# Red Herring vs black (game)

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Red Herring at 48K against black (game)'s 548. black (game)'s advantage is review sentiment (95% vs 76%) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.6). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Red Herring sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and black (game) sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Red Herring against 4.8 for black (game). That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Red Herring has 48K ratings behind it against 548, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 76% of Red Herring's written reviews are positive against 95% of black (game)'s.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Red Herring | black (game) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (48K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/red-herring/id663596265/reviews) | **[4.8 (548 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/black-game/id1436603305/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **48K** | 548 |
| Positive reviews | 75.8% of reviews | **95.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 84 MB | 26 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Blue Ox Family Games, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/288074001) | [Bart BONTE](https://appshunter.io/developer/568141787) |

## 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


### black (game)

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/black-game/id1436603305)

Solve 50 unique puzzle levels by making the entire screen black. Each level presents a distinct logical challenge. Hints are available to guide you through the game.

**Highlights:** 50 unique puzzle levels, Each level has its own logic, Hint system available, Ad-free hint option via in-app purchase, Part of a color puzzle game series

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| premium unlock | $2.49 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Fun and challenging puzzles
- 🎶 Great background music
- 💡 Unique game mechanics
- 🚀 Smooth and responsive gameplay
- 👍 Appropriate level of difficulty

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Hints not always helpful
- 🐛 Some levels have inconsistent or unclear solutions
- 🔍 Difficulty spikes in certain levels

**Reported bugs**

- Level 46 glitching
- Inability to update consent settings

**Requested features**

- More color-themed games (e.g. orange, purple, white)
- Option to skip levels
- Ability to reset game progress


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Red Herring free?

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

### Is black (game) free?

black (game) is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Red Herring or black (game)?

black (game) is rated higher. Red Herring averages 4.7 out of 5 from 48K ratings, while black (game) averages 4.8 from 548 ratings.

### Do Red Herring or black (game) have ads?

Both Red Herring and black (game) show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Red Herring or black (game)?

Red Herring ships an update every 3 months, and black (game) every 3 months. Most recently, Red Herring was updated on October 28, 2026 and black (game) on October 23, 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.*