Word Zero vs MudMonster
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Word Zero
A digital crossword board game where two players form words using letter tiles. It focuses on a pure gameplay experience without ads, rewards, or in-game assistance. Players use tokens to start games, with options to earn or purchase more.
- Two-player turn-based word formation
- Token system for game access
- No ads or in-game rewards
- Correspondence-style games with turn timers
- Play against computer bots
- Elo rating system
- English and Spanish language support
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Word Zero is a crossword board game in the style of others you may have seen. Two players take turns placing tiles on a board to form words. Tiles have different point values, and some board spaces have bonuses (like double-word score), and so on. What makes this game different is the absence of ... annoyances. - Zero interruptions: We have no ads during game play. - Zero distractions: We don't have gems, rewards, stickers, or achievements. - Zero deception: We do offer computer players (Bots), but they never pretend to be real people. - Zero manipulation: We don't send you notifications nagging you to play a game. - Zero cheats: We don't have in-game assistance or power-ups. Instead, Word Zero has a simple model of requiring one "token" for each game you play. - Each new user gets a batch of free game tokens to start. More free tokens are provided periodically and as resources allow. - Users who want to play more often can purchase additional tokens through In-App Purchases. - Game tokens do not expire and can be used at whatever pace you like. Highlights: - Sign In With Apple - Games are "correspondence" style. Each player has up to 3 days for their turn, but it is considered good form to play as quickly as possible. If a player does not make a turn within that time period, a pass is automatically assumed and it becomes the other player's turn. If a player "auto-passes" twice in a row, and if their opponent makes a turn in between, the game is declared a forfeit and the opponent wins. Note that it is considered bad form to abandon a game. - Languages currently supported for game play include English and Spanish - For games in English, we use the NASPA Word List, which is the official word reference for SCRABBLE play in the United States and Canada. - Push notifications to let you know when it is your turn - Players who use this app are expected to play without outside assistance. Using dictionaries, word lists, or other helps during a game is considered cheating. All players are on the honor system. - An Elo rating system is used to give an approximate indication of the strength of each player. - Although the primary focus of Word Zero is to facilitate games between people, the ability to play against computer players ("Bots") is provided as well. The Bot-related features are intentionally kept separated from other areas of the app, so there can be no confusion about whether you are playing a Bot or a real person.
MudMonster
This app is a feature-rich client for text-based multiplayer RPGs, allowing you to connect to any MUD, automate gameplay with custom scripts and aliases, and view live game data. It offers customizable controls, character profiles, and session syncing across devices.
- Connect to any MUD
- Automate gameplay with reflexes, aliases, and timers
- Live game data overlay (GMCP)
- Customizable radial and directional controls
- Character profiles and avatars
- Cross-device sync and session logs
- MUD directory and community voting
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Every MUD. One Monster. MudMonster is a modern, full-featured client for Multi-User Dungeons (MUDs) — the original text-based multiplayer RPGs — built for your pocket. Connect to any MUD, automate your play, and pick up right where you left off across devices. CONNECT TO ANY REALM - Save unlimited connections and jump into any MUD over a fast, native connection. - A true terminal with full ANSI color, light and dark color themes, adjustable fonts and text size, and speedwalk. AUTOMATE EVERYTHING — no coding required - Reflexes: run commands or scripts automatically when text matches (exact, contains, or regex). Built-in pattern helpers, a live tester, and ready-made recipes make it easy — with optional sandboxed scripting for power users. - Aliases: turn short commands into full ones (type "kw" for "kill wolf"). - Timers: fire actions on a schedule. - Variables: store and reuse values across your reflexes, aliases, and timers. LIVE GAME DATA (GMCP) See your world at a glance with an on-screen Game Overlay: - HP / MP / MV vitals bar and XP bar - Room map - Group members, active effects, and channel chat — reorder them however you like. PLAY WITH YOUR THUMBS Floating radial and directional controls send your most-used commands with a swipe. Dwell on a direction to reveal quick hold-actions, and drag the controls anywhere on screen. MANY CHARACTERS, ONE APP Give every character its own profile and avatar, scoped to each connection. MudMonster remembers who's who. SYNC & SESSION LOGS Sign in to sync your connections, settings, and characters across all your devices. Optionally log your sessions and read them back anytime. DISCOVER NEW WORLDS Browse a directory of active MUDs and find your next home. VOTE & REVIEW Champion your favorite worlds. Cast your vote and write player reviews to push the best MUDs up the rankings — helping the whole community find great places to play. Thoughtful extras: haptic feedback, trigger highlighting, keep-awake during sessions, and screen-reader support. MudMonster connects you to independently operated, third-party MUD servers, each run by its own community. Free to download. Start your adventure.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: MudMonster at 5.0 against Word Zero's 4.3. MudMonster also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2). Word Zero's advantage is ratings volume (20 vs 2). On price, update cadence, ads and device support 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
Both are free to download. Word Zero sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. MudMonster asks for nothing beyond the download.
MudMonster holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Word Zero has 20 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.
Word Zero ships an update every 2 weeks, MudMonster every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Word Zero | MudMonster |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.3 (20 ratings) | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 69.2% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 20 — better | 2 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks — better | Every 3 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | 15.1 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 64 MB | 60 MB |
| Age rating | 9+ | 12+ |
| Developer | SourceGear | CodeSquatch, LLC |
Customer experience
Word Zero
MudMonster
In-app purchases
Word Zero
- 50 Game Tokens2 variants$4.99
MudMonster
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Word Zero free?
Is MudMonster free?
Which has better reviews, Word Zero or MudMonster?
Do Word Zero or MudMonster have ads?
Which is updated more often, Word Zero or MudMonster?
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