# Ar CrossWord vs Astraware CodeWords

The clearest difference is price: Astraware CodeWords at Free against Ar CrossWord's $2.99. Astraware CodeWords also leads on update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 16 months) and rating (4.7 vs 4.5). Ar CrossWord's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 13) and ads (none vs shown). On review sentiment, ratings volume and device support there is nothing between them.

Astraware CodeWords is free to download; Ar CrossWord costs $2.99 up front. Astraware CodeWords sells 13 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Ar CrossWord asks for nothing beyond the download.

Astraware CodeWords holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 400 and 166 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 86% of Ar CrossWord's written reviews are positive against 87% of Astraware CodeWords's.

Ar CrossWord ships an update every 16 months, Astraware CodeWords every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Ar CrossWord | Astraware CodeWords |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $2.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.5 (400 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ar-crossword/id474299392/reviews) | **[4.7 (166 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/astraware-codewords/id592704252/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **400** | 166 |
| Positive reviews | 86.2% of reviews | **87.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 16 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#81** | — |
| Size | 13 MB | 37 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [i4islam](https://appshunter.io/developer/301048985) | [Astraware Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/392328106) |

## What reviewers say

### Ar CrossWord

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ar-crossword/id474299392)

**Currently charting:** #81 Top Paid · Word (US App Store)

Engage your mind with a classic Arabic crossword puzzle game. Solve riddles by filling in logical words, enhancing your vocabulary and general knowledge across various fields. Enjoy multiple levels and helpful features designed for all ages.

**Highlights:** 162 crossword puzzles, Three difficulty levels, Innovative golden level, Instant square access, One-tap navigation, Full puzzle list view, Automatic correction, Progress percentage

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Entertaining and educational
- 🤓 Improves cultural knowledge
- 🎮 Engaging gameplay

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Spelling and grammar errors
- 🖱️ Keyboard and navigation issues
- ⏱️ Outdated and needs updating

**Reported bugs**

- Incorrect answers in some levels
- App crashes on certain devices

**Requested features**

- Add backup save feature for game progress
- Increase number of levels and challenges
- Support for larger screen sizes and iPad
- Add social features like leaderboards and multiplayer


### Astraware CodeWords

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/astraware-codewords/id592704252)

This word puzzle game challenges you to crack a secret code by substituting numbers for letters in a crossword-style grid. Use logic and vocabulary to decipher words and climb the global leaderboard.

**Highlights:** Number-to-letter substitution puzzles, Daily and Weekender puzzles, 50 built-in puzzles, Extra puzzle streams, Intuitive interface, Highlighting for letter consistency, Manual and auto-fill options

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

**In-app purchases (13)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Puzzles Plus | $1.99 | per month |
| Puzzles Plus | $2.99 | per 3 months |
| Puzzles Plus | $7.99 | per year |
| Fun-size Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Family Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Tough Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Easy Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Tough Pack 2 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Vacation Pack | $3.99 | one-time |
| Ad-Free Daily Puzzles | $4.99 | one-time |
| Deluxe Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Deluxe Pack 2 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Calendar Pack 2017 | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Enjoyable and mentally stimulating
- 🚀 Well-designed online puzzle
- 👍 Challenging but always enjoyable
- 👍 Great way to stimulate the brain
- 👍 Excellent puzzles, fun and addictive

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inappropriate words in puzzles
- 🔋 Increased ads and longer durations
- 👎 Mandatory commercials ruin the experience
- 👎 Repetitive long words make it too easy
- 👎 Glitches and issues with latest update

**Reported bugs**

- Hints not adding correctly to time
- Game no longer loads after recent update
- Purchased puzzles and packs not available

**Requested features**

- More free puzzles made available daily
- Flashing empty space indicator for last letter
- Theme-based puzzles and more daily challenges
- Ability to opt-out of competitive leaderboard


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Ar CrossWord free?

Ar CrossWord costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Astraware CodeWords free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Ar CrossWord or Astraware CodeWords?

Astraware CodeWords is rated higher. Ar CrossWord averages 4.5 out of 5 from 400 ratings, while Astraware CodeWords averages 4.7 from 166 ratings.

### Do Ar CrossWord or Astraware CodeWords have ads?

Astraware CodeWords shows ads; Ar CrossWord does not.

### Which is updated more often, Ar CrossWord or Astraware CodeWords?

Ar CrossWord ships an update every 16 months, and Astraware CodeWords every 6 weeks. Most recently, Ar CrossWord was updated on October 24, 2026 and Astraware CodeWords on October 23, 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.*