# Microsoft Word vs CrystalForge

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: CrystalForge at none against Microsoft Word's 10. CrystalForge also leads on iOS requirement (17 vs 26.0). Microsoft Word's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks) and chart position (#11 vs unranked). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Microsoft Word sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. CrystalForge asks for nothing beyond the download.

Microsoft Word ships an update weekly, CrystalForge every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Microsoft Word | CrystalForge |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (3M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/microsoft-word/id586447913/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **3M** | — |
| Positive reviews | 36.9% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Best chart rank | **#11** | — |
| Size | 535 MB | 4 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **17** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Vision Pro** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Microsoft Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/298856275) | [KIENY KWAN](https://appshunter.io/developer/1812131057) |

## What reviewers say

### Microsoft Word

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/microsoft-word/id586447913)

**Currently charting:** #11 Top Grossing · Productivity, #16 Top Free · Productivity, #186 Top Free, #194 Top Grossing (US App Store)

Create, edit, and share documents with powerful word-processing tools. Enhance your writing with AI assistance, collaborate in real-time, and access your files anywhere. Offers templates and formatting options for various document types.

**Highlights:** Create and edit documents, AI writing assistance (Copilot), Real-time collaboration, Document templates, PDF to Word conversion, Version history

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Office 365 Personal | $6.99 | per month |
| Office 365 Home | $9.99 | per month |
| Microsoft 365 Personal | $9.99 | per month |
| Microsoft 365 Family | $12.99 | per month |
| Microsoft 365 Premium Monthly | $19.99 | per month |
| Office 365 Personal | $69.99 | per year |
| Office 365 Home | $99.99 | per year |
| Microsoft 365 Personal | $99.99 | per year |
| Microsoft 365 Family | $129.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Seamless sync between devices
- 📝 Great for writing and editing
- 🔒 Secure document storage
- 💡 Helpful for school and work

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and data loss
- ⏱️ Laggy and slow performance
- 💰 Expensive subscription required
- 🤔 Limited functionality compared to desktop

**Reported bugs**

- Inconsistent saving and syncing between devices
- Cursor positioning issues when editing text
- Formatting problems when importing documents
- Unreliable text selection and highlighting

**Requested features**

- Improved mouse/trackpad support
- Built-in citation and bibliography tools
- More customization options for formatting
- Ability to edit documents offline


### CrystalForge

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crystalforge/id6760962020)

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Microsoft Word free?

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

### Is CrystalForge free?

CrystalForge is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Microsoft Word or CrystalForge have ads?

Neither Microsoft Word nor CrystalForge shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Microsoft Word or CrystalForge?

Microsoft Word ships an update weekly, and CrystalForge every 3 weeks. Most recently, Microsoft Word was updated on November 8, 2026 and CrystalForge 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.*