# Crossword US vs Crossword+

The clearest difference is update cadence: Crossword+ at every 10 days against Crossword US's every 5 months. Crossword+ also leads on chart position (#131 vs unranked) and ratings volume (12K vs 1.5K). Crossword US's advantage is iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.6). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Crossword US sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $12.99 per year and Crossword+ sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 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 — 4.6 for Crossword US against 4.5 for Crossword+. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Crossword+ has 12K ratings behind it against 1.5K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 76% of Crossword US's written reviews are positive against 83% of Crossword+'s.

Crossword US ships an update every 5 months, Crossword+ every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Crossword US | Crossword+ |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (1.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crossword-us/id666558770/reviews)** | [4.5 (12K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crossword-plus/id1330947092/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1.5K | **12K** |
| Positive reviews | 76.5% of reviews | **83.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#131** |
| Size | 12 MB | 49 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 17.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Teazel](https://appshunter.io/developer/576525182) | [PuzzleStar Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/603054453) |

## What reviewers say

### Crossword US

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crossword-us/id666558770)

Enjoy over 540 professional US-style crossword puzzles designed for casual play. This app offers a clean, ad-free experience with features like pinch zooming and landscape mode, perfect for improving your word power during short breaks.

**Highlights:** 540+ US-style crossword puzzles, 27 free puzzles included, No ads, Pinch zooming grid, Landscape mode with clue list, Cheats and answer checking, Resume button

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

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Yearly (best value) | $12.99 | per year |
| pack of Crosswords (Pack 1) | $0.99 | one-time |
| pack of Crosswords (Pack 2) | $0.99 | one-time |
| pack of Crosswords (Pack 3) | $0.99 | one-time |
| pack of Crosswords (Pack 4) | $0.99 | one-time |
| pack of Crosswords (Pack 5) | $0.99 | one-time |
| pack of Crosswords (Pack 6) | $0.99 | one-time |
| pack of Crosswords (Pack 7) | $0.99 | one-time |
| pack of Crosswords (Pack 8) | $0.99 | one-time |
| pack of Crosswords (Pack 9) | $0.99 | one-time |
| full set of Crossword US packs | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 👍 Consistent and reliable
- 👍 Challenging puzzles
- 👍 Good for learning new words
- 👍 Enjoyable and soothing

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Vague or nonsensical clues
- 🐛 Incorrect or misspelled answers
- 🐛 Awkward navigation between horizontal and vertical answers
- 🐛 Puzzles not tailored for American English
- 🐛 Repetitive words and answers across puzzles

**Reported bugs**

- Puzzles not registering as completed
- Backup feature crashing the app
- Bluetooth keyboard support removed in recent update

**Requested features**

- More puzzle packs and difficulty levels
- Option to reset or redo completed puzzles
- Ability to turn off on-screen keyboard when using external keyboard
- Categorization of puzzles by topic or difficulty
- Ability to track completed puzzles


### Crossword+

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crossword-plus/id1330947092)

**Currently charting:** #131 Top Grossing · Word, #158 Top Free · Word (US App Store)

Start your day with two new themed crossword puzzles daily, ranging from classic literature to movie magic. Enjoy a satisfying yet gentle challenge, with helpful hints and auto-check features. Solve puzzles offline and adjust text size for a comfortable, ad-free experience.

**Highlights:** Two new themed puzzles daily, Over 3,000 puzzles in archive, Helpful hints and AutoCheck, Offline play supported, Ad-free experience, Adjustable text size

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

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Monthly | $7.49 | per month |
| Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Yearly | $37.99 | per year |
| Yearly | $37.99 | per year |
| Yearly | $39.99 | per year |
| Yearly | $39.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🧠 Brain-stimulating puzzles
- 🎯 Variety of themes and difficulty levels
- ✨ Enjoyable and challenging experience
- 🧠 Helps keep the mind active
- 🕰️ Daily puzzles provide a routine activity

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Subscription model can be expensive
- 🐛 Occasional errors in puzzle clues or answers
- 🤔 Some puzzles may be too difficult for casual users
- 🕰️ Limited number of free puzzles per month

**Reported bugs**

- Freezing or crashing issues for some users
- Subscription not always working as expected

**Requested features**

- Search function to find puzzles by topic
- More difficulty levels to cater to all skill levels
- Ability to track progress and stats over time


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Crossword US free?

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

### Is Crossword+ free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Crossword US or Crossword+?

Crossword US is rated higher. Crossword US averages 4.6 out of 5 from 1.5K ratings, while Crossword+ averages 4.5 from 12K ratings.

### Do Crossword US or Crossword+ have ads?

Neither Crossword US nor Crossword+ shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Crossword US or Crossword+?

Crossword US ships an update every 5 months, and Crossword+ every 10 days. Most recently, Crossword US was updated on October 29, 2026 and Crossword+ on October 30, 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.*