Comparison

KenKen Classic vs Calcudoku Puzzle

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

KenKen Classic

Engage your mind with this addictive logic and math puzzle game. It offers a virtually unlimited supply of challenges with adjustable difficulty and grid sizes. Enjoy a fun way to train your brain with a trusted source of daily puzzles.

Highlights
  • Unlimited puzzles
  • Adjustable difficulty and grid size
  • Multiple input modes
  • Hints, Undo, Redo, Reset
  • Online leaderboards
  • Color schemes and music options
Features
Read full description

KenKen® - Brain Training Puzzle Train your brain with KenKen®, the unbelievably fun, exciting and addictive logic and math puzzle! KenKen is an amazing puzzle that is frequently described as “sudoku on steroids.” If you like other brain games such as sudoku, 2048, Threes, Kakuro, Unblock Me, Tricky Test, Tetris, Flow, jigsaw puzzles, word search puzzles, or crossword puzzles, then you will LOVE KenKen! This is the ONE-AND-ONLY Original KenKen app, created by acclaimed Japanese mathematics educator Tetsuya Miyamoto. Don’t be fooled by unauthorized versions such as mathdoku and calcudoku, and don't get stuck in a sudoku rut. Play KenKen math puzzles today! KenKen appears daily in the New York Times and hundreds of other publications around the globe. NY Times puzzle editor, Will Shortz, calls KenKen "the most addictive puzzle since sudoku." There are virtually unlimited KenKen puzzles available to you on this app. The first 50 are included FREE with the download. If you need more...no problem! Just order them and they'll appear immediately. YOU select the size, difficulty level, and operations. KenKen Classic includes: - 50 FREE fun math puzzles of every size and difficulty level - Unlimited FREE 3x3 size puzzles to learn from and enjoy - Virtually unlimited puzzles, ranging from 3x3 to 9x9 grids, from Easy to Expert - A variety of color schemes and music (you can even set your own music to play in the background) - 3 input modes for digits and notes - Great extra features such as Hints, Check, Undo, Redo, Reset, Pause, and Timer - Online leaderboards - Ability to post results directly to Twitter - Ability to email results and invite friends

About

Calcudoku Puzzle

Enjoy unlimited logic puzzles similar to Sudoku. This app offers a vast collection of Calcudoku and Mathdoku challenges that can be solved through deduction. Compete with friends and share puzzles for a fun, ad-free experience.

Highlights
  • Unlimited Calcudoku and Mathdoku puzzles
  • No ads or subscriptions
  • Solve with logic and deduction
  • Compete with friends via Game Center
  • Share puzzles with others
Features
Read full description

Unlimited Calcudoku, Mathdoku, Kenken puzzles. If you like Sudokus, try this app(!) - no ads - no subscription - unlimited puzzles - compete with friends through Game Center - share puzzles and challenge friends All puzzles can be solved with logical thinking/deduction. If you play well, you don't need to take a chance or gamble.

Screenshots

KenKen Classic2 screens
Calcudoku Puzzle4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Calcudoku Puzzle at none against KenKen Classic's shown. Calcudoku Puzzle also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 4 months) and rating (4.8 vs 4.6). KenKen Classic's advantage is review sentiment (73% vs 40%) and ratings volume (3.2K vs 51). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. KenKen Classic sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per year and Calcudoku Puzzle sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Calcudoku Puzzle holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: KenKen Classic has 3.2K ratings behind it against 51, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 73% of KenKen Classic's written reviews are positive against 40% of Calcudoku Puzzle's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

KenKen Classic ships an update every 4 months, Calcudoku Puzzle weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
KenKen Classic versus Calcudoku Puzzle: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterKenKen ClassicCalcudoku Puzzle
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (3.2K ratings)4.8 (51 ratings) — better
Positive reviews72.7% of reviews — better40.0% of reviews
Number of ratings3.2K — better51
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsWeekly — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS12.1 — better16.6
Further details — not scored
Size40 MB2 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKenKen PuzzleResearch and Market Insights B.V.

Customer experience

KenKen Classic

All ratings3,172 ratings
Positive92.7%
Neutral2.6%
Negative4.6%
Written reviews315 reviews
Positive72.7%
Neutral9.5%
Negative17.8%

Calcudoku Puzzle

All ratings48 ratings
Positive95.8%
Neutral4.2%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive40.0%
Neutral60.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

KenKen Classic

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Puzzles disappearing after device reset or upgrade
  • Purchased puzzles not syncing across devices
  • App crashing or freezing

Requested features

4 requests
  • Dark mode option
  • Ability to save and revert puzzle progress
  • No-op puzzles for advanced players
  • Improved puzzle loading and syncing across devices

Calcudoku Puzzle

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

6 purchases

KenKen Classic

Subscriptions1
  • Full Year Subscription NO ADS!$19.991 Year
One-time5
  • 500 KenKen toKENs$0.99
  • 31 Puzzles PLUS removal of all ads!$1.99
  • 250 Puzzles PLUS removal of all ads!$7.99
Show 2 more
  • 1000 Puzzles PLUS removal of all ads!$14.99
  • Annual Unlimited Subscription - Ad Free$19.99
1 purchases

Calcudoku Puzzle

One-time1
  • Full Functionality$3.99

Questions

Is KenKen Classic free?
KenKen Classic is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Calcudoku Puzzle free?
Calcudoku Puzzle is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, KenKen Classic or Calcudoku Puzzle?
Calcudoku Puzzle is rated higher. KenKen Classic averages 4.6 out of 5 from 3.2K ratings, while Calcudoku Puzzle averages 4.8 from 51 ratings.
Do KenKen Classic or Calcudoku Puzzle have ads?
KenKen Classic shows ads; Calcudoku Puzzle does not.
Which is updated more often, KenKen Classic or Calcudoku Puzzle?
KenKen Classic ships an update every 4 months, and Calcudoku Puzzle weekly. Most recently, KenKen Classic was updated on November 6, 2026 and Calcudoku Puzzle on November 3, 2026.

Other comparisons