# 4 Pics 1 Word vs Mancala.

The clearest difference is ads: Mancala. at none against 4 Pics 1 Word's shown. Mancala. also leads on review sentiment (80% vs 63%) and iOS requirement (12.4 vs 15.0). 4 Pics 1 Word's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (138K vs 37K). On price, rating, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. 4 Pics 1 Word sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and Mancala. sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for 4 Pics 1 Word against 4.7 for Mancala.. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 138K and 37K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 63% of 4 Pics 1 Word's written reviews are positive against 80% of Mancala.'s.

4 Pics 1 Word ships an update every 2 weeks, Mancala. every 2 months. Both last shipped on November 10, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | 4 Pics 1 Word | Mancala. |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (138K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/4-pics-1-word/id595558452/reviews) | **[4.7 (37K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mancala/id615261740/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **138K** | 37K |
| Positive reviews | 62.7% of reviews | **80.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#28** | #115 |
| Size | 201 MB | 85 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **12.4** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [LOTUM GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/459029666) | [Sergey Skosyrev](https://appshunter.io/developer/1141722489) |

## What reviewers say

### 4 Pics 1 Word

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/4-pics-1-word/id595558452)

**Currently charting:** #28 Top Grossing · Trivia, #85 Top Grossing · Word, #89 Top Free · Trivia, #156 Top Free · Word (US App Store)

This word puzzle game presents four images that share a common word. Players guess the word to progress through endless levels of brain-teasing fun. It's an addictive and simple game enjoyed by millions worldwide.

**Highlights:** Four pictures, one common word puzzles, Endless fun with new puzzles added, Simple and addictive gameplay, Over 250 million players worldwide, Available in 9 languages, No registration required

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Offer Bundle 1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Bag of Coins 1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Progressive Offer 1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Bag of Coins 2 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Progressive Offer 2 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Progressive Offer 3 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Bag of Coins 3 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Premium | $5.99 | one-time |
| Bag of Coins 4 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Bag of Coins 5 | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🧠 Challenging and engaging
- 🤔 Helps improve mental acuity
- 👍 Fun for all ages
- 🕰️ Great time-passer

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💢 Excessive ads and interruptions
- 🤯 Puzzles can be too easy or obscure
- 🔁 Repeating puzzles/lack of new content
- 🔒 Issues with progress/data restoration

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes and freezes
- Incorrect word spellings
- Inconsistent timer/scoring issues

**Requested features**

- Difficulty settings or modes
- Ability to restore progress across devices
- More frequent puzzle updates
- Option to disable/reduce ads


### Mancala.

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mancala/id615261740)

**Currently charting:** #115 Top Free · Trivia (US App Store)

Experience Mancala, an ancient strategy board game. Move marbles counter-clockwise, aiming to collect the most in your home hole. Enjoy a classic game of skill and foresight.

**Highlights:** Ancient board game gameplay, Counter-clockwise marble movement, Strategic home hole collection, Simple rules, deep strategy, Single-player game

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 50 diamonds | $1.99 | one-time |
| 55 diamonds | $1.99 | one-time |
| 90 diamonds | $2.99 | one-time |
| Advanced Features | $4.99 | one-time |
| 150 diamonds | $4.99 | one-time |
| Avalanche Advanced Features | $4.99 | one-time |
| 145 diamonds | $4.99 | one-time |
| 180 diamonds | $6.99 | one-time |
| 350 diamonds | $9.99 | one-time |
| 750 diamonds | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Well-built app
- 👍 Enjoyable to play
- 👍 Easy to use
- 👍 Great to learn
- 👍 Fast gameplay for practice

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 AI too easy to beat
- 💰 Paid version required for more features
- 💰 Hints/diamonds cost money
- 🤔 Confusing rules and gameplay
- 🤔 Predictable AI patterns

**Reported bugs**

- Hint button not working properly
- Peg solitaire mode has unsolvable levels

**Requested features**

- Multiplayer mode
- Difficulty settings for AI
- Earn in-game currency through gameplay
- More single-player modes and puzzles
- Clearer in-app instructions and rules


## Frequently asked questions

### Is 4 Pics 1 Word free?

4 Pics 1 Word is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Mancala. free?

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

### Which has better reviews, 4 Pics 1 Word or Mancala.?

Mancala. is rated higher. 4 Pics 1 Word averages 4.7 out of 5 from 138K ratings, while Mancala. averages 4.7 from 37K ratings.

### Do 4 Pics 1 Word or Mancala. have ads?

4 Pics 1 Word shows ads; Mancala. does not.

### Which is updated more often, 4 Pics 1 Word or Mancala.?

4 Pics 1 Word ships an update every 2 weeks, and Mancala. every 2 months. Most recently, 4 Pics 1 Word was updated on November 10, 2026 and Mancala. on November 10, 2026.

### Which is more popular, 4 Pics 1 Word or Mancala.?

4 Pics 1 Word currently peaks at #28 in the App Store charts, and Mancala. at #115. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*