# Wordly® vs Upwords

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Wordly® | Upwords |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (6.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wordly/id458818872/reviews)** | [4.7 (9.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/upwords/id588252565/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 6.1K | **9.2K** |
| Positive reviews | 62.6% of reviews | **66.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 57 MB | 91 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Bluebear Technologies Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/522548950) | [Lonely Star Software, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/284572331) |

## What reviewers say

### Wordly®

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wordly/id458818872)

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.

**Highlights:** 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

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Wordly Plus Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| Wordly Plus Annual | $9.99 | per year |
| Wordly Plus Lifetime | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth gameplay
- 👍 Simplistic and clean design
- 🧠 Challenges the brain
- 💡 Flexible gameplay options (no time limit)
- 🔒 No ads (for premium users)

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and progress not saved
- 🤔 Questionable dictionary with obscure words
- 💰 Subscription model
- 🙄 Intrusive ads for non-premium users
- 🔍 Difficulty finding some common words

**Reported bugs**

- Game progress not saved when app is closed
- Inconsistent word recognition
- Crashes and freezes

**Requested features**

- Rotate board option
- Ability to save and resume games
- More comprehensive dictionary
- Dark mode
- Multiplayer/social features


### Upwords

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/upwords/id588252565)

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.

**Highlights:** Stack letters to change words, Score points based on stacking height, Play with friends globally, Challenge computer opponents, Pass & Play mode, In-game chat

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

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Bundle Monthly | $1.49 | per month |
| Premium Bundle Yearly | $11.99 | per year |
| Full Upgrade - Free! | Free | one-time |
| Word Glow | $1.99 | one-time |
| 20 Tokens | $1.99 | one-time |
| Medium Token Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| 60 Tokens | $4.99 | one-time |
| 125 Tokens | $9.99 | one-time |
| Large Token Pack | $9.99 | one-time |
| 260 Tokens | $19.99 | one-time |
| Premium Bundle Lifetime | $34.99 | one-time |
| 610 Tokens | $44.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great online game
- 🤝 Competitive and fun
- 🧠 Keeps the brain active
- 🌐 Connects players globally
- 🕰️ Enjoyable to play daily

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔤 Questionable dictionary
- 🤖 Computer uses invalid words
- 🤑 Expensive for a 50MB app
- 🚫 Rejects valid words
- 💤 Lack of help from developers

**Reported bugs**

- Ads that cannot be closed
- Frequent crashes and freezes
- Login and verification issues
- Incorrect scoring and word validation

**Requested features**

- Option to use British dictionary
- Choice of dictionaries
- Ability to swap more than one letter
- Show opponent's remaining tiles
- Fairer letter distribution


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Wordly® free?

Wordly® is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Upwords free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Wordly® or Upwords?

Wordly® is rated higher. Wordly® averages 4.8 out of 5 from 6.1K ratings, while Upwords averages 4.7 from 9.2K ratings.

### Do Wordly® or Upwords have ads?

Both Wordly® and Upwords show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Wordly® or Upwords?

Wordly® ships an update every 2 weeks, and Upwords every 2 days. Most recently, Wordly® was updated on October 17, 2026 and Upwords on October 17, 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.*