# Cipher Challenge vs CipherQuest

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Cipher Challenge at none against CipherQuest's 1. Cipher Challenge also leads on ratings volume (4 vs 1). CipherQuest's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs every 5 weeks). On price, rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. CipherQuest sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Cipher Challenge asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Cipher Challenge against 5.0 for CipherQuest. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 1 respectively.

Cipher Challenge ships an update every 5 weeks, CipherQuest every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and October 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Cipher Challenge | CipherQuest |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cipher-challenge-codebusters/id6742675455/reviews) | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cipherquest-descent-to-light/id6757944090/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **4** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 66.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 1 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Bao Lei](https://appshunter.io/developer/376966834) | [Benjamin Costanza](https://appshunter.io/developer/1869834876) |

## What reviewers say

### Cipher Challenge

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cipher-challenge-codebusters/id6742675455)

Engage your mind with a variety of cipher decoding challenges. Practice different cipher types, track your progress, and compete with friends. Unlock quotes and sync your achievements across devices.

**Highlights:** Multiple cipher modes, Letter frequency analysis, Multiplayer competition, Unlocked quote gallery, Score history tracking, iCloud sync across devices, Hard mode challenge

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### CipherQuest

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cipherquest-descent-to-light/id6757944090)

Engage in an atmospheric puzzle game where you decode over 100 encrypted messages from a secret society. Progress through various cipher types, from simple shifts to complex multi-step encryptions, while uncovering a mysterious narrative. The game offers a hint system and teaches real cryptography techniques.

**Highlights:** 100+ hand-crafted cipher puzzles, Progressive difficulty, Learn real cryptography techniques, Mysterious narrative, Hint system, No ads or data collection

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Game Unlock | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Cipher Challenge free?

Cipher Challenge is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is CipherQuest free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Cipher Challenge or CipherQuest?

Cipher Challenge and CipherQuest are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 4 and 1 ratings respectively.

### Do Cipher Challenge or CipherQuest have ads?

Neither Cipher Challenge nor CipherQuest shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Cipher Challenge or CipherQuest?

Cipher Challenge ships an update every 5 weeks, and CipherQuest every 4 days. Most recently, Cipher Challenge was updated on September 29, 2026 and CipherQuest on October 3, 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.*