# Red Herring vs literally

The clearest difference is ads: literally at none against Red Herring's shown. literally also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months). Red Herring's advantage is ratings volume (48K vs 518) and rating (4.7 vs 4.5). On price, review sentiment, 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 literally sells 4 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 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Red Herring has 48K ratings behind it against 518, 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 73% of literally's.

Red Herring ships an update every 3 months, literally every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 9, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Red Herring | literally |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (48K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/red-herring/id663596265/reviews)** | [4.5 (518 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/literally-word-game/id6448051011/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **48K** | 518 |
| Positive reviews | **75.6% of reviews** | 73.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 81 MB | 18 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Blue Ox Family Games, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/288074001) | [Oleksandr Kozlov](https://appshunter.io/developer/967224411) |

## What reviewers say

### Red Herring

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

Connect words into categories in this fun and challenging puzzle game. Watch out for misleading words designed to throw you off. With multiple difficulty levels and no time limit, it's suitable for all ages.

**Highlights:** Group words into categories, Identify misleading 'Red Herring' words, Challenging and thought-provoking gameplay, 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


### literally

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/literally-word-game/id6448051011)

Engage in a timed word-building challenge where you race against the clock to form words from available letters. This game offers a substantial story mode with numerous levels and tasks, alongside unique challenges like deciphering aphorisms. It features a simplified mode for a relaxed experience and detailed statistics to track your progress.

**Highlights:** 200-level story mode, 66 aphorism deciphering tasks, Simplified, relaxed mode, Minimalistic design, Detailed statistics, Power saving mode

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Bubble gum | $0.99 | one-time |
| Coffee | $2.99 | one-time |
| Chicken wings | $4.99 | one-time |
| Borscht | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Red Herring free?

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

### Is literally free?

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

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

Red Herring is rated higher. Red Herring averages 4.7 out of 5 from 48K ratings, while literally averages 4.5 from 518 ratings.

### Do Red Herring or literally have ads?

Red Herring shows ads; literally does not.

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

Red Herring ships an update every 3 months, and literally every 3 weeks. Most recently, Red Herring was updated on November 9, 2026 and literally on November 7, 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.*