# Crossword vs Cross Boss

The clearest difference is ads: Crossword at none against Cross Boss's shown. Crossword also leads on rating (4.6 vs 4.2) and ratings volume (5.5K vs 59). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Crossword sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Cross Boss sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Crossword holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Crossword has 5.5K ratings behind it against 59, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 82% of Crossword's written reviews are positive against 75% of Cross Boss's.

Crossword ships an update every 5 months, Cross Boss every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Crossword | Cross Boss |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (5.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crossword/id576525179/reviews)** | [4.2 (59 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cross-boss/id811255164/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **5.5K** | 59 |
| Positive reviews | **82.3% of reviews** | 75.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 3 months** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 13 MB | 71 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 15.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Teazel](https://appshunter.io/developer/576525182) | [KEP Games](https://appshunter.io/developer/811255167) |

## 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 (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| 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 10) | $0.99 | one-time |
| pack (Pack 14 of 50 puzzles) | $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


### Cross Boss

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cross-boss/id811255164)

This app transforms traditional crosswords into a competitive two-player word game. It adds tactical elements to the familiar crossword format, allowing you to challenge friends or random opponents. Enjoy a vast library of puzzles and engage with opponents through chat.

**Highlights:** Two-player competitive word game, Tactical game elements, Challenge friends or random opponents, Play over the net or locally, In-game chat, Over 200 high-quality crosswords

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Statistics | $1.99 | one-time |
| No ads for six months | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Fun competitive crosswords
- 💡 Great game concept
- 👍 Easy to learn UI
- 😊 Addictive and fun
- 👍 Good for brain exercise

**What reviewers complain about**

- 😠 Too many ads
- 😠 Ads are intrusive
- 😠 Ads are game breaking
- 😠 Subscription for ad-free
- 😠 Greedy IAP model

**Reported bugs**

- Notifications stopped working
- App crashes constantly
- No keyboard to type word after unlocking clue
- App not working with iOS 9

**Requested features**

- Option to force forfeit or extend game time
- More puzzles by 'Mark'
- Single player mode with normal crossword
- Option to start game with all clues revealed
- Pro version for ad removal


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Crossword free?

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

### Is Cross Boss free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Crossword or Cross Boss?

Crossword is rated higher. Crossword averages 4.6 out of 5 from 5.5K ratings, while Cross Boss averages 4.2 from 59 ratings.

### Do Crossword or Cross Boss have ads?

Cross Boss shows ads; Crossword does not.

### Which is updated more often, Crossword or Cross Boss?

Crossword ships an update every 5 months, and Cross Boss every 3 months. Most recently, Crossword was updated on November 6, 2026 and Cross Boss on November 1, 2026.

---

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