# ContraBee vs Spell Drops

The clearest difference is rating: Spell Drops at 5.0 against ContraBee's 4.0. Spell Drops also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 2 weeks). ContraBee's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10) and ads (none vs shown). On price, ratings volume and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Spell Drops sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. ContraBee asks for nothing beyond the download.

Spell Drops holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 2 respectively.

ContraBee ships an update every 2 weeks, Spell Drops weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 2, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ContraBee | Spell Drops |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/contrabee/id6478916549/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spell-drops/id6744286195/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **4** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 23.8% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 16 MB | 370 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Lexi Games LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1734406255) | [Ninjazz Entertainment](https://appshunter.io/developer/1761784597) |

## What reviewers say

### ContraBee

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/contrabee/id6478916549)

This app offers a daily word puzzle using the same letter hive as the New York Times Spelling Bee. It challenges players to find words without using the required center letter, encouraging a different approach to word discovery.

**Highlights:** Daily word puzzles, Uses NYT Spelling Bee letter hive, Excludes center letter, Encourages alternative word finding, Unique puzzle twist

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Spell Drops

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spell-drops/id6744286195)

This word puzzle adventure combines quick reflexes with strategic letter dropping to spell words before time runs out. Navigate challenging levels with moving obstacles and limited space, requiring fast thinking and precise actions to succeed.

**Highlights:** Addictive word-building and timing gameplay, Challenging levels with obstacles, Strategic letter dropping mechanics, Satisfying visuals and effects, Easy to learn, hard to master

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Aura Trail | $1.99 | one-time |
| Void Trail | $1.99 | one-time |
| Green Laser Trail | $1.99 | one-time |
| Power Beam Trail | $1.99 | one-time |
| Fire Trail | $1.99 | one-time |
| Water Trail | $1.99 | one-time |
| Black Hole Trail | $1.99 | one-time |
| Smoke Trail | $1.99 | one-time |
| Unstable Trail | $1.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ContraBee free?

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

### Is Spell Drops free?

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

### Which has better reviews, ContraBee or Spell Drops?

Spell Drops is rated higher. ContraBee averages 4.0 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while Spell Drops averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do ContraBee or Spell Drops have ads?

Spell Drops shows ads; ContraBee does not.

### Which is updated more often, ContraBee or Spell Drops?

ContraBee ships an update every 2 weeks, and Spell Drops weekly. Most recently, ContraBee was updated on October 2, 2026 and Spell Drops on October 7, 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.*