# NYT Crossplay vs Shiftogram

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Shiftogram at none against NYT Crossplay's 3. Shiftogram also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (100% vs 75%). NYT Crossplay's advantage is ratings volume (240K vs 7) and chart position (#18 vs unranked). On price, rating and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. NYT Crossplay sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Shiftogram asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for NYT Crossplay against 5.0 for Shiftogram. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: NYT Crossplay has 240K ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 75% of NYT Crossplay's written reviews are positive against 100% of Shiftogram's.

NYT Crossplay ships an update weekly, Shiftogram every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and November 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | NYT Crossplay | Shiftogram |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.9 (240K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nyt-crossplay-word-games/id6615086509/reviews) | **[5.0 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shiftogram/id6763770326/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **240K** | 7 |
| Positive reviews | 75.2% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#18** | — |
| Size | 99 MB | 64 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [The New York Times Company](https://appshunter.io/developer/284862086) | [Bradley Frizzell](https://appshunter.io/developer/1721811949) |

## What reviewers say

### NYT Crossplay

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nyt-crossplay-word-games/id6615086509)

**Currently charting:** #18 Top Free · Word, #27 Top Free · Board, #73 Top Grossing · Word, #134 Top Grossing · Board (US App Store)

Engage in a strategic 2-player word game that combines social interaction with competitive play. Build words using letter tiles, improve your vocabulary, and track your progress. Enjoy distraction-free gameplay with friends or against the computer.

**Highlights:** 2-player word game, Play with friends and family, In-game chat, Leaderboard competition, Cross Bot tips, Word of the day, Game history tracking

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Games - Monthly | $5.99 | per month |
| Crossplay - Monthly | $5.99 | per month |
| Crossplay - Annual | $49.99 | per year |


### Shiftogram

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shiftogram/id6763770326)

This game offers a unique 4x4 mini-crossword experience where clues are randomized. Solve the clue, then strategically drag and drop letter tiles to fit words into the grid. A new puzzle is available daily to maintain your playing streak.

**Highlights:** 4x4 mini-crossword puzzles, Randomized clue order, Drag-and-drop tile placement, Daily new puzzles, Streak building

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is NYT Crossplay free?

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

### Is Shiftogram free?

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

### Which has better reviews, NYT Crossplay or Shiftogram?

Shiftogram is rated higher. NYT Crossplay averages 4.9 out of 5 from 240K ratings, while Shiftogram averages 5.0 from 7 ratings.

### Do NYT Crossplay or Shiftogram have ads?

NYT Crossplay shows ads; Shiftogram does not.

### Which is updated more often, NYT Crossplay or Shiftogram?

NYT Crossplay ships an update weekly, and Shiftogram every 2 weeks. Most recently, NYT Crossplay was updated on November 11, 2026 and Shiftogram on November 9, 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.*