# Red Herring vs CODE

The clearest difference is ads: CODE at none against Red Herring's shown. CODE also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 3 months) and rating (5.0 vs 4.7). Red Herring's advantage is ratings volume (48K vs 2). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

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

CODE 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 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Red Herring ships an update every 3 months, CODE every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Red Herring | CODE |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (48K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/red-herring/id663596265/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/code-x-word-puzzle-game/id6755331977/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **48K** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 75.8% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 84 MB | 169 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Blue Ox Family Games, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/288074001) | [I AM LOGOS Pte Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1853249108) |

## 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


### CODE

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/code-x-word-puzzle-game/id6755331977)

Connect seven words to unlock a hidden code and reveal clues. Collect unique words and build your personal lexicon. Explore hundreds of levels across four themed worlds in this innovative word-association puzzle game.

**Highlights:** Word association puzzles, Code-breaking mechanics, Collectible words, Personalized lexicon building, Multiple themed levels, Unique word powers

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mini Stash | $0.99 | one-time |
| Small Stash | $4.99 | one-time |
| 1 Hour Ultd Prism | $4.99 | one-time |
| Medium Cache | $9.99 | one-time |
| 24 Hour Ultd Prism | $9.99 | one-time |
| Large Cache | $19.99 | one-time |
| 7 Day Ultd Prism | $19.99 | one-time |
| 30 Day Ultd Prism | $39.99 | one-time |
| Huge Vault | $44.99 | one-time |
| Mega Vault | $99.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Red Herring free?

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

### Is CODE free?

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

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

CODE is rated higher. Red Herring averages 4.7 out of 5 from 48K ratings, while CODE averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Red Herring or CODE have ads?

Red Herring shows ads; CODE does not.

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

Red Herring ships an update every 3 months, and CODE every 2 weeks. Most recently, Red Herring was updated on October 22, 2026 and CODE on October 6, 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.*