# TopWords vs Pocket8

The clearest difference is rating: Pocket8 at 4.5 against TopWords's 3.0. Pocket8 also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (daily vs every 48 months). TopWords's advantage is iOS requirement (8.0 vs 15.0). On price, ads, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. TopWords sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Pocket8 asks for nothing beyond the download.

Pocket8 holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pocket8 has 40 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of TopWords's written reviews are positive against 67% of Pocket8's.

TopWords ships an update every 48 months, Pocket8 daily. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | TopWords | Pocket8 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/topwords/id573476978/reviews) | **[4.5 (40 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocket8/id6758171942/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **40** |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | **66.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 48 months | **Daily** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 97 MB | 24 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [QED Gaming PTY. Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/441029909) | [Jevon Lipsey](https://appshunter.io/developer/1864554839) |

## What reviewers say

### TopWords

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/topwords/id573476978)

A word creation game where you break down a given word to form new words connected to existing ones on the board. Race against a bomb timer and use bonus squares for higher scores. Expand your vocabulary with a vast dictionary.

**Highlights:** 135,000+ word dictionary, Bomb timer with 60-second rounds, Bonus squares for score multipliers, Global high-score table, Expand vocabulary with uncommon words

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Extra Everything! | $1.99 | one-time |


### Pocket8

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocket8/id6758171942)

This app brings the PICO-8 fantasy console experience to your mobile device, offering access to thousands of community-made games. Enjoy customizable touch controls or gamepad support, and never lose progress with an instant save system.

**Highlights:** Browse and play community-made PICO-8 games, Customizable touch controls and gamepad support, Instant save states for unlimited progress saving, Portrait and landscape orientation support, Locked 60FPS gameplay

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is TopWords free?

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

### Is Pocket8 free?

Pocket8 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, TopWords or Pocket8?

Pocket8 is rated higher. TopWords averages 3.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Pocket8 averages 4.5 from 40 ratings.

### Do TopWords or Pocket8 have ads?

Neither TopWords nor Pocket8 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, TopWords or Pocket8?

TopWords ships an update every 48 months, and Pocket8 daily. Most recently, TopWords was updated on October 20, 2026 and Pocket8 on October 25, 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.*