# Astraware Crosswords vs Clean Crosswords

The clearest difference is rating: Astraware Crosswords at 4.7 against Clean Crosswords's 4.5. Astraware Crosswords also leads on review sentiment (82% vs 66%) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 4 months). Clean Crosswords's advantage is ratings volume (1.9K vs 337). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Astraware Crosswords sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Clean Crosswords sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Astraware Crosswords holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Clean Crosswords has 1.9K ratings behind it against 337, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 82% of Astraware Crosswords's written reviews are positive against 66% of Clean Crosswords's.

Astraware Crosswords ships an update every 2 months, Clean Crosswords every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on November 10, 2026 and November 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Astraware Crosswords | Clean Crosswords |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (337 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/astraware-crosswords/id586165296/reviews)** | [4.5 (1.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/clean-crosswords/id773100196/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 337 | **1.9K** |
| Positive reviews | **81.6% of reviews** | 65.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 37 MB | 229 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Astraware Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/392328106) | [the binary family](https://appshunter.io/developer/307768703) |

## What reviewers say

### Astraware Crosswords

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/astraware-crosswords/id586165296)

Enjoy daily crossword puzzles on the go with this app. It offers free daily and weekly puzzles, with options to purchase additional packs for offline play. A subscription unlocks all puzzles and removes ads.

**Highlights:** Daily quick-style crosswords, Free weekly larger puzzles, Offline puzzle packs, Adjustable difficulty and grid sizes, Global leaderboards, Optional subscription for unlimited access

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Puzzles Plus | $1.99 | per month |
| Puzzles Plus | $2.99 | per 3 months |
| Puzzles Plus | $7.99 | per year |
| Fun-Size Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Family Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Easy Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Vacation Pack | $3.99 | one-time |
| Ad-free daily puzzles | $4.99 | one-time |
| Deluxe Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Deluxe Pack 2 | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Enjoyable crosswords
- 🧠 Keeps mind active
- 🕰️ Good daily challenge
- 💰 Free with optional in-app purchases
- 🔍 Helpful hints and solver features

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and freezes after updates
- 📢 Intrusive ads
- 🔍 Obscure or illogical clues
- 🔁 Repetitive puzzles and clues
- 🌐 Some British-centric content for US users

**Reported bugs**

- Puzzle timer issues
- Leaderboard scores not updating properly
- Purchased puzzle packs disappearing after updates

**Requested features**

- More daily puzzles
- Ability to save/resume puzzles
- Customizable difficulty levels
- Offline puzzle packs
- Improved keyboard and input responsiveness


### Clean Crosswords

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/clean-crosswords/id773100196)

Enjoy a classic crossword experience designed for iOS devices. This app offers 1,800 puzzles with clues directly in the grid for easy viewing and play. It provides weeks of challenging fun in a clean, British English format.

**Highlights:** 1,800 crossword puzzles, Clues in puzzle grid, Classic British English, Designed for iPhone and iPad, Challenging fun

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $7.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Challenging puzzles
- 🧠 Helps improve vocabulary and memory
- 🗓️ Lots of puzzles available
- 🎨 Clean and intuitive interface
- 💰 Free app with optional ad-free version

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🇬🇧 Too many British-centric references and spellings
- 🔁 Repetitive clues and answers
- 🐛 Crashes and freezes
- 📢 Intrusive ads in free version
- 🕹️ Navigation and layout issues on larger screens

**Reported bugs**

- Incorrect word definitions or answers
- Arrows pointing to wrong cells
- Puzzle progress not saving properly
- Ads causing app crashes or freezes

**Requested features**

- Dark mode option
- Progress tracking and statistics
- Ability to replay completed puzzles
- More variety in puzzle difficulty levels
- Better integration of American English


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Astraware Crosswords free?

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

### Is Clean Crosswords free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Astraware Crosswords or Clean Crosswords?

Astraware Crosswords is rated higher. Astraware Crosswords averages 4.7 out of 5 from 337 ratings, while Clean Crosswords averages 4.5 from 1.9K ratings.

### Do Astraware Crosswords or Clean Crosswords have ads?

Both Astraware Crosswords and Clean Crosswords show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Astraware Crosswords or Clean Crosswords?

Astraware Crosswords ships an update every 2 months, and Clean Crosswords every 4 months. Most recently, Astraware Crosswords was updated on November 10, 2026 and Clean Crosswords on November 11, 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.*