# Microsoft Wordament vs Starlace

The clearest difference is update cadence: Starlace at daily against Microsoft Wordament's every 4 months. Starlace also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.6). Microsoft Wordament's advantage is ratings volume (12K vs 1) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Microsoft Wordament sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Starlace sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Starlace holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Microsoft Wordament has 12K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Microsoft Wordament ships an update every 4 months, Starlace daily. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Microsoft Wordament | Starlace |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (12K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/microsoft-wordament/id580935508/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/starlace/id6798901138/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **12K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 50.6% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Daily** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 202 MB | 5 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Microsoft Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/298856275) | [John Rouda](https://appshunter.io/developer/396597129) |

## What reviewers say

### Microsoft Wordament

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/microsoft-wordament/id580935508)

Engage in a dynamic word search game with both relaxing single-player modes and thrilling real-time multiplayer tournaments. Compete against thousands, track your progress with detailed statistics, and earn achievements. Offers daily challenges and adventure maps for endless fun.

**Highlights:** Single-player adventure map, Daily challenges with badges, Real-time multiplayer tournaments, Continuous word tournaments, Rich gameplay statistics, Xbox Live achievements, Cloud progress saving

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Premium Subscription | $1.99 | per month |
| Yearly Premium Subscription | $9.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🤩 Fun and challenging word game
- 🧠 Keeps the mind active
- 🕹️ Addictive gameplay
- ⭐ Great for learning new words
- 👍 Minimal ads in free version

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Dictionary issues - some valid words not recognized
- 🔇 Loud and unskippable ads
- 🔁 Repetitive map designs
- 🔌 Sync issues and data loss across devices
- 🐌 Slow performance and freezing on some devices

**Reported bugs**

- Game freezes at certain levels
- Sync issues causing data loss
- Ads not loading properly, locking up the game

**Requested features**

- Add dictionary lookup for defined words
- Provide more variety in map designs and challenges
- Improve cloud sync reliability
- Optimize performance for older devices
- Offer a one-time ad removal purchase option


### Starlace

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/starlace/id6798901138)

This word puzzle game offers a relaxing experience with no timers or pressure. Discover hidden words by tracing paths through lettered stars, creating constellations as you progress. Customize your gameplay with various audio and visual settings for a tranquil experience.

**Highlights:** Bendable word tracing, Constellation creation, No timers or lives, Offline play, Customizable settings, Stardust hints

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 300 Stardust | $0.99 | one-time |
| 1,000 Stardust | $2.99 | one-time |
| Removes every ad | $4.99 | one-time |
| 3,600 Stardust | $7.99 | one-time |
| 9,000 Stardust | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Microsoft Wordament free?

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

### Is Starlace free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Microsoft Wordament or Starlace?

Starlace is rated higher. Microsoft Wordament averages 4.6 out of 5 from 12K ratings, while Starlace averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Microsoft Wordament or Starlace have ads?

Both Microsoft Wordament and Starlace show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Microsoft Wordament or Starlace?

Microsoft Wordament ships an update every 4 months, and Starlace daily. Most recently, Microsoft Wordament was updated on November 11, 2026 and Starlace on October 31, 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.*
