Heads Up! vs 5 Second Rule
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Heads Up!
This is a charades-style party game where players guess words displayed on a phone held to their forehead, with friends shouting clues. It offers a wide variety of themed decks and the ability to create custom categories for endless entertainment.
- Word guessing with friends
- Themed card decks
- Custom category creation
- Tilt controls for guessing
- Record gameplay videos
- Play via Facetime
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It's the game The New York Times called a "Sensation!" and Cosmopolitan raved “Your existence is dull and meaningless without this life-changing app!” Get ready for endless fun with Heads Up!, the exhilarating charades-style party game that's taking the world by storm. Guess the words on the screen as your friends and family shout out clues. With diverse categories ranging from Celebrities to Movies and Hilarious Accents, Heads Up! guarantees hours of laughter for everyone involved. How to Play: 1. Select from over 100 themed decks or create your own custom category! 2. Hold the phone to your forehead and let the word guessing commence! 3. Tilt down for correct answers and up to pass on challenging words. 4. Keep the fun rolling with an extensive library of engaging trivia cards! Decks You’ll Get: - Celebrity Quiz - Blockbuster Movies - Animals - Accents - Superheroes - Famous Characters - And lots more! Features: - Enjoy group play with friends, team, or even hundreds of players simultaneously. - Draw new word cards with a simple tilt of your phone. - Keep priceless memories by recording gameplay videos to keep for yourself or share on social media - Entertain everyone from trivia buffs to casual players with various difficulty levels. - Updated frequently with seasonal and topical fun, plus huge brands like Harry Potter, Marvel, Seinfeld, Friends, Star Wars, and much more! Heads Up! is the ultimate party game that combines the best elements of charades, trivia, and light-hearted team competition. Whether you're looking to liven up a family gathering or a game night with friends, this app is your ticket to endless fun. It's your super-affordable way to bring joy and laughter to any occasion. Download Heads Up! now and let the unforgettable guessing games begin!
5 Second Rule
This is a fast-paced party game for groups where players must answer a question with three answers in just five seconds. Fail to answer in time, and face a fun punishment. Includes normal and adult-themed card decks for varied party experiences.
- Answer questions in 5 seconds
- Come up with 3 answers
- Buzzer timer
- Punishments for failure
- Normal card deck
- Sexy card deck
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Want to play something quick and fun with friends when you party? 5 Second is a party game for groups, for those who can act under pressure. Rules are pretty straightforward. Players are asked a simple question and they have 5 seconds to come up with 3 answers before the buzzer rings. If the player doesn’t give all the answers before the time runs out, you do the punishment. Can you name 3 types of screams in 5 seconds? Can you name 3 hairy things in 5 seconds? Can you name 3 brands of beer in 5 seconds? The game includes normal cards, and also you can turn on sexy cards if you want to get your house party to the next level. Links to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy can be found below Privacy Policy: https://day-games.com/privacy-policy/ Terms of Use: https://day-games.com/terms-of-use/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: 5 Second Rule at Free against Heads Up!'s $1.99. 5 Second Rule also leads on review sentiment (45% vs 33%). Heads Up!'s advantage is ratings volume (300K vs 10K) and update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks). On rating, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
5 Second Rule is free to download; Heads Up! costs $1.99 up front. Heads Up! sells 11 one-off in-app purchases and 5 Second Rule sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $9.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Heads Up! against 4.7 for 5 Second Rule. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Heads Up! has 300K ratings behind it against 10K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 33% of Heads Up!'s written reviews are positive against 45% of 5 Second Rule's.
Heads Up! ships an update weekly, 5 Second Rule every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.
| Parameter | Heads Up! | 5 Second Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.8 (300K ratings) — better | 4.7 (10K ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 32.8% of reviews | 44.8% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 300K — better | 10K |
| Update frequency | Weekly — better | Every 3 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #1 — better | #45 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 204 MB | 28 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Warner Bros. | Boris Mikic |
Customer experience
Heads Up!
5 Second Rule
User reviews
Heads Up!
From 300K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🤩 Fun and engaging game
- 🎉 Great for parties and gatherings
- 👍 Fantastic family-friendly entertainment
- 💯 Highly recommended by users
Room to improve
- 💰 Expensive in-app purchases
- 🔁 Repetitive content and card decks
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and technical issues
- 🤔 Lack of customization options
5 Second Rule
From 10K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🤩 Fun game
- 👍 Great for groups/parties
- 😊 Enjoyable with friends/partner
- 🐶 Cute dog review prompt
Room to improve
- 💰 Expensive subscription model ($3/week)
- 🤔 Unclear free trial/subscription details
- ⏱️ Very short time limits (5 seconds)
- 🤨 Some questionable/inappropriate content
Bugs and requests
Heads Up!
Reported bugs
3 issues- Purchased decks disappearing or not restoring
- Freezing and crashing on certain devices
- Inaccurate voice recognition and gesture detection
Requested features
4 requests- Ability to adjust game timer length
- More free content and decks
- Improved deck management and organization
- Better customer support and communication
5 Second Rule
Reported bugs
3 issues- Subscription continues even after app deletion
- Inability to access paid content after subscription
- Crashes and compatibility issues with updates
Requested features
4 requests- One-time purchase option to unlock all content
- More free content/decks
- Adjustable time limits
- Better subscription management/cancellation
In-app purchases
Heads Up!
- Just For KidsFree
- The Ellen ShowFree
- Mix It UpFree
Show 8 moreShow fewer
- Branded$1.99
- That's So 90s$1.99
- Food Fight$1.99
- Super Heroes$1.99
- Adult Supervision$1.99
- Adult Supervision 2: Even Adultier$1.99
- Happy Holidays$1.99
- Adults Only! Bundle$7.99
5 Second Rule
- Subscription Weekly3 Days trial$9.997 Days
Questions
Is Heads Up! free?
Is 5 Second Rule free?
Which has better reviews, Heads Up! or 5 Second Rule?
Do Heads Up! or 5 Second Rule have ads?
Which is updated more often, Heads Up! or 5 Second Rule?
Which is more popular, Heads Up! or 5 Second Rule?
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