# Colorwood Words vs PlaySimple Cryptogram

The clearest difference is rating: PlaySimple Cryptogram at 4.9 against Colorwood Words's 4.6. PlaySimple Cryptogram also leads on chart position (#79 vs unranked). Colorwood Words's advantage is review sentiment (36% vs 27%). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Colorwood Words sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and PlaySimple Cryptogram sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

PlaySimple Cryptogram holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 26K and 26K respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 36% of Colorwood Words's written reviews are positive against 27% of PlaySimple Cryptogram's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Colorwood Words ships an update every 3 weeks, PlaySimple Cryptogram fortnightly. Both last shipped on November 9, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Colorwood Words | PlaySimple Cryptogram |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (26K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/colorwood-words-cryptogram/id6738347014/reviews) | **[4.9 (26K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/playsimple-cryptogram/id6741839590/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **26K** | 26K |
| Positive reviews | **35.7% of reviews** | 27.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#79** |
| Size | 391 MB | 249 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Burny Games](https://appshunter.io/developer/1648482789) | [PlaySimple Games Pte Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1189416142) |

## What reviewers say

### Colorwood Words

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/colorwood-words-cryptogram/id6738347014)

Engage your senses with this word puzzle game that uses haptic feedback to make discovering words a tactile experience. Enjoy visually relaxing wooden aesthetics, daily challenges, and vocabulary expansion. It's a unique sensory twist on cryptogram-style word puzzles.

**Highlights:** Haptic feedback for tactile gameplay, Cryptogram-style word decoding, Vocabulary expansion, Stunning wooden aesthetics, Daily rewards and new puzzles, Animated achievements

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Small hints pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| No Ads Timer | $2.99 | one-time |
| Holiday Halloween Start | $2.99 | one-time |
| Medium hints pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Holiday Halloween Basic | $5.99 | one-time |
| No ads | $7.99 | one-time |
| Big hints pack | $11.99 | one-time |
| Huge hints pack | $19.99 | one-time |
| Great hints pack | $24.99 | one-time |
| Immense hints pack | $29.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Fun and entertaining game
- 💡 Interesting quotes and puzzles
- 🚀 Engaging gameplay

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Ads are too frequent and disruptive
- 💡 Wish letters would auto-fill in the puzzle

**Reported bugs**

- Gameplay feels backwards
- Compatibility issues with older devices

**Requested features**

- Option to skip tutorial
- Ability to fill in known letters automatically


### PlaySimple Cryptogram

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/playsimple-cryptogram/id6741839590)

**Currently charting:** #79 Top Free · Word, #89 Top Grossing · Word (US App Store)

Decode encrypted messages and reveal hidden phrases in this engaging word puzzle game. With daily challenges and a variety of categories, it sharpens your mind and offers a satisfying deduction experience for all skill levels.

**Highlights:** Hundreds of engaging cryptogram puzzles, Diverse categories including quotes and facts, Intuitive and straightforward gameplay, Hints and letter assistance, Daily cryptogram challenges, Multiple difficulty levels

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 300 Coins | $0.99 | one-time |
| Ladder Deal 1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| 1000 Coins | $2.99 | one-time |
| Fail Offer | $3.99 | one-time |
| Basic Pack | $3.99 | one-time |
| Puzzle Screen Burst Hint 2 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Remove Forced Ads | $9.99 | one-time |
| Value Pack | $9.99 | one-time |
| Timed Deal 3 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Ultimate Pack | $24.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Fun game
- 💡 Good for the brain

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App crashes and loses progress
- 🔋 Battery draining issue
- 🤯 Frustrating revive mechanic
- 🤏 Small touch targets for ads

**Reported bugs**

- App randomly closes and loses progress
- Overheating issues on some devices

**Requested features**

- Ability to enlarge letters
- Improved ad experience


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Colorwood Words free?

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

### Is PlaySimple Cryptogram free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Colorwood Words or PlaySimple Cryptogram?

PlaySimple Cryptogram is rated higher. Colorwood Words averages 4.6 out of 5 from 26K ratings, while PlaySimple Cryptogram averages 4.9 from 26K ratings.

### Do Colorwood Words or PlaySimple Cryptogram have ads?

Both Colorwood Words and PlaySimple Cryptogram show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Colorwood Words or PlaySimple Cryptogram?

Colorwood Words ships an update every 3 weeks, and PlaySimple Cryptogram fortnightly. Most recently, Colorwood Words was updated on November 9, 2026 and PlaySimple Cryptogram on November 9, 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.*