# First Words Sampler vs Word Farm Cross

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: First Words Sampler at none against Word Farm Cross's 10. First Words Sampler also leads on ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (12.2 vs 15.0). Word Farm Cross's advantage is rating (4.5 vs 4.1) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 3 months). On price, review sentiment and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Word Farm Cross sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. First Words Sampler asks for nothing beyond the download.

Word Farm Cross holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Word Farm Cross has 4.8K ratings behind it against 141, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 73% and 72% positive.

First Words Sampler ships an update every 3 months, Word Farm Cross fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | First Words Sampler | Word Farm Cross |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.1 (141 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-words-sampler/id312571156/reviews) | **[4.5 (4.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/word-farm-cross/id1439282938/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 141 | **4.8K** |
| Positive reviews | **72.5% of reviews** | 72.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 23 MB | 179 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.2** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Learning Touch LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/773246929) | [BitMango, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/465882936) |

## What reviewers say

### First Words Sampler

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-words-sampler/id312571156)

This educational tool helps toddlers and preschoolers learn letters, sounds, and spelling through interactive play. It features beautiful illustrations, engaging sounds, and a user-friendly interface designed for young children.

**Highlights:** Letter recognition, Phonics learning, Word spelling, Toddler-friendly interface, Beautiful illustrations, Engaging sounds

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Engaging for young children
- 💡 Helps with letter recognition and spelling
- 🚀 Responsive and interactive
- 👍 Good for language-delayed and special needs children

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes or freezing
- 💡 Needs more words/levels
- 💡 Should use letter sounds instead of letter names
- 💡 Needs more difficulty options
- 💡 Lacks UK English option

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes or freezes on some devices
- Letters not responsive enough when trying to move them

**Requested features**

- Add phonics-based learning
- Increase word/level variety
- Add difficulty settings
- Provide UK English version


### Word Farm Cross

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/word-farm-cross/id1439282938)

Embark on a relaxing farm adventure with word puzzles. Swipe letters to complete crosswords, solve anagrams, and enjoy mini-games. Boost your brain, spelling, and vocabulary skills with over 300 levels.

**Highlights:** Swipe letters to complete crossword grids, Word search puzzles and anagrams, Mini-game challenges, Over 300 unique levels, No time limits, Play offline

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 240 coins | $0.99 | one-time |
| Remove the Ads. | $1.99 | one-time |
| Starter pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Ads free pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| 720 coins | $2.99 | one-time |
| Weekend sale | $2.99 | one-time |
| 1340 coins | $4.99 | one-time |
| 2940 coins | $9.99 | one-time |
| 6240 coins | $19.99 | one-time |
| 13440 coins | $39.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🧠 Brain-boosting gameplay
- 🤩 Fun and addictive
- 🧠 Helps improve vocabulary
- 👍 Great for kids and adults
- 🕹️ Enjoyable mini-games

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Glitches and bugs
- 💰 Expensive in-app purchases
- 🔊 Loud and unskippable ads
- 🤯 Some levels too difficult
- 🔁 Repetitive word selection

**Reported bugs**

- Levels with missing/incorrect letters
- Progress and coin loss after app resets
- Game freezing or crashing
- Daily puzzle not working as intended

**Requested features**

- Add a dictionary feature
- More level updates and new content
- Option to disable ads or pay for ad-free version
- Improve coin/reward system
- Ability to skip or mute ads


## Frequently asked questions

### Is First Words Sampler free?

First Words Sampler is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Word Farm Cross free?

Word Farm Cross is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, First Words Sampler or Word Farm Cross?

Word Farm Cross is rated higher. First Words Sampler averages 4.1 out of 5 from 141 ratings, while Word Farm Cross averages 4.5 from 4.8K ratings.

### Do First Words Sampler or Word Farm Cross have ads?

Word Farm Cross shows ads; First Words Sampler does not.

### Which is updated more often, First Words Sampler or Word Farm Cross?

First Words Sampler ships an update every 3 months, and Word Farm Cross fortnightly. Most recently, First Words Sampler was updated on October 23, 2026 and Word Farm Cross on October 28, 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.*