# Essential Sudoku vs Riddle Master

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Essential Sudoku at 100% against Riddle Master's 13%. Essential Sudoku also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). Riddle Master's advantage is price (Free vs $3.00) and ratings volume (89K vs 14). On device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Riddle Master is free to download; Essential Sudoku costs $3.00 up front. Riddle Master sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Essential Sudoku asks for nothing beyond the download.

Essential Sudoku holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Riddle Master has 89K ratings behind it against 14, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Essential Sudoku's written reviews are positive against 13% of Riddle Master's.

Essential Sudoku ships an update every 4 months, Riddle Master monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Essential Sudoku | Riddle Master |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $3.00 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.8 (14 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/essential-sudoku/id553890344/reviews)** | [4.3 (89K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/riddle-master/id1519727197/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 14 | **89K** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 13.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 1 MB | 228 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.4** | 12.5 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [CyberMoai](https://appshunter.io/developer/553890347) | [RUBY OYUN VE YAZILIM DANISMANLIK SANAYI TICARET ANONIM SIRKETI](https://appshunter.io/developer/939257836) |

## What reviewers say

### Essential Sudoku

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/essential-sudoku/id553890344)

A minimalist and clean logic-based number puzzle game for iPhone and iPod touch. It offers a pure sudoku experience with no ads, in-app purchases, or distracting features. Enjoy straightforward gameplay focused solely on solving puzzles.

**Highlights:** Minimalist design, No ads, No in-app purchases, No tracking, No hints, No timers, Pure sudoku gameplay

**In-app purchases:** none


### Riddle Master

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/riddle-master/id1519727197)

This is a puzzle game designed to test your intelligence. It features tricky questions that challenge your brain power and encourage you to find all the clues. See if you can solve every riddle presented.

**Highlights:** IQ puzzle game, Solve tricky questions, Test brain power, Find all clues

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎮 Fun and challenging game concept
- 🧠 Engages the brain
- 👍 Good graphics and visuals

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Clues/objects too small or hidden
- 🔁 Repetitive levels and questions
- 💸 Too many disruptive ads
- 🤔 Unclear/subjective hints and questions

**Reported bugs**

- Game crashes or freezes
- Progress not saved properly
- Ads not removed after purchase

**Requested features**

- More diverse and challenging levels
- Option to disable hint balloon
- Better progression and level variety


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Essential Sudoku free?

Essential Sudoku costs $3.00, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Riddle Master free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Essential Sudoku or Riddle Master?

Essential Sudoku is rated higher. Essential Sudoku averages 4.8 out of 5 from 14 ratings, while Riddle Master averages 4.3 from 89K ratings.

### Do Essential Sudoku or Riddle Master have ads?

Riddle Master shows ads; Essential Sudoku does not.

### Which is updated more often, Essential Sudoku or Riddle Master?

Essential Sudoku ships an update every 4 months, and Riddle Master monthly. Most recently, Essential Sudoku was updated on October 23, 2026 and Riddle Master on October 29, 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.*