# Portmanteau + vs Cross Spin

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Cross Spin at 100% against Portmanteau +'s 65%. Cross Spin also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 3) and rating (5.0 vs 4.6). Portmanteau +'s advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (weekly vs every 12 months). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Portmanteau + sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Cross Spin asks for nothing beyond the download.

Cross Spin holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Portmanteau + has 617 ratings behind it against 15, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 65% of Portmanteau +'s written reviews are positive against 100% of Cross Spin's.

Portmanteau + ships an update weekly, Cross Spin every 12 months. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Portmanteau + | Cross Spin |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (617 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/portmanteau-plus/id6476009593/reviews) | **[5.0 (15 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cross-spin/id6680200745/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **617** | 15 |
| Positive reviews | 64.7% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 12 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 39 MB | 88 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Foxtail Games LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1435399023) | [JoPat Games, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1768316913) |

## What reviewers say

### Portmanteau +

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/portmanteau-plus/id6476009593)

This word game challenges you to combine the answers to two clues into a single, blended word. Solve daily puzzles, explore themed packs, and compete with friends globally. It's a fun way to boost your vocabulary and creative thinking.

**Highlights:** Combine two clues into a single word, Daily new puzzles, Themed puzzle packs, Global leaderboards, In-person party mode, Boosts linguistic skills

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Plus | $2.99 | per month |
| Portmanteau Plus | $2.99 | one-time |
| The Hard Pack | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Fun game concept
- 🧠 Challenging puzzles
- 🤝 Good for sharing with friends

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Stuck on old puzzles
- ⏳ Lack of new content updates
- 💰 Too many paid features

**Reported bugs**

- App stuck on July 7th puzzle
- Puzzles not loading/updating

**Requested features**

- Ability to access previous puzzles
- Option to challenge clues/answers
- More free content


### Cross Spin

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cross-spin/id6680200745)

Engage your mind with quick, bite-sized crosswords. Spin the board to discover new word combinations and race against the clock to solve puzzles. Enjoy progressive levels and unique themes for endless wordplay fun.

**Highlights:** Bite-sized mini crosswords, Spin the board for solutions, Timed puzzle challenges, Progressive difficulty levels, Unique themed categories, New puzzles added consistently

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Portmanteau + free?

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

### Is Cross Spin free?

Cross Spin is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Portmanteau + or Cross Spin?

Cross Spin is rated higher. Portmanteau + averages 4.6 out of 5 from 617 ratings, while Cross Spin averages 5.0 from 15 ratings.

### Do Portmanteau + or Cross Spin have ads?

Cross Spin shows ads; Portmanteau + does not.

### Which is updated more often, Portmanteau + or Cross Spin?

Portmanteau + ships an update weekly, and Cross Spin every 12 months. Most recently, Portmanteau + was updated on October 25, 2026 and Cross Spin 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.*