# Crossword Light vs Astraware Crosswords

The clearest difference is rating: Astraware Crosswords at 4.7 against Crossword Light's 3.0. Astraware Crosswords also leads on review sentiment (82% vs 53%) and ratings volume (337 vs 54). Crossword Light's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.6). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Crossword Light sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and Astraware Crosswords sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Astraware Crosswords holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Astraware Crosswords has 337 ratings behind it against 54, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 53% of Crossword Light's written reviews are positive against 82% of Astraware Crosswords's.

Crossword Light ships an update every 3 months, Astraware Crosswords every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and November 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Crossword Light | Astraware Crosswords |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.0 (54 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crossword-light/id285702231/reviews) | **[4.7 (337 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/astraware-crosswords/id586165296/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 54 | **337** |
| Positive reviews | 52.7% of reviews | **81.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 29 MB | 37 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Stand Alone, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/284036527) | [Astraware Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/392328106) |

## What reviewers say

### Crossword Light

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crossword-light/id285702231)

Solve daily crossword puzzles from various newspapers on your mobile device. Get hints, view clues, and track your progress. This light version includes 40 puzzles, with more available in the full version.

**Highlights:** Daily crossword puzzles, Hints available, View clues, Track improvement, Leaderboard, Social media integration

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Aaxword's Easy Themeless Puzzles | $0.99 | one-time |
| Aaxword's Easy Micro Puzzles | $0.99 | one-time |
| MacNamara's Band, Vol. 1 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Edited by Ben Tausig, vol. 1 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Ink Well Crosswords, Volume 1 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Dell Magazines #1 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Ridonkulous Crosswords | $1.99 | one-time |
| Jonesin' Crosswords | $2.99 | one-time |
| Brendan Emmett Quigley's Favorites, Vol. 1 | $2.99 | one-time |
| Crosswords | $9.99 | one-time |


### Astraware Crosswords

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/astraware-crosswords/id586165296)

Enjoy daily crossword puzzles on the go with this app. It offers free daily and weekly puzzles, with options to purchase additional packs for offline play. A subscription unlocks all puzzles and removes ads.

**Highlights:** Daily quick-style crosswords, Free weekly larger puzzles, Offline puzzle packs, Adjustable difficulty and grid sizes, Global leaderboards, Optional subscription for unlimited access

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Puzzles Plus | $1.99 | per month |
| Puzzles Plus | $2.99 | per 3 months |
| Puzzles Plus | $7.99 | per year |
| Fun-Size Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Family Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Easy Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Vacation Pack | $3.99 | one-time |
| Ad-free daily puzzles | $4.99 | one-time |
| Deluxe Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Deluxe Pack 2 | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Enjoyable crosswords
- 🧠 Keeps mind active
- 🕰️ Good daily challenge
- 💰 Free with optional in-app purchases
- 🔍 Helpful hints and solver features

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and freezes after updates
- 📢 Intrusive ads
- 🔍 Obscure or illogical clues
- 🔁 Repetitive puzzles and clues
- 🌐 Some British-centric content for US users

**Reported bugs**

- Puzzle timer issues
- Leaderboard scores not updating properly
- Purchased puzzle packs disappearing after updates

**Requested features**

- More daily puzzles
- Ability to save/resume puzzles
- Customizable difficulty levels
- Offline puzzle packs
- Improved keyboard and input responsiveness


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Crossword Light free?

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

### Is Astraware Crosswords free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Crossword Light or Astraware Crosswords?

Astraware Crosswords is rated higher. Crossword Light averages 3.0 out of 5 from 54 ratings, while Astraware Crosswords averages 4.7 from 337 ratings.

### Do Crossword Light or Astraware Crosswords have ads?

Both Crossword Light and Astraware Crosswords show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Crossword Light or Astraware Crosswords?

Crossword Light ships an update every 3 months, and Astraware Crosswords every 2 months. Most recently, Crossword Light was updated on October 31, 2026 and Astraware Crosswords on November 10, 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.*