# Crossword vs Crossword+

The clearest difference is update cadence: Crossword+ at every 10 days against Crossword's every 5 months. Crossword+ also leads on chart position (#153 vs unranked). Crossword's advantage is iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.6). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Crossword sells 14 one-off in-app purchases and Crossword+ sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Crossword holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 5.5K and 12K respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 81% of Crossword's written reviews are positive against 83% of Crossword+'s, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Crossword ships an update every 5 months, Crossword+ every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Crossword | Crossword+ |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (5.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crossword/id576525179/reviews)** | [4.5 (12K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crossword-plus/id1330947092/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 5.5K | **12K** |
| Positive reviews | 80.7% of reviews | **83.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#153** |
| Size | 13 MB | 49 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 17.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Teazel](https://appshunter.io/developer/576525182) | [PuzzleStar Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/603054453) |

## What reviewers say

### Crossword

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crossword/id576525179)

Enjoy over 750 professional crossword puzzles designed for casual play. This app offers a clean, ad-free experience with features like pinch zooming and landscape mode to enhance your word-solving sessions.

**Highlights:** 750+ professional puzzles, 45 free puzzles, Pinch zooming grid, Landscape mode with clue list, Cheats and answer checking, No ads

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

**In-app purchases (14)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| pack of Crosswords (Pack 12) | $0.99 | one-time |
| pack of Crosswords (Pack 9) | $0.99 | one-time |
| pack of Crosswords (Pack 1) | $0.99 | one-time |
| pack of Crosswords (Pack 2) | $0.99 | one-time |
| pack of Crosswords (Pack 3) | $0.99 | one-time |
| pack of Crosswords (Pack 4) | $0.99 | one-time |
| pack of Crosswords (Pack 5) | $0.99 | one-time |
| pack of Crosswords (Pack 6) | $0.99 | one-time |
| pack of Crosswords (Pack 7) | $0.99 | one-time |
| pack of Crosswords (Pack 10) | $0.99 | one-time |
| pack (Pack 14 of 50 puzzles) | $0.99 | one-time |
| pack of Crosswords (Pack 13) | $0.99 | one-time |
| pack of Crosswords (Pack 11) | $0.99 | one-time |
| full set of Crossword packs | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Enjoyable crossword experience
- 👍 Excellent value and great trivia
- 👍 No ads, great puzzles
- 👍 Fantastic brain workout
- 👍 Accessible for dyslexic users

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional spelling errors in puzzles
- 🐛 Keyboard issues on some devices
- 🐛 Puzzles can be too difficult for some users
- 🐛 Some clues are too obscure or British-centric

**Reported bugs**

- Purchased content not restoring properly on new devices
- Keyboard not working correctly in some cases

**Requested features**

- Option to adjust puzzle and clue size
- Ability to sync progress across devices
- More free puzzles or a free trial period


### Crossword+

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crossword-plus/id1330947092)

**Currently charting:** #153 Top Grossing · Word, #180 Top Free · Word (US App Store)

Start your day with two new themed crossword puzzles daily, ranging from classic literature to movie magic. Enjoy a satisfying yet gentle challenge, with helpful hints and auto-check features. Solve puzzles offline and adjust text size for a comfortable, ad-free experience.

**Highlights:** Two new themed puzzles daily, Over 3,000 puzzles in archive, Helpful hints and AutoCheck, Offline play supported, Ad-free experience, Adjustable text size

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

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Monthly | $7.49 | per month |
| Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Yearly | $37.99 | per year |
| Yearly | $37.99 | per year |
| Yearly | $39.99 | per year |
| Yearly | $39.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🧠 Brain-stimulating puzzles
- 🎯 Variety of themes and difficulty levels
- ✨ Enjoyable and challenging experience
- 🧠 Helps keep the mind active
- 🕰️ Daily puzzles provide a routine activity

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Subscription model can be expensive
- 🐛 Occasional errors in puzzle clues or answers
- 🤔 Some puzzles may be too difficult for casual users
- 🕰️ Limited number of free puzzles per month

**Reported bugs**

- Freezing or crashing issues for some users
- Subscription not always working as expected

**Requested features**

- Search function to find puzzles by topic
- More difficulty levels to cater to all skill levels
- Ability to track progress and stats over time


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Crossword free?

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

### Is Crossword+ free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Crossword or Crossword+?

Crossword is rated higher. Crossword averages 4.6 out of 5 from 5.5K ratings, while Crossword+ averages 4.5 from 12K ratings.

### Do Crossword or Crossword+ have ads?

Neither Crossword nor Crossword+ shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Crossword or Crossword+?

Crossword ships an update every 5 months, and Crossword+ every 10 days. Most recently, Crossword was updated on October 26, 2026 and Crossword+ on October 29, 2026.

---

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