# Solitaire Nova vs Decoding Word Puzzle

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Decoding Word Puzzle at none against Solitaire Nova's 1. Decoding Word Puzzle also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (daily vs fortnightly). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Solitaire Nova sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Decoding Word Puzzle asks for nothing beyond the download.

Decoding Word Puzzle holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 7.3K and 11K respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 26% and 27% positive.

Solitaire Nova ships an update fortnightly, Decoding Word Puzzle daily. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Solitaire Nova | Decoding Word Puzzle |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (7.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/solitaire-nova/id6745080685/reviews) | **[4.9 (11K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/decoding-word-puzzle/id6747968388/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 7.3K | **11K** |
| Positive reviews | 26.3% of reviews | **26.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Daily** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 319 MB | 255 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Nova Studio](https://appshunter.io/developer/1810635543) | [Peace Word Studio](https://appshunter.io/developer/1787839993) |

## What reviewers say

### Solitaire Nova

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/solitaire-nova/id6745080685)

Experience a fresh take on the classic card game with strategic twists and unique game modes. Complete daily quests to earn rewards and unlock exclusive trophies. Enjoy an elegant visual design for an immersive and distraction-free experience.

**Highlights:** Strategic gameplay with creative twists, Unique game modes and unconventional rules, Daily quests and in-game currency rewards, Unlock exclusive and limited-edition trophies, Elegant visual design with smooth animations, Build ascending Foundation piles, Arrange descending sequences on the tableau

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Ads Free Bundle | $12.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Exciting and original version of solitaire
- 👍 Fun game

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Game not loading, lags terribly
- 🔋 Phone gets hot and slows down
- 🔋 Battery draining too fast
- 🔍 Same as every other solitaire game

**Reported bugs**

- Keyboard popping up unexpectedly
- Typos and issues in settings

**Requested features**

- Different layouts
- Reduce the number of ads


### Decoding Word Puzzle

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/decoding-word-puzzle/id6747968388)

Engage your mind with a word puzzle game featuring quotes from famous figures, literature, and movies. Solve creatively designed levels with hints and letter matching, enhanced by beautiful hand-drawn art and an unfolding narrative.

**Highlights:** Quote-based puzzles, Word creation and letter matching, Contextual hints, Hand-drawn artwork, Narrative mode, Daily challenges

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🤩 Relaxing and mentally challenging
- 👍 Fun and enjoyable game

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔥 Overloaded with ads
- 🐛 Buggy and unresponsive touch interface
- 🔋 Poor performance and battery drain

**Reported bugs**

- Forced to restart from beginning after update
- Frequent crashes and freezes

**Requested features**

- More puzzle content
- Option to disable ads


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Solitaire Nova free?

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

### Is Decoding Word Puzzle free?

Decoding Word Puzzle is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Solitaire Nova or Decoding Word Puzzle?

Decoding Word Puzzle is rated higher. Solitaire Nova averages 4.7 out of 5 from 7.3K ratings, while Decoding Word Puzzle averages 4.9 from 11K ratings.

### Do Solitaire Nova or Decoding Word Puzzle have ads?

Solitaire Nova shows ads; Decoding Word Puzzle does not.

### Which is updated more often, Solitaire Nova or Decoding Word Puzzle?

Solitaire Nova ships an update fortnightly, and Decoding Word Puzzle daily. Most recently, Solitaire Nova was updated on September 24, 2026 and Decoding Word Puzzle on September 24, 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.*