# Swatch This vs Retrogram

The clearest difference is rating: Retrogram at 4.4 against Swatch This's 4.1. Retrogram also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months) and review sentiment (66% vs 54%). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Swatch This sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Retrogram sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Retrogram holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 4.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 68 and 320 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 54% of Swatch This's written reviews are positive against 66% of Retrogram's.

Swatch This ships an update every 3 months, Retrogram every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Swatch This | Retrogram |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.1 (68 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swatch-this/id1522807853/reviews) | **[4.4 (320 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retrogram/id1537372328/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 68 | **320** |
| Positive reviews | 53.8% of reviews | **66.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 25 MB | 145 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.5 | **17.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Vision Pro** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Radio Silence](https://appshunter.io/developer/568272865) | [in Color](https://appshunter.io/developer/1537372330) |

## What reviewers say

### Swatch This

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swatch-this/id1522807853)

A multiplayer game where players invent creative names for real paint swatches. Compete with friends or strangers to guess the official color names and earn points. Offers various game modes for different playstyles.

**Highlights:** Invent creative color names, Guess real paint swatch names, Online turn-based multiplayer, Private matches with friends, Pass & Play mode, Pen & Paper mode

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Palette Pack | $1.99 | one-time |


### Retrogram

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retrogram/id1537372328)

Challenge your vocabulary with a daily word puzzle. Create as many words as possible from seven letters. Enjoy a stylish, retro-themed experience designed to sharpen your mind and introduce you to new words.

**Highlights:** Daily hand-made puzzles, Solve puzzles together via SharePlay, Apple Watch compatibility, No ads, Discover new words

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Apple Watch app, SharePlay

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Daily Puzzle (Monthly) | $4.99 | per month |
| Daily Puzzle (Yearly) | $29.99 | per year |
| Where in the World | $3.99 | one-time |
| 80s Dinner Party | $4.99 | one-time |
| Gaming Icons | $4.99 | one-time |
| Stone Cold | $4.99 | one-time |
| Flower Power | $4.99 | one-time |
| Dear Reader | $4.99 | one-time |
| Outer Rim | $4.99 | one-time |
| Daily Puzzle (For Life) | $49.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 Retro aesthetic and clean interface design
- 👍 Simple and intuitive gameplay mechanics
- 🧠 Challenging and brain-stimulating puzzles
- 📚 Interesting word definitions and fun comments
- 🎮 Daily puzzle provides consistent engagement

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription pricing ($30-$80)
- 🚫 Misleading free-to-play model with paywall
- 📖 Inconsistent and limited word dictionary
- 🔄 Words accepted one day but rejected another
- ⏰ Only one puzzle per day (limited content)

**Reported bugs**

- Words marked as missed that were actually found
- Puzzle letters changing when spinning the wheel
- Apple Watch app no longer functioning
- Game progress deletion without explanation
- Inconsistent word acceptance across different puzzles

**Requested features**

- Access to previous/archived puzzles
- Multiple puzzles per day or puzzle difficulty levels
- Statistics tracking (completion rate, pangram frequency)
- Hint system that doesn't impact streak
- Word find rate percentages for context


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Swatch This free?

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

### Is Retrogram free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Swatch This or Retrogram?

Retrogram is rated higher. Swatch This averages 4.1 out of 5 from 68 ratings, while Retrogram averages 4.4 from 320 ratings.

### Do Swatch This or Retrogram have ads?

Neither Swatch This nor Retrogram shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Swatch This or Retrogram?

Swatch This ships an update every 3 months, and Retrogram every 3 weeks. Most recently, Swatch This was updated on October 9, 2026 and Retrogram on October 2, 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.*