# Bonza Word Puzzle vs Retrogram

The clearest difference is ads: Retrogram at none against Bonza Word Puzzle's shown. Retrogram also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 4 months). Bonza Word Puzzle's advantage is rating (4.7 vs 4.4) and ratings volume (9.6K vs 320). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Bonza Word Puzzle sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and Retrogram sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Bonza Word Puzzle holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Bonza Word Puzzle has 9.6K ratings behind it against 320, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 76% of Bonza Word Puzzle's written reviews are positive against 66% of Retrogram's.

Bonza Word Puzzle ships an update every 4 months, Retrogram every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on September 27, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bonza Word Puzzle | Retrogram |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (9.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bonza-word-puzzle/id662053009/reviews)** | [4.4 (320 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retrogram/id1537372328/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **9.6K** | 320 |
| Positive reviews | **76.3% of reviews** | 66.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 97 MB | 145 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 17.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Vision Pro** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Minimega](https://appshunter.io/developer/453173167) | [in Color](https://appshunter.io/developer/1537372330) |

## What reviewers say

### Bonza Word Puzzle

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bonza-word-puzzle/id662053009)

This app offers a unique crossword experience by blending word search, jigsaw puzzles, and trivia. Solve daily puzzles created by the community or design your own to challenge friends. It's a fresh take on word challenges for puzzle enthusiasts.

**Highlights:** Daily community-created puzzles, Custom puzzle creator, Challenge friends with custom puzzles, Mixes word search, jigsaw, and trivia, Interactive word challenges

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mini Stack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Puzzle Pack 3 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Basic Stack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Celebrity Designer Bundle 1 | $2.99 | one-time |
| Classic Bundle 1 | $2.99 | one-time |
| Classic Bundle 2 | $2.99 | one-time |
| Classic Bundle 3 | $2.99 | one-time |
| Value Stack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Coin Doubler | $5.99 | one-time |
| Mega Stack | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🤩 Addictive and challenging
- 🧠 Excellent brain exercise
- 👍 Fun and entertaining
- 🎨 Unique and creative puzzle design
- 📚 Educational and informative

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive in-app purchases
- 🤖 Repetitive user-generated puzzles
- 🙄 Excessive ads and monetization
- 🐛 Bugs, crashes, and performance issues
- 🌐 Too American-centric

**Reported bugs**

- Ads freezing the app
- Disappearing coins and progress
- Landscape mode issues
- Inability to turn off background music

**Requested features**

- Ability to rate user-generated puzzles
- More free daily puzzles
- Difficulty levels for puzzles
- Offline mode or ability to save progress
- Improved hint system


### Retrogram

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retrogram/id1537372328)

Challenge your vocabulary with a daily word puzzle. Create as many words as possible from seven letters. Enjoy a stylish, retro-themed experience designed to sharpen your mind and introduce you to new words.

**Highlights:** Daily hand-made puzzles, Solve puzzles together via SharePlay, Apple Watch compatibility, No ads, Discover new words

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Apple Watch app, SharePlay

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Daily Puzzle (Monthly) | $4.99 | per month |
| Daily Puzzle (Yearly) | $29.99 | per year |
| Where in the World | $3.99 | one-time |
| 80s Dinner Party | $4.99 | one-time |
| Gaming Icons | $4.99 | one-time |
| Stone Cold | $4.99 | one-time |
| Flower Power | $4.99 | one-time |
| Dear Reader | $4.99 | one-time |
| Outer Rim | $4.99 | one-time |
| Daily Puzzle (For Life) | $49.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 Retro aesthetic and clean interface design
- 👍 Simple and intuitive gameplay mechanics
- 🧠 Challenging and brain-stimulating puzzles
- 📚 Interesting word definitions and fun comments
- 🎮 Daily puzzle provides consistent engagement

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription pricing ($30-$80)
- 🚫 Misleading free-to-play model with paywall
- 📖 Inconsistent and limited word dictionary
- 🔄 Words accepted one day but rejected another
- ⏰ Only one puzzle per day (limited content)

**Reported bugs**

- Words marked as missed that were actually found
- Puzzle letters changing when spinning the wheel
- Apple Watch app no longer functioning
- Game progress deletion without explanation
- Inconsistent word acceptance across different puzzles

**Requested features**

- Access to previous/archived puzzles
- Multiple puzzles per day or puzzle difficulty levels
- Statistics tracking (completion rate, pangram frequency)
- Hint system that doesn't impact streak
- Word find rate percentages for context


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Bonza Word Puzzle free?

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

### Is Retrogram free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Bonza Word Puzzle or Retrogram?

Bonza Word Puzzle is rated higher. Bonza Word Puzzle averages 4.7 out of 5 from 9.6K ratings, while Retrogram averages 4.4 from 320 ratings.

### Do Bonza Word Puzzle or Retrogram have ads?

Bonza Word Puzzle shows ads; Retrogram does not.

### Which is updated more often, Bonza Word Puzzle or Retrogram?

Bonza Word Puzzle ships an update every 4 months, and Retrogram every 3 weeks. Most recently, Bonza Word Puzzle was updated on September 27, 2026 and Retrogram on September 27, 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.*