Wordly® vs Upwords
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Wordly®
Engage in a classic word scramble puzzle game where you trace letters to form words on a timed board. Discover new words and test your vocabulary skills in this addictive and fun challenge.
- Trace letters to form words
- Timed and untimed modes
- Customizable game time limits
- All possible words shown post-game
- Board quality checker for word availability
- Intuitive user interface
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Wordly® brings the classic word scramble game to iPhone. It is a simple, fun and addictive puzzle game, in which the objective is to find and trace as many words as possible on a randomly generated board before the clock runs out. Form valid words by tracing letters on the board with your finger. Words can only be formed by connecting neighbouring letters, and the minimum word length is 3 letters. When you think you have found a word, release your finger from the board, and if valid, you score a point in the game. Features: - All possible words shown at the end of a game - Board quality checker, to ensure there’s plenty of words to find - Features an untimed mode - Choose your own game time limit - Intuitive user interface 28/06/2010: Wordly has been reviewed by WMExperts! “This is a highly addictive, enjoyable and often humbling game. I didn’t experience any bugs, hang-ups or problems running Wordly. ——————————————————————————————————– Reviews: "Wordly is great. Once you get used to the idea that there are dozens of obscure words you’ve never heard of, this game is just great. My kids play it, my wife plays it – it is so addictive. The best £1.19 I ever spent on anything!!" Mark | 18/04/2010 05:48 "simple but addictive. this game is gonna get me sacked! fully addicted…" Anonymous | 25/02/2010 22:58 "really amazing app I find it HIGHLY ADDICTIVE and have recommended it to many family & friends. Find words you never knew existed!" Ryan | 20/04/2010 23:18 Terms of Use: http://www.bluebear.ie/wordly_terms.html Privacy Policy: http://www.bluebear.ie/wordly_privacy.html Wordly® is a registered trademark of Bluebear Technologies Ltd.
Upwords
This word stacking game challenges you to transform existing words by stacking letters on top. Score higher by stacking higher and outsmarting opponents. Play with friends, strangers, or against the computer.
- Stack letters to change words
- Score points based on stacking height
- Play with friends globally
- Challenge computer opponents
- Pass & Play mode
- In-game chat
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UPWORDS – The Stacking Word Game! UPWORDS is the classic 3D crossword game where you don’t just play words… you change them! Stack letters on top of existing words to transform them into new words, score more points the higher you stack, and outsmart your opponents. Why you’ll love it: - Fun, fast, and endlessly replayable - Play with friends around the world or challenge random opponents - Test yourself against the Computer (4 skill levels) - Pass & Play with family on one device - In-game chat keeps the competition lively UPWORDS is more than just fun — it keeps your brain sharp as you find clever ways to build and stack words. The higher you go, the higher you score! Download today and start stacking your way to victory. -- Terms of use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://www.upwords-app.com/privacy.html
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Upwords at every 2 days against Wordly®'s every 2 weeks. On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume 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
Both are free to download. Wordly® sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Upwords sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Wordly® against 4.7 for Upwords. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6.1K and 9.2K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 63% of Wordly®'s written reviews are positive against 67% of Upwords's.
Wordly® ships an update every 2 weeks, Upwords every 2 days. Both last shipped on October 17, 2026.
| Parameter | Wordly® | Upwords |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (6.1K ratings) — better | 4.7 (9.2K ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 62.6% of reviews | 66.9% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 6.1K | 9.2K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Every 2 days — better |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | 15.6 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 57 MB | 91 MB |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Bluebear Technologies Ltd. | Lonely Star Software, Inc. |
Customer experience
Wordly®
Upwords
User reviews
Wordly®
From 6.1K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Smooth gameplay
- 👍 Simplistic and clean design
- 🧠 Challenges the brain
- 💡 Flexible gameplay options (no time limit)
- 🔒 No ads (for premium users)
Room to improve
- 🐛 Crashes and progress not saved
- 🤔 Questionable dictionary with obscure words
- 💰 Subscription model
- 🙄 Intrusive ads for non-premium users
- 🔍 Difficulty finding some common words
Upwords
From 9.2K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Great online game
- 🤝 Competitive and fun
- 🧠 Keeps the brain active
- 🌐 Connects players globally
- 🕰️ Enjoyable to play daily
Room to improve
- 🔤 Questionable dictionary
- 🤖 Computer uses invalid words
- 🤑 Expensive for a 50MB app
- 🚫 Rejects valid words
- 💤 Lack of help from developers
Bugs and requests
Wordly®
Reported bugs
3 issues- Game progress not saved when app is closed
- Inconsistent word recognition
- Crashes and freezes
Requested features
5 requests- Rotate board option
- Ability to save and resume games
- More comprehensive dictionary
- Dark mode
- Multiplayer/social features
Upwords
Reported bugs
4 issues- Ads that cannot be closed
- Frequent crashes and freezes
- Login and verification issues
- Incorrect scoring and word validation
Requested features
5 requests- Option to use British dictionary
- Choice of dictionaries
- Ability to swap more than one letter
- Show opponent's remaining tiles
- Fairer letter distribution
In-app purchases
Wordly®
- Wordly Plus Monthly$1.991 Month
- Wordly Plus Annual$9.991 Year
- Wordly Plus Lifetime$19.99
Upwords
- Premium Bundle Monthly7 Days trial$1.491 Month
- Premium Bundle Yearly7 Days trial$11.991 Year
- Full Upgrade - Free!Free
- Word Glow$1.99
- 20 Tokens$1.99
Show 7 moreShow fewer
- Medium Token Pack$4.99
- 60 Tokens$4.99
- 125 Tokens$9.99
- Large Token Pack$9.99
- 260 Tokens$19.99
- Premium Bundle Lifetime$34.99
- 610 Tokens$44.99








