# Mancala. vs Word Games

The clearest difference is chart position: Mancala. at #115 against Word Games's unranked. Word Games's advantage is review sentiment (88% vs 80%) and iOS requirement (9.3 vs 12.4). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

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

Mancala. holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 37K and 19K respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 80% of Mancala.'s written reviews are positive against 88% of Word Games's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Mancala. | Word Games |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (37K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mancala/id615261740/reviews)** | [4.6 (19K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/word-games/id1024481933/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **37K** | 19K |
| Positive reviews | 79.8% of reviews | **87.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#115** | — |
| Size | 85 MB | 29 MB |
| Requires iOS | 12.4 | **9.3** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Sergey Skosyrev](https://appshunter.io/developer/1141722489) | [Mahjong](https://appshunter.io/developer/1133268084) |

## What reviewers say

### Mancala.

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

**Currently charting:** #115 Top Free · Trivia, #159 Top Grossing · 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


### Word Games

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/word-games/id1024481933)

Engage in a variety of word puzzles, from finding hidden words in grids to connecting letters to form words. Enjoy hours of fun with diverse challenges and locations.

**Highlights:** Word Search puzzles, Word Swipe challenges, Connect letters to form words, Collect stars, Progressive difficulty, Global locations

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 10 hints | $0.99 | one-time |
| Word Pack 4 | $1.99 | one-time |
| 50 coins | $1.99 | one-time |
| 110 Coins | $1.99 | one-time |
| Word Pack 2 | $2.99 | one-time |
| Word Pack 3 | $4.99 | one-time |
| 320 coins | $4.99 | one-time |
| 250 coins | $7.99 | one-time |
| 850 coins | $11.99 | one-time |
| 650 coins | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great variety of games
- 👍 No ads
- 💡 Challenging and mentally stimulating
- 👍 Keeps the mind active
- 👍 Fun and relaxing

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Some games get too difficult
- 🐛 Occasional glitches and freezes
- 🐛 Some words are obscure or not commonly used
- 🐛 Lack of instructions for certain games

**Reported bugs**

- Word Heap game becoming unplayable due to shrinking text size
- Word Search game not saving progress when exiting

**Requested features**

- Option to save progress in a game
- Ability to select specific games to play
- More frequent updates with new puzzles
- Hints or clues for the more difficult games


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Mancala. free?

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

### Is Word Games free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Mancala. or Word Games?

Mancala. is rated higher. Mancala. averages 4.7 out of 5 from 37K ratings, while Word Games averages 4.6 from 19K ratings.

### Do Mancala. or Word Games have ads?

Neither Mancala. nor Word Games shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Mancala. or Word Games?

Mancala. ships an update every 2 months, and Word Games every 2 months. Most recently, Mancala. was updated on October 24, 2026 and Word Games on October 24, 2026.

---

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