# Crossword vs Backword

The clearest difference is ads: Crossword at none against Backword's shown. Crossword also leads on iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.6). Backword's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 5 months). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Crossword sells 14 one-off in-app purchases and Backword sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Crossword ships an update every 5 months, Backword every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Crossword | Backword |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (5.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crossword/id576525179/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **5.5K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 80.6% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Freemium | — |
| Size | 13 MB | 14 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 17.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Teazel](https://appshunter.io/developer/576525182) | [Sean Williams](https://appshunter.io/developer/1500549064) |

## 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


### Backword

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backword/id6773428497)

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Pro Pass | $1.99 | per month |
| Annual Pro Pass | $11.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Crossword free?

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

### Is Backword free?

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

### Do Crossword or Backword have ads?

Backword shows ads; Crossword does not.

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

Crossword ships an update every 5 months, and Backword every 3 weeks. Most recently, Crossword was updated on October 19, 2026 and Backword on October 5, 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.*