# Dear Reader vs Knotwords+

The clearest difference is rating: Dear Reader at 4.5 against Knotwords+'s 3.8. Dear Reader also leads on monetization model (free vs paid) and review sentiment (68% vs 48%). Knotwords+'s advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Dear Reader holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 572 and 121 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 68% of Dear Reader's written reviews are positive against 48% of Knotwords+'s.

Dear Reader ships an update every 3 months, Knotwords+ every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 17, 2026 and September 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Dear Reader | Knotwords+ |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (572 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dear-reader/id1470280172/reviews)** | [3.8 (121 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/knotwords-plus/id6449983614/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **572** | 121 |
| Positive reviews | **68.4% of reviews** | 48.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Paid |
| Size | 387 MB | 185 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 13.5 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Local No. 12](https://appshunter.io/developer/1169662930) | [Zach Gage](https://appshunter.io/developer/294263418) |

## What reviewers say

### Dear Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dear-reader/id1470280172)

Engage with classic literature through unique word puzzles. Unscramble passages, unlock new books, and complete challenges to discover special abilities. This game transforms beloved stories into interactive wordplay experiences.

**Highlights:** Play with over 130 classic books, Unlock dozens of wordplay puzzle types, Acquire new books from a rotating selection, Earn Rare Books by completing goals, Embark on Research missions for abilities, Solve daily word challenges

**Features:** With Apple Arcade, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Engaging word puzzles
- 📚 Variety of classic books
- 👍 Relaxing gameplay
- 💡 Unique concept of 'playing books'
- 🤓 Helps improve reading and language skills

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and bugs
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 🤔 Heavily abridged book excerpts
- 🙄 Repetitive daily challenges
- 💰 Expensive rare books

**Reported bugs**

- Game progress being deleted
- Inability to exit the library
- Crashes when trying to purchase rare books

**Requested features**

- Add more modern and popular book titles
- Option to read full unabridged books
- Dark mode
- Ability to report typos and errors
- More varied and engaging goals/achievements


### Knotwords+

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/knotwords-plus/id6449983614)

A minimalist word puzzle game where you arrange letters to form valid words across and down. The game offers a guided progression, making challenging puzzles become easier as you play.

**Highlights:** Minimalist design, Elegant logic puzzle, Arrange letters to form words, Guided progression, Daily word fix

**Features:** With Apple Arcade, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Enjoyable and challenging gameplay
- 🚀 Addictive and engaging
- 🧠 Exercises vocabulary and problem-solving skills

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Cursor/input issues and unintuitive navigation
- 🤔 Obscure or questionable word choices
- 🔍 Unhelpful or unclear hints/definitions
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 💾 Save/progress issues

**Reported bugs**

- Puzzle progress not saving properly
- Cursor jumping to unexpected cells
- Incorrect or nonsensical word definitions

**Requested features**

- Ability to create custom levels or puzzles
- Option to turn off haptic feedback
- Improved sync/progress tracking across devices
- More intuitive cursor/input controls
- Better hint system and word definitions


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Dear Reader free?

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

### Is Knotwords+ free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Dear Reader or Knotwords+?

Dear Reader is rated higher. Dear Reader averages 4.5 out of 5 from 572 ratings, while Knotwords+ averages 3.8 from 121 ratings.

### Do Dear Reader or Knotwords+ have ads?

Neither Dear Reader nor Knotwords+ shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Dear Reader or Knotwords+?

Dear Reader ships an update every 3 months, and Knotwords+ every 3 weeks. Most recently, Dear Reader was updated on September 17, 2026 and Knotwords+ on September 14, 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.*