# Mad Libs vs Common Sense Media

The clearest difference is rating: Common Sense Media at 4.8 against Mad Libs's 4.1. Common Sense Media also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 4 months) and ratings volume (9K vs 2.9K). Mad Libs's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 15.0). On price, review sentiment, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Mad Libs sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and Common Sense Media sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Common Sense Media holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2.9K and 9K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 57% of Mad Libs's written reviews are positive against 60% of Common Sense Media's.

Mad Libs ships an update every 4 months, Common Sense Media every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Mad Libs | Common Sense Media |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.1 (2.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mad-libs/id326885152/reviews) | **[4.8 (9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/common-sense-media/id6443335877/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 2.9K | **9K** |
| Positive reviews | 57.3% of reviews | **59.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 106 MB | 84 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Penguin Group USA](https://appshunter.io/developer/297541127) | [Common Sense Media](https://appshunter.io/developer/375331358) |

## What reviewers say

### Mad Libs

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mad-libs/id326885152)

Fill in the blanks of hilarious stories to create your own funny tales. This word game offers a fresh, engaging experience with new content added regularly. Play solo or with friends and family, and unlock rewards as you go.

**Highlights:** 21 free Mad Libs stories, New swipe gestures for faster play, Interactive hints for inspiration, Save and share stories, Earn stickers and badges, Optional in-app purchases for more stories, Kid-friendly interface

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Cool Mad Libs (21 stories) | $1.99 | one-time |
| Goofy Mad Libs (21 stories) | $1.99 | one-time |
| Sleepover Party Mad Libs | $1.99 | one-time |
| Mad Mad Mad Mad Mad Libs (21 stories) | $1.99 | one-time |
| Haunted Mad Libs (21 stories) | $1.99 | one-time |
| Mad Libs in Love (21 stories) | $1.99 | one-time |
| Ninjas Mad Libs (21 stories) | $1.99 | one-time |
| Happily Ever Mad Libs (21 stories) | $1.99 | one-time |
| We Wish You A Merry Mad Libs (21 stories) | $1.99 | one-time |
| 101 Goofiest Mad Libs | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🤩 Fun and entertaining
- 👍 Great learning tool
- 🤗 Nostalgic and brings back memories
- 😊 Keeps kids entertained

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤑 Too many paid books, not enough free content
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🙄 Formatting and display issues
- 😤 Restore purchases not working

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when trying to read completed stories
- Restore purchases feature not working properly
- Formatting issues make stories hard to read
- Keyboard covers up input fields

**Requested features**

- More free books and stories
- Add a back button to fix mistakes
- Allow creating custom mad libs
- Add text-to-speech for reading stories


### Common Sense Media

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/common-sense-media/id6443335877)

This app provides parents with unbiased reviews and ratings for movies, TV shows, games, apps, and more. It helps families discover safe and age-appropriate content for children by detailing mature themes and positive messages. Users can filter content by age, interests, and streaming services, and create custom watchlists.

**Highlights:** Content ratings for movies, TV, games, apps, books, podcasts, Details on mature and positive content elements, Community reviews from parents and kids, Filter content by age, interests, and streaming services, Customizable watch and read lists, Curated collections of media

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Plan | $3.99 | per month |
| Weekly Plan | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| Yearly Plan | $39.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Helpful for finding appropriate content
- 🚀 Convenient app version of the website
- 💡 Detailed reviews on movies, books, and shows
- 🔒 Trustworthy source for parents

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Paywall restricts access to basic features
- 🐛 Login issues and app crashes
- 💰 Subscription cost is too high
- 🤔 Inconsistent or inaccurate reviews

**Reported bugs**

- Constant log-out issues
- Unreliable login functionality
- Compatibility problems on older devices

**Requested features**

- Ability to mark content as already viewed
- More customization options for user preferences
- Improved search and recommendation algorithms


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Mad Libs free?

Mad Libs is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Common Sense Media free?

Common Sense Media is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Mad Libs or Common Sense Media?

Common Sense Media is rated higher. Mad Libs averages 4.1 out of 5 from 2.9K ratings, while Common Sense Media averages 4.8 from 9K ratings.

### Do Mad Libs or Common Sense Media have ads?

Common Sense Media shows ads; Mad Libs does not.

### Which is updated more often, Mad Libs or Common Sense Media?

Mad Libs ships an update every 4 months, and Common Sense Media every 3 weeks. Most recently, Mad Libs was updated on October 20, 2026 and Common Sense Media on October 28, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*