# Three Magic Words vs ShiftFive

The clearest difference is ads: Three Magic Words at none against ShiftFive's shown. Three Magic Words also leads on ratings volume (83 vs 6) and device support (4 vs 2). ShiftFive's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months). On price, rating, review sentiment and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Three Magic Words sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and ShiftFive sells 11 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Three Magic Words against 5.0 for ShiftFive. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Three Magic Words has 83 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

Three Magic Words ships an update every 3 months, ShiftFive monthly. The most recent releases landed on July 7, 2026 and June 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Three Magic Words | ShiftFive |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.9 (83 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/three-magic-words/id1596833290/reviews) | **[5.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shiftfive/id6502816034/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **83** | 6 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 8 MB | 68 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.4** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Nathan Lamont](https://appshunter.io/developer/1596833292) | [Braxton Smallwood](https://appshunter.io/developer/1732527885) |

## What reviewers say

### Three Magic Words

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/three-magic-words/id1596833290)

This word game challenges players to complete three five-letter words using available letter tiles. Success requires logic and language skills to advance through rounds and collect stars. Players can adjust difficulty and challenge friends.

**Highlights:** Complete three five-letter words, Use available letter tiles, Test logic and language skills, Collect stars to win, Adjust difficulty with clues, Challenge friends

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full 3.7K+ Word Pack | $3.99 | one-time |


### ShiftFive

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shiftfive/id6502816034)

Engage in a strategic letter elimination game where you guess a five-letter word. Utilize color-coded feedback to eliminate letters and score points. Unlock rewards and themed word packs for extended gameplay.

**Highlights:** Strategic letter elimination, Color-coded feedback system, Daily Classic and Daily Shift modes, Unlockable rewards, Themed Word Packs, Scoring based on efficiency

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| It's Spooky Word Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Gettin' Swoll Word Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Pass the Popcorn Word Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| The Feels Word Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Nom Nom Word Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Feel the Beat Word Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| To Be Young Word Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| It's a Zoo Word Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| On the Go Word Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| 5 Word Packs + Remove Ads | $1.99 | one-time |
| 10 Word Packs+Unlimited+No Ads | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Three Magic Words free?

Three Magic Words is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is ShiftFive free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Three Magic Words or ShiftFive?

ShiftFive is rated higher. Three Magic Words averages 4.9 out of 5 from 83 ratings, while ShiftFive averages 5.0 from 6 ratings.

### Do Three Magic Words or ShiftFive have ads?

ShiftFive shows ads; Three Magic Words does not.

### Which is updated more often, Three Magic Words or ShiftFive?

Three Magic Words ships an update every 3 months, and ShiftFive monthly. Most recently, Three Magic Words was updated on July 7, 2026 and ShiftFive on June 11, 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.*