# Word Search vs Cryptex

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Word Search at none against Cryptex's 1. Word Search also leads on update cadence (daily vs every 4 days) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Cryptex sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Word Search asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Word Search against 5.0 for Cryptex. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 1 respectively.

Word Search ships an update daily, Cryptex every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Word Search | Cryptex |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/word-search-hidden-puzzle/id1619692920/reviews) | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cryptex/id6757914896/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | 1 |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Daily** | Every 4 days |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 98 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 12+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Hieu Hoang](https://appshunter.io/developer/1108291419) | [TheUKDave](https://appshunter.io/developer/497798277) |

## What reviewers say

### Word Search

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/word-search-hidden-puzzle/id1619692920)

Engage your brain with this classic word search game. Find hidden words within grids of various sizes, using clues and definitions to progress through levels. New word packs are regularly added to keep the challenge fresh.

**Highlights:** Word search in grids, Multiple grid sizes, Clues and definitions, Level progression, Regularly updated word packs

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Cryptex

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cryptex/id6757914896)

A daily word puzzle game where you transform a starting word into a target word by changing one letter at a time, with each step being a valid word. Track your progress, earn achievements, and enjoy a satisfying tactile experience. An optional premium upgrade offers more hints and full archive access.

**Highlights:** Daily word ladder puzzles, Track daily streaks, Progress bar indicator, Hints for difficult puzzles, Archive of past puzzles, Statistics and achievements, Tactile wheel controls with haptics, iCloud sync across devices

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Cryptex Premium | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Word Search free?

Word Search is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Cryptex free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Word Search or Cryptex?

Word Search and Cryptex are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 1 ratings respectively.

### Do Word Search or Cryptex have ads?

Neither Word Search nor Cryptex shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Word Search or Cryptex?

Word Search ships an update daily, and Cryptex every 4 days. Most recently, Word Search was updated on November 3, 2026 and Cryptex 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.*