# Shut Up & Explain vs Conversation starters

Shut Up & Explain and Conversation starters both sit at 5.0 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of Shut Up & Explain's written reviews are positive against 0% of Conversation starters's. Shut Up & Explain also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 2 weeks) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). Conversation starters's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, rating, ratings volume and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Shut Up & Explain sells 4 one-off in-app purchases and Conversation starters sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 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 — 5.0 for Shut Up & Explain against 5.0 for Conversation starters. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 2 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 100% of Shut Up & Explain's written reviews are positive against 0% of Conversation starters's.

Shut Up & Explain ships an update weekly, Conversation starters every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Shut Up & Explain | Conversation starters |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shut-up-and-explain/id6449419040/reviews) | [5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/conversation-starters-mingler/id6479607913/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **4** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 40 MB | 45 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [MAKE TECH NOT MISSILES LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1688981449) | [Pablo Paciello](https://appshunter.io/developer/834434174) |

## What reviewers say

### Shut Up & Explain

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shut-up-and-explain/id6449419040)

A risqué party game where players act out outrageous phrases for their friends to guess. It's a bold twist on charades, perfect for bachelorette parties and lively game nights.

**Highlights:** Act out outrageous phrases, Guess phrases without laughing, Hilarious twist on classic charades, Ideal for parties and game nights, Risqué and bold gameplay

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pay Or Re-download | $0.99 | one-time |
| Pay to continue | $0.99 | one-time |
| Pay to Continue | $1.99 | one-time |
| Pay To Continue | $1.99 | one-time |


### Conversation starters

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/conversation-starters-mingler/id6479607913)

Spark engaging conversations with a variety of question decks for any social situation. This app offers icebreaker prompts and digital card games that can be played offline, perfect for parties, hangouts, and meeting new people.

**Highlights:** Conversation card decks for various occasions, Icebreaker prompts for social events, Offline play functionality, Digital card games, Vibe-specific conversation decks, Regularly updated decks

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PRO Subscription weekly | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| PRO Subscription 1yr | $9.99 | per year |
| Mingler PRO | $19.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Shut Up & Explain free?

Shut Up & Explain is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Conversation starters free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Shut Up & Explain or Conversation starters?

Shut Up & Explain and Conversation starters are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 4 and 2 ratings respectively.

### Do Shut Up & Explain or Conversation starters have ads?

Shut Up & Explain shows ads; Conversation starters does not.

### Which is updated more often, Shut Up & Explain or Conversation starters?

Shut Up & Explain ships an update weekly, and Conversation starters every 2 weeks. Most recently, Shut Up & Explain was updated on October 19, 2026 and Conversation starters on October 18, 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.*