# Small Crosswords vs Cipher

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Small Crosswords at none against Cipher's 6. Cipher's advantage is update cadence (every 6 days vs every 2 weeks). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Cipher sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Small Crosswords asks for nothing beyond the download.

Small Crosswords ships an update every 2 weeks, Cipher every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Small Crosswords | Cipher |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.1 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/small-crosswords/id6475174988/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **9** | — |
| Positive reviews | 16.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Every 6 days** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 6 MB | 46 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [John Corser](https://appshunter.io/developer/1016115570) | [Eldar Tutnjic](https://appshunter.io/developer/1504485100) |

## What reviewers say

### Small Crosswords

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/small-crosswords/id6475174988)

Enjoy an endless supply of free mini crossword puzzles. Track your progress with detailed statistics and revisit past challenges. This game is designed for quick, engaging mental workouts.

**Highlights:** Unlimited mini crossword puzzles, Review previous puzzles, Monitor solving statistics, Free to play, Quick mental challenges

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Cipher

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cipher-decode-the-message/id6761147950)

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

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Cipher Pass Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| Cipher Pass Yearly | $17.99 | per year |
| 50 Coins | $0.99 | one-time |
| 120 Coins | $1.99 | one-time |
| 300 Coins | $3.99 | one-time |
| Cipher Pass Lifetime | $34.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Small Crosswords free?

Small Crosswords is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Cipher free?

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

### Do Small Crosswords or Cipher have ads?

Neither Small Crosswords nor Cipher shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Small Crosswords or Cipher?

Small Crosswords ships an update every 2 weeks, and Cipher every 6 days. Most recently, Small Crosswords was updated on September 23, 2026 and Cipher on September 27, 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.*