# Word Abacus vs Cross the Lines

The clearest difference is rating: Word Abacus at 3.6 against Cross the Lines's 2.3. Word Abacus also leads on review sentiment (39% vs 0%) and update cadence (monthly vs every 12 months). Cross the Lines's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Word Abacus sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Cross the Lines asks for nothing beyond the download.

Word Abacus holds the better App Store score, 3.6 against 2.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Word Abacus has 20 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 39% of Word Abacus's written reviews are positive against 0% of Cross the Lines's.

Word Abacus ships an update monthly, Cross the Lines every 12 months. Both last shipped on November 1, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Word Abacus | Cross the Lines |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.6 (20 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/word-abacus/id389992194/reviews)** | [2.3 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cross-the-lines/id415138696/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **20** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | **39.1% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 12 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 30 MB | 5 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.3** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [TLogic.de](https://appshunter.io/developer/327755338) | [Daniel Rossler](https://appshunter.io/developer/324029869) |

## What reviewers say

### Word Abacus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/word-abacus/id389992194)

Engage your mind with a unique word puzzle game that combines strategy and relaxation. Connect letters to form words and then slide them like an abacus to discover new combinations and hidden words. This is a calm, skill-based challenge for thoughtful players.

**Highlights:** Unique sliding letter mechanic, Endless word possibilities, Improves vocabulary and spelling, Works offline, No time limits, In-game word hints (Premium)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| No-Ads-Upgrade | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💡 Clever and challenging gameplay
- 👍 Addictive and fun
- 🧠 Keeps mind sharp
- 🌟 Unique word game concept
- 🆓 Free to play

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezing
- 🐌 Laggy touch response
- ⏳ Difficulty increases too rapidly
- ❌ Some words not accepted
- 🔄 Game resets or progress lost

**Reported bugs**

- Game freezes on startup or during play
- App crashes frequently, especially at higher levels
- Touch input is laggy or unresponsive
- Progress is not saved, game resets to level 1
- Screen orientation is locked vertically

**Requested features**

- Allow continuing game after high score/longest word
- Add a back button for missed letters
- Option to turn off red letters
- Ability to look up words during the game
- More vowels in higher levels


### Cross the Lines

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cross-the-lines/id415138696)

A turn-based strategy game where players take turns crossing bars from rows. The objective is to avoid being left with the final bar. It offers simple touch controls for gameplay.

**Highlights:** Turn-based gameplay, Strategic bar crossing, Simple touch controls, Single-player mode, Objective-based challenge

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Word Abacus free?

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

### Is Cross the Lines free?

Cross the Lines is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Word Abacus or Cross the Lines?

Word Abacus is rated higher. Word Abacus averages 3.6 out of 5 from 20 ratings, while Cross the Lines averages 2.3 from 3 ratings.

### Do Word Abacus or Cross the Lines have ads?

Both Word Abacus and Cross the Lines show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Word Abacus or Cross the Lines?

Word Abacus ships an update monthly, and Cross the Lines every 12 months. Most recently, Word Abacus was updated on November 1, 2026 and Cross the Lines on November 1, 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.*