# Crossword Light vs Crossword Scanner

The clearest difference is rating: Crossword Light at 3.0 against Crossword Scanner's 1.3. Crossword Light also leads on review sentiment (53% vs 33%) and ratings volume (54 vs 3). Crossword Scanner's advantage is update cadence (every 9 days vs every 3 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Crossword Light sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and Crossword Scanner sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Crossword Light holds the better App Store score, 3.0 against 1.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Crossword Light has 54 ratings behind it against 3, 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 33% of Crossword Scanner's.

Crossword Light ships an update every 3 months, Crossword Scanner every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Crossword Light | Crossword Scanner |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.0 (54 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crossword-light/id285702231/reviews)** | [1.3 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crossword-scanner/id6474579859/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **54** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | **52.7% of reviews** | 33.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 29 MB | 38 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Stand Alone, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/284036527) | [Havnør](https://appshunter.io/developer/630262552) |

## 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 |


### Crossword Scanner

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crossword-scanner/id6474579859)

Capture crosswords from physical media or digital screenshots and solve them on your device. Features a live preview for accurate scanning and an intuitive interface for inputting answers.

**Highlights:** Scan crosswords with live preview, Import from device gallery, Solve scanned crosswords on device, Tap to edit horizontally/vertically, Supports iPhone and iPad

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| Quarterly | $4.99 | per 3 months |
| Yearly | $14.99 | per year |
| Lifetime | $29.99 | one-time |
| Enable sharing | $39.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Crossword Light free?

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

### Is Crossword Scanner free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Crossword Light or Crossword Scanner?

Crossword Light is rated higher. Crossword Light averages 3.0 out of 5 from 54 ratings, while Crossword Scanner averages 1.3 from 3 ratings.

### Do Crossword Light or Crossword Scanner have ads?

Both Crossword Light and Crossword Scanner show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Crossword Light or Crossword Scanner?

Crossword Light ships an update every 3 months, and Crossword Scanner every 9 days. Most recently, Crossword Light was updated on October 31, 2026 and Crossword Scanner on November 4, 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.*