# Blackbar vs Typeshift

The clearest difference is price: Typeshift at Free against Blackbar's $2.99. Typeshift also leads on rating (4.3 vs 3.6) and update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 7 months). Blackbar's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10) and ads (none vs shown). On device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Typeshift is free to download; Blackbar costs $2.99 up front. Typeshift sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Blackbar asks for nothing beyond the download.

Typeshift holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Typeshift has 497 ratings behind it against 97, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 66% of Blackbar's written reviews are positive against 49% of Typeshift's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Blackbar ships an update every 7 months, Typeshift every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 11, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Blackbar | Typeshift |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $2.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [3.6 (97 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blackbar/id672002602/reviews) | **[4.3 (497 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/typeshift/id1084762137/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 97 | **497** |
| Positive reviews | **65.6% of reviews** | 49.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | **#75** | — |
| Size | 3 MB | 72 MB |
| Requires iOS | 14.7 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Mrgan LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/320710721) | [Zach Gage](https://appshunter.io/developer/294263418) |

## What reviewers say

### Blackbar

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blackbar/id672002602)

**Currently charting:** #75 Top Paid · Word (US App Store)

Experience a sci-fi narrative of a dystopian future through engaging word puzzles. This text-based game uses a unique censorship mechanic to challenge players, offering a blend of frustration and intellectual satisfaction.

**Highlights:** Text-based sci-fi story, Word puzzle gameplay, Unique censorship mechanic, Dystopian future narrative, Challenging and thought-provoking

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 💡 Clever and unique gameplay
- 👍 Engaging and thought-provoking story
- 🤔 Challenging puzzles and word games

**What reviewers complain about**

- ⏱️ Too short for the price
- 🤯 Some puzzles too obscure or difficult
- 🐛 Bugs and compatibility issues

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes or freezes on certain devices
- Inability to progress past initial screen

**Requested features**

- Longer gameplay and expanded story
- More levels or chapters
- Hints or clues for difficult puzzles


### Typeshift

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/typeshift/id1084762137)

This word puzzle game challenges you to unscramble letters within stacked words to form new words in the center row. It offers daily challenges with global leaderboards and special clue-based puzzles. Unlock additional content and remove ads with in-app purchases.

**Highlights:** Anagram and word search mechanics, Shift letter columns to spell words, Daily challenges with leaderboards, Special clue puzzles, Unlockable puzzle packs, Themes and statistics

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Chocolate Puzzle Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Peppermint Puzzle Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Pecan Clue Puzzle Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Walnut Clue Puzzle Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Parmesan Clue Puzzle Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Umami Clue Puzzle Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Pistachio Clue Puzzle Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Starter Bundle | $1.99 | one-time |
| Sophomore Bundle | $1.99 | one-time |
| Gumshoe Clue Bundle | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Challenging and fun
- 👍 Unique and innovative game concept
- ⭐ Great brain workout
- 🎨 Elegant and minimalistic design
- 📚 Helps expand vocabulary

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive in-app purchases
- 🔍 Obscure/uncommon words used
- 🔇 Intrusive ads
- 🐛 Crashes and freezes
- ⚠️ Compatibility issues with newer devices

**Reported bugs**

- Puzzle timer inaccuracies
- Purchased content not restoring properly
- Letters not registering correctly
- Puzzles not displaying properly on some devices

**Requested features**

- More clue puzzles and puzzle packs
- Option to reset/replay completed puzzle packs
- Sync progress across devices
- Support for British/Australian English
- Built-in dictionary with better word definitions


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Blackbar free?

Blackbar costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Typeshift free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Blackbar or Typeshift?

Typeshift is rated higher. Blackbar averages 3.6 out of 5 from 97 ratings, while Typeshift averages 4.3 from 497 ratings.

### Do Blackbar or Typeshift have ads?

Typeshift shows ads; Blackbar does not.

### Which is updated more often, Blackbar or Typeshift?

Blackbar ships an update every 7 months, and Typeshift every 6 weeks. Most recently, Blackbar was updated on October 11, 2026 and Typeshift on October 14, 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.*