
  • 🤨 Unclear how to add more players

Bugs and requests

5 Second Rule

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Subscription continues even after app deletion
  • Inability to access paid content after subscription
  • Crashes and compatibility issues with updates

Requested features

4 requests
  • One-time purchase option to unlock all content
  • More free content/decks
  • Adjustable time limits
  • Better subscription management/cancellation

Taboo

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Game stopped in the middle to ask for payment
  • Video chat feature not working
  • App not optimized for high refresh rate displays

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add more cards in the base version
  • Allow customization of game rules
  • Implement a stats/history section
  • Support more than 2 teams

In-app purchases

1 purchases

5 Second Rule

Subscriptions1
  • Subscription Weekly3 Days trial$9.997 Days
26 purchases

Taboo

One-time26
  • Holiday Thanksgiving Pack$0.99
  • Fun & Games Sports Mix 3 Pack$0.99
  • Holiday Halloween Pack$0.99
Show 23 more
  • Fun & Games Sports Mix Pack 1$0.99
  • Surprise Pack 2$1.99
  • Festive Fun$1.99
  • Fun & Games Games Mix Pack 1$1.99
  • Fun & Games Sports Mix Pack 2$1.99
  • Holiday Christmas Pack$1.99
  • Mystery Mix Pack 1$1.99
  • Generations Gen Z Pack$1.99
  • Holiday Christmas Pack 2$1.99
  • Into the wild$2.99
  • Surprise Pack 1$2.99
  • Food and Nature Bundle$2.99
  • Sports and Celebrity Bundle$2.99
  • Unlock Taboo Premium$2.99
  • Midnight Mix Pack 1$2.99
  • Midnight Night Out Pack$2.99
  • Midnight Bedroom Pack$2.99
  • Ready to Roast$6.49
  • Celebrity Deck$6.49
  • Sports and Games Pack$7.99
  • Welcome Offer$9.99
  • Midnight Deck$9.99
  • Word Bonanza Bundle$19.99

Questions

Is 5 Second Rule free?
5 Second Rule is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Taboo free?
Taboo costs $1.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, 5 Second Rule or Taboo?
Taboo is rated higher. 5 Second Rule averages 4.7 out of 5 from 9.7K ratings, while Taboo averages 4.9 from 4.7K ratings.
Do 5 Second Rule or Taboo have ads?
Neither 5 Second Rule nor Taboo shows ads.
Which is updated more often, 5 Second Rule or Taboo?
5 Second Rule ships an update every 3 weeks, and Taboo monthly. Most recently, 5 Second Rule was updated on September 26, 2026 and Taboo on September 26, 2026.
Which is more popular, 5 Second Rule or Taboo?
5 Second Rule currently peaks at #45 in the App Store charts, and Taboo at #2. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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