# Wordsmyth vs Retrogram

The clearest difference is price: Retrogram at Free against Wordsmyth's $4.99. Wordsmyth's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10) and chart position (#110 vs unranked). On rating, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Retrogram is free to download; Wordsmyth costs $4.99 up front. Retrogram sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Wordsmyth asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Wordsmyth against 4.5 for Retrogram. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 295 and 328 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 58% of Wordsmyth's written reviews are positive against 66% of Retrogram's.

Wordsmyth ships an update every 9 days, Retrogram every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on October 27, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Wordsmyth | Retrogram |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $4.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.6 (295 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wordsmyth-calm-word-play/id1534959553/reviews)** | [4.5 (328 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retrogram/id1537372328/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 295 | **328** |
| Positive reviews | 58.1% of reviews | **66.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 days** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | **#110** | — |
| Size | 115 MB | 162 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Vision Pro** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Rose Design and Education Services](https://appshunter.io/developer/1456472018) | [in Color](https://appshunter.io/developer/1537372330) |

## What reviewers say

### Wordsmyth

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wordsmyth-calm-word-play/id1534959553)

**Currently charting:** #110 Top Paid · Word (US App Store)

Engage in a daily word puzzle with no time limits or distractions. Focus on a set of letters to find as many words as possible in a peaceful, meditative environment. Enjoy beautiful scenery and calming soundscapes with an endless supply of daily challenges.

**Highlights:** Daily new puzzle, No timers or levels, No distracting ads, Focus on 9 letters, Calming soundscapes, Dynamic scenery

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 😌 Relaxing and calming gameplay experience
- 🎨 Beautiful, elegant visual design
- 🔇 No ads or intrusive notifications
- 🎮 Simple, intuitive game mechanics
- 🎵 Pleasant sound effects

**What reviewers complain about**

- 📚 Dictionary is incomplete and limited
- 🔋 Severe battery drain and device overheating
- 🎮 Clunky swipe-based controls for editing
- ⏰ Only one puzzle per day is restrictive
- 😕 Inconsistent word acceptance (common words missing)

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on opening (iPhone 10 Max)
- Last letter shows white after word submission
- Shake shuffle doesn't always work
- Game Center sync shows different letter sets to friends
- Game locked/marked complete at partial progress

**Requested features**

- Expand dictionary with more common words
- Add backspace/delete button instead of swipe gestures
- Auto-submit words with single swipe action
- Auto-clear letters after word submission
- Multiple puzzles per day option


### 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 Wordsmyth free?

Wordsmyth costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Retrogram free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Wordsmyth or Retrogram?

Wordsmyth is rated higher. Wordsmyth averages 4.6 out of 5 from 295 ratings, while Retrogram averages 4.5 from 328 ratings.

### Do Wordsmyth or Retrogram have ads?

Neither Wordsmyth nor Retrogram shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Wordsmyth or Retrogram?

Wordsmyth ships an update every 9 days, and Retrogram every 3 weeks. Most recently, Wordsmyth was updated on October 27, 2026 and Retrogram on October 27, 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.*