Comparison

Cipher Challenge vs Cipher Command

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Cipher Challenge

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
Read full description

A cipher decoding game. Cipher modes: Aristocrat, Patristocrat, Caesar, Random substitution cipher, K1 cipher, K2 cipher Additional features: - See letter frequency table and cipher letter -> original letter mapping table - Share link or game id to friends and compete on the same puzzle - View all the unlocked quotes - See score history - Unlocked quotes and scores are sync'ed across iPhone, iPad and Mac computers through iCloud - Enable hard mode for a special challenge Also perfect for Science Olympiad (SciOly) Codebusters practice.

About

Cipher Command

Immerse yourself in WWII codebreaking. Decrypt authentic historical messages using real encryption techniques, from Caesar shifts to the Enigma machine. Learn about wartime operations and advance through ranks as you master cryptanalysis.

Highlights
  • Decrypt 7 historical cipher types
  • 30+ WWII-themed missions
  • Interactive cipher wheel
  • Learn historical context
  • Progress through ranks
  • Frequency analysis tools
Features
Read full description

Step into the shoes of a Bletchley Park codebreaker. Cipher Command is an immersive puzzle game where you decrypt authentic World War II cipher messages using historical encryption techniques. CRACK REAL CIPHERS Master seven historically accurate cipher systems — from the classic Caesar shift to the legendary Enigma machine. Each puzzle uses a real encryption method employed during wartime operations. 30+ HISTORICAL MISSIONS Decode intercepted messages spanning D-Day preparations, Pacific Theater intelligence, Eastern Front communications, and Cold War-era signals. Every mission is grounded in real historical events. INTERACTIVE CIPHER WHEEL Spin the beautifully crafted Caesar dial to decrypt messages letter by letter. Tap individual cipher letters, rotate the wheel, and watch the plaintext emerge — no shortcuts, just pure codebreaking skill. LEARN AS YOU PLAY Each mission briefing provides historical context about the operation, the cipher technique, and the stakes. The built-in Codex reference covers every cipher type with examples and history. EARN YOUR RANK Progress from Unclassified to Most Secret difficulty levels. Collect achievement badges as you hone your cryptanalysis skills and rise through the ranks. FAIR BY DESIGN No ads. No energy meters. No subscriptions. The opening missions are free, and each historical theater is a one-time purchase you keep forever. FEATURES - 7 cipher types: Caesar, Substitution, Rail Fence, Vigenere, Playfair, ADFGVX, Enigma - 30+ missions across 4 historical theaters - Interactive cipher wheel with tactile feedback - Guided tutorial for new codebreakers - Frequency analysis and substitution mapping tools - Historical briefings and outcome reveals - Achievement badge collection - Atmospheric radio voice narration - Dark parchment-themed UI inspired by wartime documents

Screenshots

Cipher Challenge4 screens
Cipher Command4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Cipher Challenge at none against Cipher Command's 5. Cipher Command's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 67%) and update cadence (every 2 days vs every 5 weeks). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Cipher Command sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Cipher Challenge asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Cipher Challenge against 5.0 for Cipher Command. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 2 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 67% of Cipher Challenge's written reviews are positive against 100% of Cipher Command's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Cipher Challenge ships an update every 5 weeks, Cipher Command every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and September 27, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Cipher Challenge versus Cipher Command: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCipher ChallengeCipher Command
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (4 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings)
Positive reviews66.7% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings4 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeksEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.016.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size1 MB87 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperBao LeiDaniel McCarthy

Customer experience

Cipher Challenge

All ratings4 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive66.7%
Neutral33.3%
Negative0.0%

Cipher Command

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Cipher Challenge

No in-app purchases

5 purchases

Cipher Command

One-time5
  • Pacific Theatre$2.99
  • D-Day$2.99
  • Eastern Front$2.99
Show 2 more
  • Premium Puzzles$3.99
  • Cold War$3.99

Questions

Is Cipher Challenge free?
Cipher Challenge is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Cipher Command free?
Cipher Command is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Cipher Challenge or Cipher Command?
Cipher Challenge and Cipher Command are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 4 and 2 ratings respectively.
Do Cipher Challenge or Cipher Command have ads?
Neither Cipher Challenge nor Cipher Command shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Cipher Challenge or Cipher Command?
Cipher Challenge ships an update every 5 weeks, and Cipher Command every 2 days. Most recently, Cipher Challenge was updated on September 29, 2026 and Cipher Command on September 27, 2026.

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