# Word Shaker vs Wordsmithing

The clearest difference is price: Wordsmithing at Free against Word Shaker's $2.99. Wordsmithing also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months). Word Shaker's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and chart position (#80 vs unranked). On rating, ratings volume, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Wordsmithing is free to download; Word Shaker costs $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Wordsmithing holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 33 and 22 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 93% of Word Shaker's written reviews are positive against 83% of Wordsmithing's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Word Shaker ships an update every 3 months, Wordsmithing every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Word Shaker | Wordsmithing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $2.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.6 (33 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/word-shaker/id317452750/reviews) | **[4.8 (22 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wordsmithing/id6450016644/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **33** | 22 |
| Positive reviews | **93.4% of reviews** | 83.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Ad-supported |
| Best chart rank | **#80** | — |
| Size | 16 MB | 106 MB |
| Requires iOS | **10.0** | 12.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [C Loep](https://appshunter.io/developer/300802963) | [Joshua St John](https://appshunter.io/developer/1691585297) |

## What reviewers say

### Word Shaker

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/word-shaker/id317452750)

**Currently charting:** #80 Top Paid · Word (US App Store)

A word searching game where words can be found in any direction, not just straight lines. Earn points by finding words, with bonuses for longer ones. Shake your device to shuffle letters when stuck. Compete with others on online leaderboards.

**Highlights:** Non-linear word finding, Letter shuffling by shaking device, Online leaderboards, Customizable game modes, Progress tracking, Multiple grid sizes

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great word search game
- 🧠 Exercises the brain
- 🕰️ Flexible game time options
- 📚 Expands vocabulary
- 🕹️ Addictive and fun gameplay

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes or glitches
- 🤔 Dictionary issues - some common words not recognized, while obscure words are
- 🤳 Shake to mix feature is awkward
- 🔢 Scoring/ranking system can be inaccurate

**Reported bugs**

- Game crashes when trying to start a new game after iOS 18 update
- Difficulty registering letter selections at times
- Score submission issues when network connection changes

**Requested features**

- Add a shuffle button instead of shake
- Allow continuing a game past the time limit
- Provide word definitions for missed words
- Add multi-player mode
- Improve dictionary to include more common words


### Wordsmithing

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wordsmithing/id6450016644)

Connect letters by swiping to form words and complete challenges across thousands of levels. This game offers a relaxing, offline experience to sharpen your vocabulary and mind without any in-app purchases.

**Highlights:** Connect letters by swiping, Thousands of levels, Works offline, No in-app purchases, Relaxing gameplay, no time limit

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Word Shaker free?

Word Shaker costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Wordsmithing free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Word Shaker or Wordsmithing?

Wordsmithing is rated higher. Word Shaker averages 4.6 out of 5 from 33 ratings, while Wordsmithing averages 4.8 from 22 ratings.

### Do Word Shaker or Wordsmithing have ads?

Wordsmithing shows ads; Word Shaker does not.

### Which is updated more often, Word Shaker or Wordsmithing?

Word Shaker ships an update every 3 months, and Wordsmithing every 3 weeks. Most recently, Word Shaker was updated on October 24, 2026 and Wordsmithing on October 24, 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.*