Comparison

PopGroup vs Word Zero

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

PopGroup

Pop groups of same-colored bubbles to achieve high scores in this polished puzzle game. Strategize your pops to create larger groups and maximize your points. Enjoy customizable settings and online leaderboards without any ads or in-app purchases.

Highlights
  • Pop same-colored bubble groups
  • Strategic scoring for high scores
  • Customizable grid width and height
  • Adjustable number of bubble colors
  • Online high score leaderboards
  • Crystal-clear graphics and animations
Features
Read full description

PopGroup is a polished version of the classic "samegame" concept invented in 1985 by Kuniaki Moribe. Just pop groups of bubbles that have the same color. Sound easy? It is, unless you want a high score! You have to pop groups in the right order to form bigger groups and get more points. Compare PopGroup to other games based on the same concept: - Crystal-clear graphics - Animations - Customizable width, height, and number of bubble colors - Online high scores - No in-app ads or in-app purchases! PopGroup is made by the developer of tChess (the popular iOS chess app), and Learn Chess (the Apple Staff Favorite e-book).

About

Word Zero

A digital crossword board game where two players form words using letter tiles. It focuses on a pure gameplay experience without ads, rewards, or in-game assistance. Players use tokens to start games, with options to earn or purchase more.

Highlights
  • Two-player turn-based word formation
  • Token system for game access
  • No ads or in-game rewards
  • Correspondence-style games with turn timers
  • Play against computer bots
  • Elo rating system
  • English and Spanish language support
Features
Read full description

Word Zero is a crossword board game in the style of others you may have seen. Two players take turns placing tiles on a board to form words. Tiles have different point values, and some board spaces have bonuses (like double-word score), and so on. What makes this game different is the absence of ... annoyances. - Zero interruptions: We have no ads during game play. - Zero distractions: We don't have gems, rewards, stickers, or achievements. - Zero deception: We do offer computer players (Bots), but they never pretend to be real people. - Zero manipulation: We don't send you notifications nagging you to play a game. - Zero cheats: We don't have in-game assistance or power-ups. Instead, Word Zero has a simple model of requiring one "token" for each game you play. - Each new user gets a batch of free game tokens to start. More free tokens are provided periodically and as resources allow. - Users who want to play more often can purchase additional tokens through In-App Purchases. - Game tokens do not expire and can be used at whatever pace you like. Highlights: - Sign In With Apple - Games are "correspondence" style. Each player has up to 3 days for their turn, but it is considered good form to play as quickly as possible. If a player does not make a turn within that time period, a pass is automatically assumed and it becomes the other player's turn. If a player "auto-passes" twice in a row, and if their opponent makes a turn in between, the game is declared a forfeit and the opponent wins. Note that it is considered bad form to abandon a game. - Languages currently supported for game play include English and Spanish - For games in English, we use the NASPA Word List, which is the official word reference for SCRABBLE play in the United States and Canada. - Push notifications to let you know when it is your turn - Players who use this app are expected to play without outside assistance. Using dictionaries, word lists, or other helps during a game is considered cheating. All players are on the honor system. - An Elo rating system is used to give an approximate indication of the strength of each player. - Although the primary focus of Word Zero is to facilitate games between people, the ability to play against computer players ("Bots") is provided as well. The Bot-related features are intentionally kept separated from other areas of the app, so there can be no confusion about whether you are playing a Bot or a real person.

Screenshots

PopGroup4 screens
Word Zero4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Word Zero at Free against PopGroup's $0.99. Word Zero also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 31 months) and rating (4.5 vs 4.1). PopGroup's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2). On review sentiment, ratings volume, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Word Zero is free to download; PopGroup costs $0.99 up front. Word Zero sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. PopGroup asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Word Zero holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 8 and 19 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 64% of PopGroup's written reviews are positive against 69% of Word Zero's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PopGroup ships an update every 31 months, Word Zero every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
PopGroup versus Word Zero: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPopGroupWord Zero
Price$0.99Free — better
Rating4.1 (8 ratings)4.5 (19 ratings) — better
Positive reviews63.6% of reviews69.2% of reviews — better
Number of ratings819 — better
Update frequencyEvery 31 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS18.016.4 — better
Further details — not scored
Size2 MB64 MB
Age rating4+9+
DeveloperTom KerriganSourceGear

Customer experience

PopGroup

All ratings8 ratings
Positive75.0%
Neutral12.5%
Negative12.5%
Written reviews44 reviews
Positive63.6%
Neutral9.1%
Negative27.3%

Word Zero

All ratings19 ratings
Positive84.2%
Neutral15.8%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews13 reviews
Positive69.2%
Neutral23.1%
Negative7.7%

In-app purchases

None

PopGroup

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Word Zero

One-time1
  • 50 Game Tokens2 variants$4.99

Questions

Is PopGroup free?
PopGroup costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Word Zero free?
Word Zero is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, PopGroup or Word Zero?
Word Zero is rated higher. PopGroup averages 4.1 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while Word Zero averages 4.5 from 19 ratings.
Do PopGroup or Word Zero have ads?
Neither PopGroup nor Word Zero shows ads.
Which is updated more often, PopGroup or Word Zero?
PopGroup ships an update every 31 months, and Word Zero every 2 weeks. Most recently, PopGroup was updated on September 26, 2026 and Word Zero on September 22, 2026.

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