Comparison

Connect 8 vs Genius Square

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Connect 8

This word puzzle game challenges you to link eight words together by forming compound words or familiar phrases. Solve a new chain daily with clues and first letters, or explore themed packs. Voice input is available for hands-free play.

Highlights
  • Daily word chain puzzles
  • Compound word and phrase linking
  • Clues and first letter hints
  • Themed word packs
  • Voice input for word entry
  • Customizable themes
  • Friend challenges and leaderboards
Features
Read full description

A new word chain every day. Eight words, seven links, one satisfying solve. SUN → SCREEN → DOOR → BELL. Each word pairs with the next to make a compound word or a familiar phrase: sunscreen, screen door, doorbell. You start with the first word and work your way down the chain. Every word comes with a clue and its first letter. A fresh chain every day Today's chain is free for everyone. It's the same puzzle for every player, and a new one arrives at midnight. Go for gold Find a word on the first try and it turns gold. String gold words together to climb the gold-run ladder, and get all seven for a perfect chain. Each tile plays a marimba note as it locks, and sounds stay quiet when your phone is on silent. Say it instead Rather talk than type? Hold the mic key and say the word, or double-tap it for hands-free and say a whole run. Words are recognized on your iPhone, and Connect 8 doesn't record or keep your voice. 12 packs, 144 chains Around the house, Kitchen, Game night, Nature, Sports and more. Each pack is twelve chains that get harder as you go, with a stamp and its own theme at the end. The first pack is free. 20 themes to make it yours Linen, butcher block, felt, vinyl, storm and more change the whole board, and each one moves in its own way. Every pack earns a theme, and finishing all twelve earns Prism. Keep your streak going for more, along with app icons and badges. Challenge your friends Think you've got today's chain down? Share a tile card with no letters and a link to the same chain, with your time to beat. Once enough people have played, you'll also see how your time compares with everyone who played today. Keep your streak Solve each day's chain to build your streak. A widget keeps your streak and today's chain on your Home Screen or Lock Screen, and a daily reminder is there if you'd like a gentle nudge. Never stuck for long Every word has a clue. Reveal a letter, or the whole word if you need it. In casual mode a wrong guess also reveals the next letter. Made to fit The board sizes itself to your screen, so the keyboard never covers a word. Connect 8 plays on iPhone and iPad, in light or dark. There are no ads. Eight words. One chain. How far can you go? Connect 8 Unlimited For players who want more: - All 12 packs, at your own pace - Endless shuffle, chain after chain - Every past daily in the archive - The Marble, Candy and Neon themes - Hard mode: no first letters after the opening word, and one reveal per chain - A streak shield that forgives one missed day each week Today's chain stays free whether or not you upgrade. Unlimited subscriptions are charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase and renew automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can manage or cancel your subscription in your Apple Account settings. Terms of use: https://e4-studios.com/apps/connect-8/terms-of-service Privacy policy: https://e4-studios.com/apps/connect-8/privacy-policy

About

Genius Square

This logic puzzle game challenges players to strategically place colorful blocks within a 6x6 grid, avoiding black squares. Compete against the clock to achieve faster times and improve your personal best scores.

Highlights
  • 6x6 grid puzzle
  • Block placement challenges
  • Avoid black squares
  • Beat the clock
  • Personal best tracking
Features
Read full description

To complete the puzzle you simply have to place all the blocks in the 6x6 square, and you can't use the black squares. Beat the clock, and your personal best times!

Screenshots

Connect 84 screens
Genius Square3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Connect 8 at 4.3 against Genius Square's 2.5. Connect 8 also leads on ratings volume (412 vs 8). Genius Square's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Connect 8 sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days. Genius Square asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Connect 8 holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 2.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Connect 8 has 412 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 19% of Connect 8's written reviews are positive against 14% of Genius Square's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Connect 8 ships an update every 3 days, Genius Square every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on November 12, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Connect 8 versus Genius Square: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterConnect 8Genius Square
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.3 (412 ratings) — better2.5 (8 ratings)
Positive reviews18.9% of reviews — better14.3% of reviews
Number of ratings412 — better8
Update frequencyEvery 3 daysEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.114.7 — better
Further details — not scored
Size58 MB9 MB
Age rating9+4+
DeveloperE4 Studios LLCAlex Goulder

Customer experience

Connect 8

All ratings412 ratings
Positive81.6%
Neutral3.6%
Negative14.8%
Written reviews53 reviews
Positive18.9%
Neutral5.7%
Negative75.5%

Genius Square

All ratings6 ratings
Positive33.3%
Neutral16.7%
Negative50.0%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive14.3%
Neutral14.3%
Negative71.4%

Bugs and requests

Connect 8

Reported bugs

18 issues
  • Keyboard covers last line
  • Bottom row obscured by keyboard
  • Last line blocked by keyboard
  • Cannot read final clue
  • 8th word blocked by keyboard
Show 13 more
  • Game is glitching
  • Repeats words
  • Same level every time
  • Bad at reloading new rounds
  • Bottom row of letters obscured
  • Last sets of letters not visible
  • Last word blocked
  • App freezes
  • Keyboard covers last line
  • Grammatically incorrect words
  • Words don't make sense together
  • Letters on keyboard too tiny
  • Frozen device

Requested features

5 requests
  • Make a free version
  • Allow more plays per day
  • Offer ads instead of subscription
  • Charge a one-time fee
  • Make it free or allow more games

Genius Square

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

10 purchases

Connect 8

Subscriptions10
  • Connect 8 Pro$0.997 Days
  • Connect 8 Plus$1.997 Days
  • Connect 8 Pro$2.997 Days
Show 7 more
  • Connect 8 Plus$2.997 Days
  • Connect 8 Pro$4.991 Year
  • Connect 8 Plus$9.991 Year
  • Connect 8 Plus3 Days trial$9.991 Year
  • Connect 8 Plus3 Days trial$17.991 Year
  • Connect 8 Unlimited7 Days trial$29.991 Year
  • Connect 8 Pro3 Days trial$29.991 Year
None

Genius Square

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Connect 8 free?
Connect 8 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Genius Square free?
Genius Square is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Connect 8 or Genius Square?
Connect 8 is rated higher. Connect 8 averages 4.3 out of 5 from 412 ratings, while Genius Square averages 2.5 from 8 ratings.
Do Connect 8 or Genius Square have ads?
Neither Connect 8 nor Genius Square shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Connect 8 or Genius Square?
Connect 8 ships an update every 3 days, and Genius Square every 2 days. Most recently, Connect 8 was updated on November 12, 2026 and Genius Square on November 4, 2026.

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