Word Forward vs Sparrows
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Word Forward
This word puzzle game challenges players to clear a 5x5 grid by forming words. It requires strategic use of every letter tile to solve 500 unique puzzles, offering an endlessly challenging brain teaser.
- Spell words by tracing lines
- Swap letters with tokens
- Jumble tiles for new letters
- Change letters with modifiers
- Eliminate tiles with bombs
- Solve 500 puzzles
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The #1 Word Game! Played by millions! “Equally a brain-teaser and a brain-pleaser” - MacWorld “An excellent buy for solo players” - TechRadar “A really fun and well-executed word game” - PocketGamer Beautifully simple. Endlessly challenging. Word Forward is the word puzzle game where every choice matters. Can you use all of the letters in the 5x5 grid to make words disappear and clear the board? Word Forward isn’t about spelling the longest words or the most clever - it’s about carefully using every tile to declare victory in 500 puzzles. It requires cunning and strategy -- Word Forward is a brain teaser that will really make you think! • SPELL words by tracing a line between tiles in any direction, including diagonally • SWAP any two letters on the grid by using a SWAP TOKEN, earned during gameplay • JUMBLE the tiles on the grid to replace all the letters with new ones when all else fails • CHANGE the letter on a tile to any other letter you choose using the SWAP MODIFIER • ELIMINATE stubborn tiles with BOMBS to get yourself out of a tight spot The latest brain-tingling puzzle game from the creators of Block Droppin Blitz.
Sparrows
This word puzzle game combines mahjong tile mechanics with spelling challenges. Spell words from letter tiles to earn points, advance through levels, and master various game modes. Enjoy a relaxing or challenging experience with daily goals and power-ups.
- Level progression with star ratings
- Multiple game modes (Timed, Moves, Puzzle)
- Score multipliers for strategic play
- Power-ups to boost scores
- Daily goals and objectives
- Relaxing puzzle mode without a timer
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Sparrows – mahjong tiles meet wordplay! Spell words from letter tiles, earn score multipliers, and conquer challenging puzzles. Advance through levels, earn 1–3 stars, and master increasingly tricky boards. Multiple game modes – Timed, Moves, and Puzzle – keep gameplay fresh and engaging. Key Features: • Level Progression & Star Ratings: Tackle boards and earn 1–3 stars for top performance. • Game Modes: Timed, Moves, and Puzzle for varied challenges. • Score Multipliers: Double and triple letter/word tiles reward strategic play. • Power-Ups: Boost your score and overcome tough boards. • Daily Goals: Complete new objectives each day to stay challenged. • Relaxing, no timer needed – play at your own pace in Puzzle mode. • Plays great on iPhone and iPad. Relax or Compete: Whether you want a calm puzzle session or a fast-paced challenge, Sparrows offers a rewarding word game experience for every player. Download Sparrows Now! Start your wordplay journey, master each board, and enjoy endless mahjong-meets-wordplay fun!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Sparrows at Free against Word Forward's $2.99. Sparrows also leads on ratings volume (781 vs 11). Word Forward's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 14) and ads (none vs shown). On rating, update cadence and device support 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
Sparrows is free to download; Word Forward costs $2.99 up front. Sparrows sells 14 one-off in-app purchases. Word Forward asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for Word Forward against 4.6 for Sparrows. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sparrows has 781 ratings behind it against 11, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 76% of Word Forward's written reviews are positive against 58% of Sparrows's.
Word Forward ships an update every 6 weeks, Sparrows every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Word Forward | Sparrows |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.5 (11 ratings) | 4.6 (781 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 76.5% of reviews — better | 58.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 11 | 781 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | Every 5 weeks — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | Free with in-app purchases — better |
| Best chart rank | #108 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV — better | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 9.0 — better | 15.2 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 122 MB | 506 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Thalamus Digital Publishing Ltd. | Fluffy Dog Studio |
Customer experience
Word Forward
Sparrows
Bugs and requests
Word Forward
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Sparrows
Reported bugs
5 issues- Game crashes on launch for some users
- Word search mode has incorrect timer display
- Inability to exit certain game modes
- Shuffling feature sometimes malfunctions
- Newly unlocked words not recognized
Requested features
5 requests- Add option to retry/reset word search puzzles
- Implement a way to contact developers for missing words
- Introduce a multiplayer mode to compete with friends
- Provide more customization options for the UI
- Improve the algorithm for letter distribution
In-app purchases
Word Forward
No in-app purchases
Sparrows
- 2,500 Feathers$0.99
- 15,000 points$1.99
- 5,000 points$1.99
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- Unlock Endless Mode$1.99
- 5,000 Feathers$1.99
- Unlock Full Game$2.99
- 10,000 Feathers$3.49
- Getting Started$3.99
- 50,000 points$4.99
- No Ads (30 Days)$4.99
- 150,000 points$6.99
- Now we're talking!$7.99
- 25,000 Feathers$7.99
- 100,000 Feathers$23.99









