Sudoku vs Monarch Grid
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Sudoku
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The only Sudoku app with 27 variants in one place — Classic, Killer, Sandwich, Jigsaw, Kropki, Thermo, Arrow, Fog of War, Skyscraper, Anti-Knight, Windoku, Odd/Even, Little Killer, Diagonal, and more — now with Chord Mode: every digit plays a piano note, and your solve ends with a cadence you can share. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned player, enjoy a clean, ad-light experience with smart hints and a full built-in technique library to sharpen your skills. ◆ CHORD MODE — HEAR YOUR SOLVE ◆ Every correct digit plays a pitched piano note. Wrong digits sound off-pitch — a subtle audio cue that feels natural, not punishing. Complete a 3×3 box and hear a triad. Solve the grid and finish with a full I–IV–V–I cadence. - Choose a key: C major, A minor, or C pentatonic - Headphones-only option keeps notes private in public - Mixes with background music and podcasts - Share your solve as a short video with the cadence baked in Works in every variant, including Mega 16×16. ◆ 27 SUDOKU VARIANTS — ALL IN ONE APP Free: - Classic 9×9 Sudoku (Easy, Medium, Hard) - Little Killer 4×4 Sudoku - Mini 6×6: Classic, Sandwich, Jigsaw, Kropki, Thermo, Arrow, Fog of War, Anti-Knight, Windoku, Odd/Even, Skyscraper Premium: - Killer Sudoku with cage sums - 9×9: Diagonal, Sandwich, Jigsaw, Kropki, Thermo, Arrow, Fog of War, Anti-Knight, Windoku, Odd/Even, Skyscraper, Column Indexer - Mega 16×16 puzzles ◆ HINTS THAT TEACH, NOT JUST TELL Unlike other apps, our Smart Hints explain the logic behind each step: "Row 3 already has 1, 4, 5 — and the cage sum requires 9, so this cell must be 9." Perfect for learning Sudoku strategies as you play. ◆ 33 SOLVING TECHNIQUES — LEARN AND PRACTICE From Naked Singles to 3D Medusa and Forcing Chains, the built-in Techniques section covers 33 strategies with clear explanations, visual boards, and practice puzzles. Each technique includes a dedicated "How to Find" guide and SE difficulty rating so you always know where to start. ◆ POWERFUL BOARD TOOLS - Auto Candidates: fill in all pencil marks instantly with one tap - Color cages & regions: tint Killer cages and Jigsaw regions for easier reading - Draw Mode: annotate your board with boxes, circles, and chain marks to map out your logic - Long-press any candidate for quick inline editing - Undo, notes, and auto-save ◆ DAILY CHALLENGES New puzzle every day at midnight, rotating through different variants each week. Build your winning streak and track progress on the calendar. ◆ BEAUTIFUL THEMES 5 app color themes: Classic, Cozy, Ocean, Sunset, Forest 4 symbol styles: Classic, Fruity, Ocean, Geometry Light and Dark mode support ◆ TRACK YOUR PROGRESS Detailed statistics by difficulty Best times and win rates Achievements to unlock Game Center leaderboards ◆ SEAMLESS EXPERIENCE iCloud sync across all devices In-app language switching (no restart required) Print puzzles directly from the home screen (Pro) Compact and efficient — respects your storage Available in English, German, French, Spanish, Japanese, Simplified & Traditional Chinese, Portuguese, Italian, Korean, Arabic, and Russian. Subscription info: Payment will be charged to your Apple ID account at confirmation of purchase. Subscriptions automatically renew unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. You can manage and cancel subscriptions in your App Store account settings. Terms of Use (EULA): https://sudokubrain.app/terms-of-service.html Privacy Policy: https://sudokubrain.app/privacy-policy.html
Monarch Grid
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MONARCH GRID — a logic puzzle where you place crowns across the colored regions of the realm. Elegant, minimal, and just the right amount of tricky. ONE WORLD, ONE PUZZLE Every day, a single challenge — the same one for every player on Earth. Solve it, beat your best time, build your streak. INFINITE MODE Four difficulty tiers — Easy, Medium, Hard, Expert — calibrated by deductive complexity, not just board size. Play as many puzzles as you want, whenever you want. HOW TO PLAY Place one crown in each row, each column, and each colored region. Two crowns can never touch — not even diagonally. Simple rules, deep logic. THINK CLEARLY · Auto-mark forbidden cells when you place a crown · Highlight errors in red so you can spot mistakes quickly · Smart hints with the human technique behind the deduction · Undo, reset, give-up with full solution reveal · Resume any puzzle exactly where you left it TRACK YOUR JOURNEY · Personal stats by difficulty with trend sparklines · Best-time ribbon when you set a new record · Daily streak with milestone celebrations (3, 7, 14, 30, 50, 100, 200, 365 days) · Achievements for night owls, flawless solves, hint-free runs and more MADE TO FIT · Light, dark, and system theme — switches automatically with your device · Colorblind mode with distinct patterns per region · 17 languages at launch · Haptic feedback and ambient sound effects, both optional · iPad and tablet ready NO STRINGS · No account, no sign-in, no cloud · No tracking beyond opt-in anonymous crash reports · The daily puzzle never shows ads · One-time "Remove Ads" purchase clears the rest forever Designed and developed independently for people who enjoy a moment of clean, focused thought. Privacy policy: https://albertomartinezmartin.com/monarchgrid/privacy/ Contact: monarchgrid@albertomartinezmartin.com
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Monarch Grid at 14.0 against Sudoku's 17.6. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. Sudoku sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Monarch Grid sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Sudoku ships an update weekly, Monarch Grid every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Sudoku | Monarch Grid |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Every 5 days — better |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | 14.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 39 MB | 71 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Dongyang Gao | Tamara Hernando Martin |
In-app purchases
Sudoku
- Monthly Premium$1.991 Month
- Lifetime Premium$14.99
Monarch Grid
- Eliminar anuncios$3.99









