# GUBBINS vs Squared

The clearest difference is review sentiment: GUBBINS at 73% against Squared's 0%. GUBBINS also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.0) and ratings volume (1.7K vs 8). Squared's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 5 days vs every 4 weeks). On price, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. GUBBINS sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and Squared sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

GUBBINS holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: GUBBINS has 1.7K ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 73% of GUBBINS's written reviews are positive against 0% of Squared's.

GUBBINS ships an update every 4 weeks, Squared every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | GUBBINS | Squared |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (1.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gubbins-its-a-word-game/id1551894081/reviews)** | [4.0 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/squared/id6738674155/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.7K** | 8 |
| Positive reviews | **72.9% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 4 weeks | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 614 MB | 2 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 17.2 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Studio Folly Pty Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1701745197) | [Keiran King](https://appshunter.io/developer/1781820551) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### Squared

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/squared/id6738674155)

Easily create your own crosswords with a vast word library. Get real-time suggestions as you type and share your creations with friends. Perfect for quick puzzles or daily challenges.

**Highlights:** Create custom crosswords, Real-time word suggestions, Share puzzles with friends, Extensive word library, Quick puzzle creation

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Plan | $2.99 | per month |
| Annual Plan | $29.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is GUBBINS free?

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

### Is Squared free?

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

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

GUBBINS is rated higher. GUBBINS averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.7K ratings, while Squared averages 4.0 from 8 ratings.

### Do GUBBINS or Squared have ads?

GUBBINS shows ads; Squared does not.

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

GUBBINS ships an update every 4 weeks, and Squared every 5 days. Most recently, GUBBINS was updated on November 3, 2026 and Squared on October 24, 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.*