# Idle Pet Shelter vs Decipher

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Idle Pet Shelter at 10K against Decipher's 2. Idle Pet Shelter also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs monthly). Decipher's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.7). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Idle Pet Shelter sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and Decipher sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Decipher holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Idle Pet Shelter has 10K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Idle Pet Shelter ships an update every 2 weeks, Decipher monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Idle Pet Shelter | Decipher |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (10K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/idle-pet-shelter/id1592275133/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/decipher-cryptogram-puzzles/id6746736645/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **10K** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 44.4% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 641 MB | 31 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Nova Sphere Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1794079373) | [Errand Labs, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1763432057) |

## What reviewers say

### Idle Pet Shelter

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/idle-pet-shelter/id1592275133)

Manage a cat rescue sanctuary, transforming an abandoned space into a haven. Care for unique cats, build your volunteer team, and expand your shelter empire globally. Participate in special events for exclusive rewards and give furry friends a second chance.

**Highlights:** Shelter makeover and decoration, Rescue, care for, and rehome cats, Volunteer team recruitment and training, Global shelter expansion, Special in-game events and challenges, Strategy and growth mechanics

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 80 Gems | $0.99 | one-time |
| Savings | $2.99 | one-time |
| ENHANCED PIGGY BANK | $3.99 | one-time |
| 500 Gems | $4.99 | one-time |
| Jack House | $4.99 | one-time |
| Shredder | $4.99 | one-time |
| REFINED PIGGY BANK | $4.99 | one-time |
| Shelter Pass | $6.99 | one-time |
| Ads Off | $9.99 | one-time |
| 1200 Gems | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Awesome game
- 👍 Cute cats
- 💗 Love the game
- 🎨 Cute animations
- 🤗 Relaxing gameplay

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Too many ads
- 🕰️ Slow progress
- 🤯 Overwhelming
- 🐛 Bugs and glitches
- 💰 Expensive upgrades

**Reported bugs**

- Game resets progress
- Adoption and donation issues
- Glitches with new updates
- Crashes and freezes

**Requested features**

- Add dog shelter
- Revisit previous shelters
- More content and levels
- Customizable shelters
- Lower data usage


### Decipher

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/decipher-cryptogram-puzzles/id6746736645)

Engage your mind with encrypted messages and famous quotes. This game tests your logic, vocabulary, and pattern recognition by having you crack substitution ciphers.

**Highlights:** Solve encrypted messages, Crack substitution ciphers, Test logic and vocabulary, Improve pattern recognition, Play with famous quotes

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 10 Hints | $1.99 | one-time |
| Decipher Remove Ads | $4.99 | one-time |
| 50 Hints | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Idle Pet Shelter free?

Idle Pet Shelter is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Decipher free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Idle Pet Shelter or Decipher?

Decipher is rated higher. Idle Pet Shelter averages 4.7 out of 5 from 10K ratings, while Decipher averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Idle Pet Shelter or Decipher have ads?

Both Idle Pet Shelter and Decipher show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Idle Pet Shelter or Decipher?

Idle Pet Shelter ships an update every 2 weeks, and Decipher monthly. Most recently, Idle Pet Shelter was updated on November 7, 2026 and Decipher on November 5, 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.*