# Word Forward vs Dart Balloon

The clearest difference is price: Dart Balloon at Free against Word Forward's $2.99. Word Forward's advantage is update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 7 months) and chart position (#112 vs unranked). On ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Dart Balloon is free to download; Word Forward costs $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Word Forward ships an update every 6 weeks, Dart Balloon every 7 months. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Word Forward | Dart Balloon |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $2.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.5 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/word-forward/id1454290016/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **11** | — |
| Positive reviews | 76.5% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 weeks** | Every 7 months |
| Monetization | Paid | — |
| Best chart rank | **#112** | — |
| Size | 122 MB | 39 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 12.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Thalamus Digital Publishing Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1476360840) | [VIET NAM YDC COMPANY LIMITED](https://appshunter.io/developer/945505939) |

## What reviewers say

### Word Forward

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/word-forward/id1454290016)

**Currently charting:** #112 Top Paid · Word (US App Store)

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.

**Highlights:** 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

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Dart Balloon

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dart-balloon-math-learning/id6458101564)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Word Forward free?

Word Forward costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Dart Balloon free?

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

### Do Word Forward or Dart Balloon have ads?

Neither Word Forward nor Dart Balloon shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Word Forward or Dart Balloon?

Word Forward ships an update every 6 weeks, and Dart Balloon every 7 months. Most recently, Word Forward was updated on October 15, 2026 and Dart Balloon on October 21, 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.*