Sparrows vs Carticulate
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Sparrows
This word puzzle game combines mahjong tile mechanics with spelling challenges. Spell words from letter tiles to earn points, advance through levels, and master various game modes. Enjoy a relaxing or challenging experience with daily goals and power-ups.
- Level progression with star ratings
- Multiple game modes (Timed, Moves, Puzzle)
- Score multipliers for strategic play
- Power-ups to boost scores
- Daily goals and objectives
- Relaxing puzzle mode without a timer
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Sparrows – mahjong tiles meet wordplay! Spell words from letter tiles, earn score multipliers, and conquer challenging puzzles. Advance through levels, earn 1–3 stars, and master increasingly tricky boards. Multiple game modes – Timed, Moves, and Puzzle – keep gameplay fresh and engaging. Key Features: • Level Progression & Star Ratings: Tackle boards and earn 1–3 stars for top performance. • Game Modes: Timed, Moves, and Puzzle for varied challenges. • Score Multipliers: Double and triple letter/word tiles reward strategic play. • Power-Ups: Boost your score and overcome tough boards. • Daily Goals: Complete new objectives each day to stay challenged. • Relaxing, no timer needed – play at your own pace in Puzzle mode. • Plays great on iPhone and iPad. Relax or Compete: Whether you want a calm puzzle session or a fast-paced challenge, Sparrows offers a rewarding word game experience for every player. Download Sparrows Now! Start your wordplay journey, master each board, and enjoy endless mahjong-meets-wordplay fun!
Carticulate
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Your favorite MS-DOS license plate word-finding game from the 1980s is back and better than ever, remade for iOS! The rules are as simple as you remember: • The letters on the RIGHT MUST be used, and in the order they appear. • The letters on the LEFT are OPTIONAL, but using them will give you a major bonus based on the number. • "O" is always a letter. • Everyone sees the same plates every day. Puzzle through 12 license plates per day on your Daily Commute, or choose Endless Drive for a nonstop experience where each success increases your remaining time. Now with score-sharing so you can challenge your friends to beat your run! Visit the Archive to play any previous days' commutes in case you missed any. Wait… why does the archive go back to 1974? Didn't this game originally come out in 1985?
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Carticulate at none against Sparrows's 14. Carticulate also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 5 days vs every 5 weeks). Sparrows's advantage is iOS requirement (15.2 vs 18.0). On price and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Sparrows sells 14 one-off in-app purchases. Carticulate asks for nothing beyond the download.
Sparrows ships an update every 5 weeks, Carticulate every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Sparrows | Carticulate |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (781 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 58.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 781 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | Every 5 days — better |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.2 — better | 18.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 506 MB | 102 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | Fluffy Dog Studio | J Crowley |
Bugs and requests
Sparrows
Reported bugs
5 issues- Game crashes on launch for some users
- Word search mode has incorrect timer display
- Inability to exit certain game modes
- Shuffling feature sometimes malfunctions
- Newly unlocked words not recognized
Requested features
5 requests- Add option to retry/reset word search puzzles
- Implement a way to contact developers for missing words
- Introduce a multiplayer mode to compete with friends
- Provide more customization options for the UI
- Improve the algorithm for letter distribution
Carticulate
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Sparrows
- 2,500 Feathers$0.99
- 15,000 points$1.99
- 5,000 points$1.99
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- Unlock Endless Mode$1.99
- 5,000 Feathers$1.99
- Unlock Full Game$2.99
- 10,000 Feathers$3.49
- Getting Started$3.99
- 50,000 points$4.99
- No Ads (30 Days)$4.99
- 150,000 points$6.99
- Now we're talking!$7.99
- 25,000 Feathers$7.99
- 100,000 Feathers$23.99
Carticulate
No in-app purchases









