# SpellTower+ vs Crossword Explorer+

The clearest difference is rating: Crossword Explorer+ at 4.9 against SpellTower+'s 3.8. Crossword Explorer+ also leads on monetization model (free vs paid) and ratings volume (2.3K vs 467). SpellTower+'s advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months) and review sentiment (40% vs 22%). 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.

Crossword Explorer+ holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 467 and 2.3K respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 40% of SpellTower+'s written reviews are positive against 22% of Crossword Explorer+'s, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

SpellTower+ ships an update monthly, Crossword Explorer+ every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SpellTower+ | Crossword Explorer+ |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.8 (467 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spelltower-plus/id1551670193/reviews) | **[4.9 (2.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crossword-explorer-plus/id1551764376/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 467 | **2.3K** |
| Positive reviews | **39.6% of reviews** | 22.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Size | 123 MB | 266 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.6 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Zach Gage](https://appshunter.io/developer/294263418) | [PlaySimple Games Pte Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1189416142) |

## What reviewers say

### SpellTower+

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spelltower-plus/id1551670193)

This word game challenges players to clear rising letter tiles by forming words. It offers multiple game modes, including classic and new puzzle variations, with strategic gameplay and bonus tiles to increase word values. Compete with others through leaderboards and track your progress with detailed statistics.

**Highlights:** Word formation gameplay, Rising tile mechanic, Multiple game modes, Bonus tiles, Highscores and leaderboards, Detailed statistics

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Fun and engaging gameplay
- 🚀 Variety of game modes
- 💡 Challenging word puzzles
- 🎨 Clean and polished design

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inconsistent word recognition
- 🤔 Unclear scoring system
- 🔇 Inability to turn off music/sound
- 🔁 Repetitive puzzles

**Reported bugs**

- Syncing issues with leaderboards and scores
- Crashes and freezes on certain devices
- Unresponsive controls and UI elements

**Requested features**

- Add dictionary definitions for found words
- Improve word challenge system
- Allow customization of fonts and colors
- Expand word library to include more languages


### Crossword Explorer+

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crossword-explorer-plus/id1551764376)

Engage your mind with daily crossword puzzles and trivia. Access thousands of puzzles with new themes each day to expand your vocabulary and general knowledge. Play anytime, anywhere on your iOS device.

**Highlights:** Daily new puzzles, Thousands of puzzles available, Variety of daily themes, Hints for difficult words, Vocabulary and general knowledge improvement

**Features:** With Apple Arcade

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Relaxing and fun gameplay
- 🚀 Smooth and intuitive controls
- 💡 Bite-sized crossword puzzles

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤔 Puzzles too easy and repetitive
- 📍 Heavily US-centric content
- 🔍 Lack of difficulty options or progression
- 🐛 Bugs and crashes reported

**Reported bugs**

- Black screen on startup
- Incorrect answers and spelling errors
- Syncing issues between devices

**Requested features**

- Add difficulty settings or skip easy levels
- Improve crossword variety and reduce repetition
- Optimize for landscape mode on iPad
- Implement cloud save/sync across devices


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SpellTower+ free?

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

### Is Crossword Explorer+ free?

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

### Which has better reviews, SpellTower+ or Crossword Explorer+?

Crossword Explorer+ is rated higher. SpellTower+ averages 3.8 out of 5 from 467 ratings, while Crossword Explorer+ averages 4.9 from 2.3K ratings.

### Do SpellTower+ or Crossword Explorer+ have ads?

Neither SpellTower+ nor Crossword Explorer+ shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SpellTower+ or Crossword Explorer+?

SpellTower+ ships an update monthly, and Crossword Explorer+ every 3 months. Most recently, SpellTower+ was updated on September 24, 2026 and Crossword Explorer+ on September 23, 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.*