# Red Herring vs Portmanteau +

The clearest difference is ads: Portmanteau + at none against Red Herring's shown. Portmanteau + also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 3 months). Red Herring's advantage is ratings volume (48K vs 617) and review sentiment (76% vs 65%). On price, rating, 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 Portmanteau + sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. 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 4.6 for Portmanteau +. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Red Herring has 48K ratings behind it against 617, 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 65% of Portmanteau +'s.

Red Herring ships an update every 3 months, Portmanteau + weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 10, 2026 and November 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Red Herring | Portmanteau + |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (48K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/red-herring/id663596265/reviews)** | [4.6 (617 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/portmanteau-plus/id6476009593/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **48K** | 617 |
| Positive reviews | **75.6% of reviews** | 64.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 81 MB | 39 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | **16.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Blue Ox Family Games, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/288074001) | [Foxtail Games LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1435399023) |

## 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


### Portmanteau +

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/portmanteau-plus/id6476009593)

This word game challenges you to combine the answers to two clues into a single, blended word. Solve daily puzzles, explore themed packs, and compete with friends globally. It's a fun way to boost your vocabulary and creative thinking.

**Highlights:** Combine two clues into a single word, Daily new puzzles, Themed puzzle packs, Global leaderboards, In-person party mode, Boosts linguistic skills

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Plus | $2.99 | per month |
| Portmanteau Plus | $2.99 | one-time |
| The Hard Pack | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Fun game concept
- 🧠 Challenging puzzles
- 🤝 Good for sharing with friends

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Stuck on old puzzles
- ⏳ Lack of new content updates
- 💰 Too many paid features

**Reported bugs**

- App stuck on July 7th puzzle
- Puzzles not loading/updating

**Requested features**

- Ability to access previous puzzles
- Option to challenge clues/answers
- More free content


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Red Herring free?

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

### Is Portmanteau + free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Red Herring or Portmanteau +?

Red Herring is rated higher. Red Herring averages 4.7 out of 5 from 48K ratings, while Portmanteau + averages 4.6 from 617 ratings.

### Do Red Herring or Portmanteau + have ads?

Red Herring shows ads; Portmanteau + does not.

### Which is updated more often, Red Herring or Portmanteau +?

Red Herring ships an update every 3 months, and Portmanteau + weekly. Most recently, Red Herring was updated on November 10, 2026 and Portmanteau + on November 8, 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.*