# Retrogram vs Mind Gems

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Mind Gems at none against Retrogram's 10. Retrogram's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 4 months) and device support (4 vs 2). On price, ads and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Retrogram sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Mind Gems asks for nothing beyond the download.

Retrogram ships an update every 3 weeks, Mind Gems every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and November 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Retrogram | Mind Gems |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (332 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retrogram/id1537372328/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **332** | — |
| Positive reviews | 66.1% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Freemium | — |
| Size | 162 MB | 111 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.6** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Vision Pro** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [in Color](https://appshunter.io/developer/1537372330) | [Nikhil Panchal](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896668783) |

## 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, iPhone Duo support

**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


### Mind Gems

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mind-gems/id6769562469)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Retrogram free?

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

### Is Mind Gems free?

Mind Gems is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Retrogram or Mind Gems have ads?

Neither Retrogram nor Mind Gems shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Retrogram or Mind Gems?

Retrogram ships an update every 3 weeks, and Mind Gems every 4 months. Most recently, Retrogram was updated on November 11, 2026 and Mind Gems on November 9, 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.*