# Red Herring vs Lock Rush

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Lock Rush at none against Red Herring's 10. Lock Rush also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 2 days vs every 3 months). Red Herring's advantage is ratings volume (48K vs 8). 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. Lock Rush asks for nothing beyond the download.

Lock Rush 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 8, 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 Lock Rush's.

Red Herring ships an update every 3 months, Lock Rush every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Red Herring | Lock Rush |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (48K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/red-herring/id663596265/reviews) | **[5.0 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lock-rush-reflex-memory-game/id6804309385/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **48K** | 8 |
| Positive reviews | 75.8% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 84 MB | 3 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.6** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Blue Ox Family Games, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/288074001) | [Zach Rustick](https://appshunter.io/developer/6804309387) |

## 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


### Lock Rush

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lock-rush-reflex-memory-game/id6804309385)

This game challenges your reflexes and memory with a simple tap mechanic that evolves with increasingly complex rules. Progress through various modes, including reflex tests and memory puzzles, with a daily challenge for all players. Enjoy a pure, uninterrupted gaming experience with no ads or in-app purchases.

**Highlights:** Tap-based reflex challenges, Memory grid and sequence puzzles, Progressive difficulty and rule changes, Daily challenge mode, Unlockable game modes, Offline play

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, 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 Lock Rush free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Red Herring or Lock Rush?

Lock Rush is rated higher. Red Herring averages 4.7 out of 5 from 48K ratings, while Lock Rush averages 5.0 from 8 ratings.

### Do Red Herring or Lock Rush have ads?

Red Herring shows ads; Lock Rush does not.

### Which is updated more often, Red Herring or Lock Rush?

Red Herring ships an update every 3 months, and Lock Rush every 2 days. Most recently, Red Herring was updated on October 21, 2026 and Lock Rush on October 16, 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.*