# PLAY vs Word Waves

The clearest difference is ads: PLAY at none against Word Waves's shown. PLAY also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.0). Word Waves's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months). On price and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PLAY sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and Word Waves sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

PLAY ships an update every 2 months, Word Waves fortnightly. Both last shipped on October 15, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | PLAY | Word Waves |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (25 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/play-doh-create-abcs/id652113712/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **25** | — |
| Positive reviews | 51.2% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 243 MB | 49 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [PlayDate Digital](https://appshunter.io/developer/652113715) | [Zico Bakker](https://appshunter.io/developer/1801191299) |

## What reviewers say

### PLAY

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/play-doh-create-abcs/id652113712)

This app uses virtual Play-Doh to teach children the alphabet. Kids can trace letters, learn new vocabulary, and create custom Play-Doh scenes. It also includes letter matching games and progress tracking for parents.

**Highlights:** Virtual Play-Doh letter tracing, Vocabulary association with letters, Customizable Play-Doh creations, Play-Doh scene building, Letter matching games, Progress tracking for parents

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $1.99 | one-time |
| Unlock All Alphabets | $3.99 | one-time |


### Word Waves

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/word-waves-learn-languages/id6743080817)

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Word Waves Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Word Waves Yearly | $49.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PLAY free?

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

### Is Word Waves free?

Word Waves is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do PLAY or Word Waves have ads?

Word Waves shows ads; PLAY does not.

### Which is updated more often, PLAY or Word Waves?

PLAY ships an update every 2 months, and Word Waves fortnightly. Most recently, PLAY was updated on October 15, 2026 and Word Waves on October 15, 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.*