# Upwords vs WordSnatch

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: WordSnatch at none against Upwords's 12. WordSnatch also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (100% vs 66%). Upwords's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs every 11 months) and ratings volume (9.3K vs 8). On price, rating and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Upwords sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per month. WordSnatch asks for nothing beyond the download.

WordSnatch holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Upwords has 9.3K ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 66% of Upwords's written reviews are positive against 100% of WordSnatch's.

Upwords ships an update every 2 days, WordSnatch every 11 months. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Upwords | WordSnatch |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (9.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/upwords/id588252565/reviews) | **[4.9 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wordsnatch/id1042412425/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **9.3K** | 8 |
| Positive reviews | 66.3% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 days** | Every 11 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 50 MB | 10 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.3** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Lonely Star Software, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/284572331) | [Bruce Lesnick](https://appshunter.io/developer/1042412424) |

## What reviewers say

### Upwords

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/upwords/id588252565)

This word stacking game challenges you to transform existing words by stacking letters on top. Score higher by stacking higher and outsmarting opponents. Play with friends, strangers, or against the computer.

**Highlights:** Stack letters to change words, Score points based on stacking height, Play with friends globally, Challenge computer opponents, Pass & Play mode, In-game chat

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

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Bundle Monthly | $1.49 | per month |
| Premium Bundle Yearly | $11.99 | per year |
| Full Upgrade - Free! | Free | one-time |
| Word Glow | $1.99 | one-time |
| 20 Tokens | $1.99 | one-time |
| Medium Token Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| 60 Tokens | $4.99 | one-time |
| 125 Tokens | $9.99 | one-time |
| Large Token Pack | $9.99 | one-time |
| 260 Tokens | $19.99 | one-time |
| Premium Bundle Lifetime | $34.99 | one-time |
| 610 Tokens | $44.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great online game
- 🤝 Competitive and fun
- 🧠 Keeps the brain active
- 🌐 Connects players globally
- 🕰️ Enjoyable to play daily

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔤 Questionable dictionary
- 🤖 Computer uses invalid words
- 🤑 Expensive for a 50MB app
- 🚫 Rejects valid words
- 💤 Lack of help from developers

**Reported bugs**

- Ads that cannot be closed
- Frequent crashes and freezes
- Login and verification issues
- Incorrect scoring and word validation

**Requested features**

- Option to use British dictionary
- Choice of dictionaries
- Ability to swap more than one letter
- Show opponent's remaining tiles
- Fairer letter distribution


### WordSnatch

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wordsnatch/id1042412425)

A fast-paced multiplayer word game where players collect words by forming new ones from existing letters and free tiles. Words can be 'snatched' from opponents, deducting from their score. Play against friends or a virtual opponent.

**Highlights:** Real-time multiplayer matches, Play against virtual opponent, Collect words from free letters, Add letters to existing words, Combine words to create new ones, Snatch words from opponents, Adjustable game settings

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Upwords free?

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

### Is WordSnatch free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Upwords or WordSnatch?

WordSnatch is rated higher. Upwords averages 4.7 out of 5 from 9.3K ratings, while WordSnatch averages 4.9 from 8 ratings.

### Do Upwords or WordSnatch have ads?

Upwords shows ads; WordSnatch does not.

### Which is updated more often, Upwords or WordSnatch?

Upwords ships an update every 2 days, and WordSnatch every 11 months. Most recently, Upwords was updated on October 27, 2026 and WordSnatch on October 24, 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.*