# Red Herring vs Typeshift

The clearest difference is rating: Red Herring at 4.7 against Typeshift's 4.3. Red Herring also leads on review sentiment (76% vs 49%) and ratings volume (48K vs 497). Typeshift's advantage is update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 3 months) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 16.6). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Red Herring sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and Typeshift sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Red Herring holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Red Herring has 48K ratings behind it against 497, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 76% of Red Herring's written reviews are positive against 49% of Typeshift's.

Red Herring ships an update every 3 months, Typeshift every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Red Herring | Typeshift |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (48K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/red-herring/id663596265/reviews)** | [4.3 (497 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/typeshift/id1084762137/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **48K** | 497 |
| Positive reviews | **75.6% of reviews** | 49.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 84 MB | 72 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Blue Ox Family Games, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/288074001) | [Zach Gage](https://appshunter.io/developer/294263418) |

## What reviewers say

### Red Herring

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/red-herring/id663596265)

This word puzzle game challenges you to group words into categories while identifying misleading "Red Herring" words. Enjoy a fun, challenging, and easy-to-learn experience with no time limits and three difficulty levels suitable for all ages.

**Highlights:** Group words into categories, Identify misleading "Red Herring" words, No time limit, Three difficulty levels, Daily puzzle

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Curiosity - 50 Puzzles | $1.99 | one-time |
| Brilliant! - 50 Puzzles | $1.99 | one-time |
| Allegro - 50 Puzzles | $1.99 | one-time |
| Spelunking - 50 Puzzles | $1.99 | one-time |
| Renaissance - 50 Puzzles | $1.99 | one-time |
| IQ - 50 Puzzles | $1.99 | one-time |
| Serendipity - 50 Puzzles | $1.99 | one-time |
| Unlimited Hints | $2.99 | one-time |
| Older Daily Puzzles 2014 Jul - Dec | $3.99 | one-time |
| Quantum Leap - 175 Puzzles | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🤔 Challenging and thought-provoking
- 🧠 Exercises the mind
- ⏰ Good time-passer
- 🎮 Fun and addictive game
- 🎓 Educational and expands vocabulary

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🇺🇸 Too American-centric
- 💰 Expensive paid content
- 🚫 Limited free content
- 🐛 Bugs and crashes
- 🔍 Obscure references and categories

**Reported bugs**

- Formatting issues after updates
- Inability to access previous daily puzzles
- Ads that cannot be dismissed

**Requested features**

- More free daily puzzles
- Less American-focused content
- Dark mode option
- Ability to replay past puzzles
- Hints system improvements


### Typeshift

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/typeshift/id1084762137)

This word puzzle game challenges you to unscramble letters within stacked words to form new words in the center row. It offers daily challenges with global leaderboards and special clue-based puzzles. Unlock additional content and remove ads with in-app purchases.

**Highlights:** Anagram and word search mechanics, Shift letter columns to spell words, Daily challenges with leaderboards, Special clue puzzles, Unlockable puzzle packs, Themes and statistics

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Chocolate Puzzle Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Peppermint Puzzle Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Pecan Clue Puzzle Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Walnut Clue Puzzle Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Parmesan Clue Puzzle Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Umami Clue Puzzle Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Pistachio Clue Puzzle Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Starter Bundle | $1.99 | one-time |
| Sophomore Bundle | $1.99 | one-time |
| Gumshoe Clue Bundle | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Challenging and fun
- 👍 Unique and innovative game concept
- ⭐ Great brain workout
- 🎨 Elegant and minimalistic design
- 📚 Helps expand vocabulary

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive in-app purchases
- 🔍 Obscure/uncommon words used
- 🔇 Intrusive ads
- 🐛 Crashes and freezes
- ⚠️ Compatibility issues with newer devices

**Reported bugs**

- Puzzle timer inaccuracies
- Purchased content not restoring properly
- Letters not registering correctly
- Puzzles not displaying properly on some devices

**Requested features**

- More clue puzzles and puzzle packs
- Option to reset/replay completed puzzle packs
- Sync progress across devices
- Support for British/Australian English
- Built-in dictionary with better word definitions


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Red Herring free?

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

### Is Typeshift free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Red Herring or Typeshift?

Red Herring is rated higher. Red Herring averages 4.7 out of 5 from 48K ratings, while Typeshift averages 4.3 from 497 ratings.

### Do Red Herring or Typeshift have ads?

Both Red Herring and Typeshift show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Red Herring or Typeshift?

Red Herring ships an update every 3 months, and Typeshift every 6 weeks. Most recently, Red Herring was updated on September 25, 2026 and Typeshift on September 22, 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.*