# Retrogram vs GUBBINS

The clearest difference is ads: Retrogram at none against GUBBINS's shown. GUBBINS's advantage is rating (4.7 vs 4.5) and ratings volume (1.7K vs 326). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

GUBBINS holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: GUBBINS has 1.7K ratings behind it against 326, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 66% of Retrogram's written reviews are positive against 73% of GUBBINS's.

Retrogram ships an update every 3 weeks, GUBBINS every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Retrogram | GUBBINS |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (326 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retrogram/id1537372328/reviews) | **[4.7 (1.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gubbins-its-a-word-game/id1551894081/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 326 | **1.7K** |
| Positive reviews | 66.1% of reviews | **72.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 4 weeks |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 162 MB | 614 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **15.6** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Vision Pro** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [in Color](https://appshunter.io/developer/1537372330) | [Studio Folly Pty Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1701745197) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### GUBBINS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gubbins-its-a-word-game/id1551894081)

A friendly word puzzle game where you build words using tiles and special modifiers called Gubbins. Navigate a charming world with quirky characters that can help or hinder your progress.

**Highlights:** Tile-based word construction, Wildcard Gubbins modifiers, Charming cartoon characters, Minimalist typography, Moreish wordplay

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Planet Gubbin | Free | one-time |
| Giant Postcard Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Punctuation Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| The Travel Gubbins Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| The Space Gubbins Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Infinite Play | $5.99 | one-time |
| The Space Punc Bundle | $5.99 | one-time |
| Space Travel Bundle | $7.49 | one-time |
| Launch Pack | $9.99 | one-time |
| The Chonkiest Bundle | $13.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 Charming art style
- 🎶 Wonderful sound design
- 🎮 Engaging and unique gameplay
- 🎁 One-time purchase model
- 🤝 Supports charity

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Limited free play
- 🤔 Restrictive dictionary
- 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches
- 🤯 Frustrating Gubbins
- 🤷‍♀️ Unclear game mechanics

**Reported bugs**

- Tiles becoming unplayable after certain Gubbins
- Daily puzzle not updating correctly
- Inconsistent behavior of rotation and placement
- Crashes and performance issues on older devices

**Requested features**

- Word validity checker
- Multiplayer mode
- Customizable Gubbins selection
- Leaderboards and stats tracking
- Ability to revisit completed puzzles


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Retrogram free?

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

### Is GUBBINS free?

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

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

GUBBINS is rated higher. Retrogram averages 4.5 out of 5 from 326 ratings, while GUBBINS averages 4.7 from 1.7K ratings.

### Do Retrogram or GUBBINS have ads?

GUBBINS shows ads; Retrogram does not.

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

Retrogram ships an update every 3 weeks, and GUBBINS every 4 weeks. Most recently, Retrogram was updated on October 22, 2026 and GUBBINS 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.*