# Cipher Master vs Cipher Genius

Cipher Master and Cipher Genius both sit at 4.5 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of Cipher Genius's written reviews are positive against 25% of Cipher Master's. Cipher Genius also leads on ads (none vs shown). Cipher Master's advantage is ratings volume (6.1K vs 2) and update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months). On price, rating, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Cipher Master sells 5 one-off in-app purchases and Cipher Genius sells 10 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 — 4.5 for Cipher Master against 4.5 for Cipher Genius. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Cipher Master has 6.1K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 25% of Cipher Master's written reviews are positive against 100% of Cipher Genius's.

Cipher Master ships an update monthly, Cipher Genius every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Cipher Master | Cipher Genius |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (6.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cipher-master-word-game/id1673410546/reviews) | [4.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cipher-genius/id6753089895/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **6.1K** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 25.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 242 MB | 40 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 18.1 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Hitapps Games LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/1648314473) | [Smartphone Design Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/298734749) |

## What reviewers say

### Cipher Master

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cipher-master-word-game/id1673410546)

Engage your mind with a new word puzzle game. Decipher hidden phrases, learn interesting facts, and enjoy wise thoughts from famous people. This game offers a fun way to train your brain, practice logic, and expand your knowledge.

**Highlights:** Decipher hidden phrases, Learn interesting facts, Solve word riddles, Train your brain, Practice logic, Discover wise thoughts

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Small pack of energy | $3.29 | one-time |
| Small pack of hints | $3.49 | one-time |
| No ADS | $4.99 | one-time |
| Big pack of energy | $5.49 | one-time |
| Big pack of hints | $5.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎮 Fun and challenging game
- 💡 Interesting quotations and proverbs
- 👍 Large and easy-to-use letter squares

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤬 Excessive and disruptive ads during gameplay
- 🐛 Glitches with letter selection and scoring
- 🤔 Puzzles too easy for experienced players

**Reported bugs**

- Letters not registering properly
- Incorrect scoring and game over issues
- Ads not respecting device sound settings

**Requested features**

- Reduce ad frequency and disruption
- Provide an ad-free paid version
- Increase puzzle difficulty for more experienced users


### Cipher Genius

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cipher-genius/id6753089895)

Crack colorful emoji-style ciphers with a modern, intuitive design. Enjoy hundreds of puzzles, from quick lists to full quotes, with no ads or timers. Play offline and at your own pace.

**Highlights:** Emoji-style cipher tiles, Hundreds of puzzles, Two puzzle styles (lists and long answers), Three difficulty levels, No ads or timers, Offline play, Portrait and landscape modes, Accessibility features

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Food & Drink | $3.99 | one-time |
| Music | $3.99 | one-time |
| Humor & Wit | $3.99 | one-time |
| Word Play | $3.99 | one-time |
| Geography & Travel | $3.99 | one-time |
| Quotations | $3.99 | one-time |
| History & Legends | $3.99 | one-time |
| Nature & Science | $3.99 | one-time |
| Young At Heart | $3.99 | one-time |
| Ultimate Collection | $24.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Cipher Master free?

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

### Is Cipher Genius free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Cipher Master or Cipher Genius?

Cipher Master and Cipher Genius are both rated 4.5 out of 5 on the App Store, from 6.1K and 2 ratings respectively.

### Do Cipher Master or Cipher Genius have ads?

Cipher Master shows ads; Cipher Genius does not.

### Which is updated more often, Cipher Master or Cipher Genius?

Cipher Master ships an update monthly, and Cipher Genius every 3 months. Most recently, Cipher Master was updated on October 16, 2026 and Cipher Genius on October 1, 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.*