# Red Herring vs FiddleBrix

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: FiddleBrix at none against Red Herring's 10. FiddleBrix also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (100% vs 76%). Red Herring's advantage is update cadence (every 3 months vs every 24 months) and ratings volume (48K vs 44). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Red Herring sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. FiddleBrix asks for nothing beyond the download.

FiddleBrix holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Red Herring has 48K ratings behind it against 44, 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 100% of FiddleBrix's.

Red Herring ships an update every 3 months, FiddleBrix every 24 months. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Red Herring | FiddleBrix |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (48K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/red-herring/id663596265/reviews) | **[5.0 (44 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fiddlebrix/id1552918459/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **48K** | 44 |
| Positive reviews | 75.6% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 months** | Every 24 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 84 MB | 53 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Blue Ox Family Games, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/288074001) | [FiddleBrix LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1552918461) |

## 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


### FiddleBrix

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fiddlebrix/id1552918459)

Engage your mind with a daily word puzzle that blends elements of crosswords and Sudoku. Solve intricate puzzles with increasing difficulty, including daily challenges and an archive of past puzzles.

**Highlights:** Daily word puzzles, Crossword and Sudoku inspiration, 100 built-in levels, Increasing daily difficulty, Daily Brix Archive

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Red Herring free?

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

### Is FiddleBrix free?

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

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

FiddleBrix is rated higher. Red Herring averages 4.7 out of 5 from 48K ratings, while FiddleBrix averages 5.0 from 44 ratings.

### Do Red Herring or FiddleBrix have ads?

Red Herring shows ads; FiddleBrix does not.

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

Red Herring ships an update every 3 months, and FiddleBrix every 24 months. Most recently, Red Herring was updated on September 26, 2026 and FiddleBrix on September 12, 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.*