# Simple Match 3 vs 21 Letters

The clearest difference is price: 21 Letters at Free against Simple Match 3's $1.99. 21 Letters also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs weekly) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 14.0). Simple Match 3's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and chart position (#70 vs unranked). On rating, review sentiment, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

21 Letters is free to download; Simple Match 3 costs $1.99 up front. Simple Match 3 sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and 21 Letters sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Simple Match 3 against 4.7 for 21 Letters. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 258 and 64 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 90% of Simple Match 3's written reviews are positive against 82% of 21 Letters's.

Simple Match 3 ships an update weekly, 21 Letters every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Simple Match 3 | 21 Letters |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $1.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.8 (258 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-match-3/id6482984389/reviews)** | [4.7 (64 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/21-letters/id6504524436/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **258** | 64 |
| Positive reviews | **89.7% of reviews** | 81.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Weekly | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | **#70** | — |
| Size | 463 MB | 106 MB |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Mulberry Tree Games, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1714124470) | [Shallot Games, LLC.](https://appshunter.io/developer/916624104) |

## What reviewers say

### Simple Match 3

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-match-3/id6482984389)

**Currently charting:** #70 Top Paid · Casual, #77 Top Paid · Puzzle (US App Store)

This is a relaxing puzzle game where you swap tiles to make matches of three. Unlock hundreds of unique tiles, customize your game's appearance, and enjoy satisfying effects. It offers a peaceful experience without ads or excessive story elements.

**Highlights:** No ads or subscriptions, Hundreds of unique tiles, Customizable appearance, Daily levels with leaderboards, Zen Mode for relaxation, Satisfying visual effects, Achievements and boosters

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Simple Match 3 Gold | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Best Match 3 Game
- 👍 Calming and Engaging
- 🔒 No Ads or IAPs
- 👍 Customizable Tiles
- 👍 Relaxing Music and Sound Effects

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs in Higher Levels
- 🐛 Impossible Levels Due to Missing Obstacles
- 🐛 Soft Locks with Rainbow Tiles
- 🐛 Reward Box Tapping Issue
- 🐛 Inconsistent Star Rating System

**Reported bugs**

- Levels with Missing Obstacles
- Reward Box Tapping Issue
- Inconsistent Star Rating System
- Soft Locks with Rainbow Tiles
- Crashes on Opening

**Requested features**

- Level Editor
- Endless/Survival Mode
- Improved Power-Up Interactions
- Hints or Shuffle Option
- Landscape Support for iPad


### 21 Letters

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/21-letters/id6504524436)

A daily word game where you build connecting words to achieve a high score. Compete with friends and family using the same daily set of letters. The game ends when you run out of letters or can no longer form words.

**Highlights:** Daily word challenges, Connecting word building, High score tracking, Friend and family competition, Unique daily letter sets

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

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| August 2024 Ad-Free | $2.99 | one-time |
| September 2024 Ad-Free | $2.99 | one-time |
| October 2024 Ad-Free | $2.99 | one-time |
| May 2024 Ad-Free | $2.99 | one-time |
| June 2024 Ad-Free | $2.99 | one-time |
| July 2024 Ad-Free | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Simple Match 3 free?

Simple Match 3 costs $1.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is 21 Letters free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Simple Match 3 or 21 Letters?

Simple Match 3 is rated higher. Simple Match 3 averages 4.8 out of 5 from 258 ratings, while 21 Letters averages 4.7 from 64 ratings.

### Do Simple Match 3 or 21 Letters have ads?

21 Letters shows ads; Simple Match 3 does not.

### Which is updated more often, Simple Match 3 or 21 Letters?

Simple Match 3 ships an update weekly, and 21 Letters every 2 days. Most recently, Simple Match 3 was updated on October 27, 2026 and 21 Letters on October 24, 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.*