# Codeword Unlimited vs Crossly

The clearest difference is ads: Crossly at none against Codeword Unlimited's shown. Crossly also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.7) and iOS requirement (10 vs 12.0). Codeword Unlimited's advantage is review sentiment (81% vs 51%) and ratings volume (1.8K vs 1). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Codeword Unlimited sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $4.99 per year and Crossly sells 7 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Crossly holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Codeword Unlimited has 1.8K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 81% of Codeword Unlimited's written reviews are positive against 51% of Crossly's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Codeword Unlimited ships an update every 4 months, Crossly every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Codeword Unlimited | Crossly |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (1.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/codeword-unlimited/id643961117/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crossly/id871860021/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.8K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | **81.1% of reviews** | 50.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 months** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 91 MB | 30 MB |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 | **10** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Havos](https://appshunter.io/developer/309789068) | [Mercury Intermedia, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/300669006) |

## What reviewers say

### Codeword Unlimited

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/codeword-unlimited/id643961117)

This app offers an unlimited supply of number-to-letter word puzzles, also known as Codewords or Cryptograms. Players can customize grid size, difficulty, and starting letters. It supports multiple languages and includes helpful tools for solving.

**Highlights:** Unlimited puzzle generation, Customizable grid size, Adjustable difficulty levels, Multi-language support, Letter highlighting, Word validity checker, View word definitions

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Supporter (no ads) | $4.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🧠 Mentally stimulating
- 👍 Customizable difficulty levels
- 🕹️ Addictive gameplay
- 💪 Keeps the brain active
- 🎮 Enjoyable game

**What reviewers complain about**

- 📢 Intrusive ads
- ⏱️ Inaccurate timers
- 🔍 Questionable word choices
- 🇺🇸 American-centric vocabulary
- 🤖 Automated hints/penalties

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on certain devices
- Incompatibility issues with updates
- Incorrect word definitions

**Requested features**

- Option to disable ads
- More challenging word lists
- Ability to manually fill in letters
- Improved timer accuracy
- Localization for different languages


### Crossly

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crossly/id871860021)

Engage in a strategic word game with friends, blending classic crosswords with competitive play. Earn points for correct answers, hinder opponents, and enjoy endless unique puzzles with interactive features like stealing turns and revealing letters.

**Highlights:** Endless unique crossword puzzles, Steal turns and send taunts, Peek at letters for difficult clues, Pencil in and change answers, Offline saving of penciled words, Premium mode with bonus peeks and themes

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| "Meh" Premium Upgrade | $0.99 | one-time |
| Peek Pack - 5 Peeks | $0.99 | one-time |
| "It's Cool" Premium Upgrade | $1.99 | one-time |
| Peek Pack - 15 Peeks | $1.99 | one-time |
| "LOVE" Premium Upgrade | $2.99 | one-time |
| Peek Pack - 25 Peeks | $2.99 | one-time |
| Peek Pack - 100 Peeks | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🤩 Addictive gameplay
- 💡 Innovative blend of crossword and competition
- 👍 Fun and engaging for friends
- 🎨 Beautiful and fluid interface
- 🧠 Great mind jogger

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐌 Slow loading times
- 🧩 Obscure or nonsensical clues/answers
- 🇺🇸 Strong US bias in clues
- 📉 App abandonment concerns
- ❓ Puzzles lack cohesion

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes frequently
- App won't load / spins forever
- Games disappear or are lost
- Notifications are broken / badge issues
- Rematch issues (wrong person)

**Requested features**

- iPad support
- UK version of the game
- Difficulty levels
- Chat feature
- Facebook integration


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Codeword Unlimited free?

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

### Is Crossly free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Codeword Unlimited or Crossly?

Crossly is rated higher. Codeword Unlimited averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.8K ratings, while Crossly averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Codeword Unlimited or Crossly have ads?

Codeword Unlimited shows ads; Crossly does not.

### Which is updated more often, Codeword Unlimited or Crossly?

Codeword Unlimited ships an update every 4 months, and Crossly every 5 months. Most recently, Codeword Unlimited was updated on October 16, 2026 and Crossly on October 9, 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.*