# Star Gems vs Coded Word Search

The clearest difference is rating: Coded Word Search at 5.0 against Star Gems's 4.2. Coded Word Search also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 86%) and iOS requirement (10.0 vs 12.0). Star Gems's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 8) and ratings volume (79 vs 2). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Coded Word Search sells 8 one-off in-app purchases. Star Gems asks for nothing beyond the download.

Coded Word Search holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Star Gems has 79 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 86% of Star Gems's written reviews are positive against 100% of Coded Word Search's.

Star Gems ships an update every 4 months, Coded Word Search every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Star Gems | Coded Word Search |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.2 (79 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/star-gems/id528857133/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/coded-word-search/id1526085085/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **79** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 86.3% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 3 months** |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 102 MB | 186 MB |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 | **10.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Balloon Island Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/630026063) | [ROSE METAL PRODUCTS, INC.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1526085087) |

## What reviewers say

### Star Gems

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/star-gems/id528857133)

Engage in a fast-paced, strategic puzzle game where you blast aliens by matching colored stars. Avoid letting stars or UFOs reach the top of the screen. Utilize a charged laser gun for emergencies and enjoy playing with your own music.

**Highlights:** Match three or more stars of the same color, Destroy UFOs by popping stars below them, Prevent stars and UFOs from reaching the top, Use a charged laser gun for emergencies, Play with your own music, Autosave game progress

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and fun
- 👍 Addictive and absorbing
- 👍 Great for hand-eye coordination
- 👍 Enjoyable and challenging
- 👍 Simple but exciting

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Glitches and bugs
- 🐛 Freezing and crashing issues
- 🐛 Unresponsive touch screen
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 👎 Too many ads and interruptions

**Reported bugs**

- Blocks from previous levels remain on board
- Game freezes or stops completely after updates
- Colors change automatically during gameplay
- Cubes float on top and cannot be eliminated
- Touch screen not responsive on first tap

**Requested features**

- Allow continuing from last level
- Add difficulty settings or level selection
- Improve laser gun recharging mechanics
- Fix issue with blocks from previous levels
- Optimize performance and stability


### Coded Word Search

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/coded-word-search/id1526085085)

This game offers a unique twist on word searches by encrypting every letter. Players must find words to decipher the code and solve puzzles, earning in-game currency for hints. Progress through levels and increase your in-game score by completing numerous challenges.

**Highlights:** Encrypted letter puzzles, Code-cracking gameplay, In-game hint system, Progress tracking (Cred), Multiple difficulty levels

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Play Untimed | $0.99 | one-time |
| 50K Keys | $0.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads | $1.99 | one-time |
| 200K Keys | $2.99 | one-time |
| 500K Keys | $4.99 | one-time |
| 1M  Keys | $6.99 | one-time |
| 10M Keys | $19.99 | one-time |
| 100M Keys | $99.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Star Gems free?

Star Gems is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Coded Word Search free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Star Gems or Coded Word Search?

Coded Word Search is rated higher. Star Gems averages 4.2 out of 5 from 79 ratings, while Coded Word Search averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Star Gems or Coded Word Search have ads?

Both Star Gems and Coded Word Search show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Star Gems or Coded Word Search?

Star Gems ships an update every 4 months, and Coded Word Search every 3 months. Most recently, Star Gems was updated on October 22, 2026 and Coded Word Search on October 14, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*