# Upwords vs Tylio

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Tylio at none against Upwords's 12. Tylio also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (100% vs 67%). Upwords's advantage is ratings volume (9.3K vs 4) and chart position (#87 vs unranked). On price, update cadence, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

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

Tylio holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Upwords has 9.3K ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of Upwords's written reviews are positive against 100% of Tylio's.

Upwords ships an update every 2 days, Tylio every 4 days. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Upwords | Tylio |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (9.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/upwords/id588252565/reviews) | **[5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tylio/id6757249319/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **9.3K** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 66.9% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 days** | Every 4 days |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#87** | — |
| Size | 50 MB | 6 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.0** | 17.5 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Lonely Star Software, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/284572331) | [Blake Maczka](https://appshunter.io/developer/1865548018) |

## What reviewers say

### Upwords

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

**Currently charting:** #87 Top Grossing · Word, #189 Top Grossing · Board (US App Store)

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

**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


### Tylio

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tylio/id6757249319)

Engage in a word search challenge directly within your iMessage conversations. Compete with friends by finding words in a grid, offering a fun and interactive way to pass the time. It's a simple yet addictive game for quick bursts of entertainment.

**Highlights:** iMessage integration, Word search gameplay, Multiplayer challenges, Quick play sessions, Intuitive interface

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Upwords free?

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

### Is Tylio free?

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

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

Tylio is rated higher. Upwords averages 4.7 out of 5 from 9.3K ratings, while Tylio averages 5.0 from 4 ratings.

### Do Upwords or Tylio have ads?

Upwords shows ads; Tylio does not.

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

Upwords ships an update every 2 days, and Tylio every 4 days. Most recently, Upwords was updated on October 24, 2026 and Tylio 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.*