# Code Busters vs Decoding Word Puzzle

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Decoding Word Puzzle at none against Code Busters's 19. Decoding Word Puzzle also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (daily vs every 3 weeks). Code Busters's advantage is chart position (#13 vs unranked). On price, ratings volume and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Code Busters sells 18 one-off in-app purchases. Decoding Word Puzzle asks for nothing beyond the download.

Decoding Word Puzzle holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 9.2K and 11K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 15% of Code Busters's written reviews are positive against 27% of Decoding Word Puzzle's.

Code Busters ships an update every 3 weeks, Decoding Word Puzzle daily. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Code Busters | Decoding Word Puzzle |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (9.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/code-busters-word-puzzle-game/id6499306754/reviews) | **[4.9 (11K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/decoding-word-puzzle/id6747968388/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 9.2K | **11K** |
| Positive reviews | 14.6% of reviews | **26.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Daily** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#13** | — |
| Size | 206 MB | 255 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Smartronic](https://appshunter.io/developer/1743139022) | [Peace Word Studio](https://appshunter.io/developer/1787839993) |

## What reviewers say

### Code Busters

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/code-busters-word-puzzle-game/id6499306754)

**Currently charting:** #13 Top Grossing · Word, #39 Top Free · Word, #135 Top Grossing · Puzzle (US App Store)

Engage your mind with a variety of puzzles including cryptograms, anagrams, crosswords, and Sudoku. This game offers over 500 levels and 10,000 quotes for an enriching intellectual adventure.

**Highlights:** Cryptogram puzzles, Anagrams, Crossword puzzles, Sudoku, Over 500 levels, Famous quotes, Code deciphering

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

**In-app purchases (18)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 10 Hints Offer | $0.99 | one-time |
| 100 Coins | $1.99 | one-time |
| 5 Magic Wand Mascot Offer | $1.99 | one-time |
| 100 Coins1 | $1.99 | one-time |
| 20 Hints Offer | $1.99 | one-time |
| 50 Hints Offer | $2.99 | one-time |
| Beginners Bundle | $3.99 | one-time |
| No Ads Discounted Offer | $3.99 | one-time |
| 5 Magic Wand | $4.99 | one-time |
| No Ads | $4.99 | one-time |
| No Ads Pack | $5.99 | one-time |
| 500 Coins | $6.99 | one-time |
| Crypto Bundle | $7.99 | one-time |
| Crypto Bundle1 | $9.99 | one-time |
| 1000 Coins | $12.99 | one-time |
| Choose One All In One Bundle | $13.99 | one-time |
| Super Bundle | $29.99 | one-time |
| Legendary Bundle | $44.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fun to play
- 👍 Joyfully entertaining

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Doesn't load
- 🐛 Crashes during tutorial
- 🐛 Force closes after update
- 🐛 Incredibly slow
- 🔍 Text too small

**Reported bugs**

- Freezes before starting
- Unable to play levels
- Daily challenge calendar incorrect

**Requested features**

- Improve gameplay mechanics
- Enlarge keyboard letters


### Decoding Word Puzzle

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/decoding-word-puzzle/id6747968388)

Engage your mind with a word puzzle game featuring quotes from famous figures, literature, and movies. Solve creatively designed levels with hints and letter matching, enhanced by beautiful hand-drawn art and an unfolding narrative.

**Highlights:** Quote-based puzzles, Word creation and letter matching, Contextual hints, Hand-drawn artwork, Narrative mode, Daily challenges

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🤩 Relaxing and mentally challenging
- 👍 Fun and enjoyable game

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔥 Overloaded with ads
- 🐛 Buggy and unresponsive touch interface
- 🔋 Poor performance and battery drain

**Reported bugs**

- Forced to restart from beginning after update
- Frequent crashes and freezes

**Requested features**

- More puzzle content
- Option to disable ads


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Code Busters free?

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

### Is Decoding Word Puzzle free?

Decoding Word Puzzle is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Code Busters or Decoding Word Puzzle?

Decoding Word Puzzle is rated higher. Code Busters averages 4.6 out of 5 from 9.2K ratings, while Decoding Word Puzzle averages 4.9 from 11K ratings.

### Do Code Busters or Decoding Word Puzzle have ads?

Code Busters shows ads; Decoding Word Puzzle does not.

### Which is updated more often, Code Busters or Decoding Word Puzzle?

Code Busters ships an update every 3 weeks, and Decoding Word Puzzle daily. Most recently, Code Busters was updated on September 23, 2026 and Decoding Word Puzzle on September 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.*