# 言の葉 vs Kotobadle

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: 言の葉 at none against Kotobadle's 2. Kotobadle's advantage is update cadence (daily vs every 3 weeks) and iOS requirement (16.6 vs 26.2). On price, review sentiment, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Kotobadle sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. 言の葉 asks for nothing beyond the download.

言の葉 ships an update every 3 weeks, Kotobadle daily. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | 言の葉 | Kotobadle |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Daily** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 7 MB | 5 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.2 | **16.6** |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [TAKUMI TAMAKI](https://appshunter.io/developer/1827256931) | [Tanveer Dhaliwal](https://appshunter.io/developer/1885877614) |

## What reviewers say

### 言の葉

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/id6759223473)

Connect hiragana characters to form words in this simple vocabulary puzzle game. Test your word-finding skills and creativity to achieve high scores. Discover new words and build your collection in this engaging brain-training experience.

**Highlights:** Connect hiragana to form words, Test vocabulary and creativity, Achieve high scores with combos, Collect discovered words in a glossary, Play in short bursts

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Kotobadle

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kotobadle/id6763937323)

Engage your vocabulary and deduction skills with this Japanese word puzzle game. Discover the correct five-letter word using color-coded hints. Features multiple modes for casual play or intense challenges.

**Highlights:** Five-letter Japanese word guessing, Color-coded hint system, Daily global challenge, Classic endless mode, Time Attack mode, Blind Mode for memory challenge, Survival Mode with limited lives

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Kotobadle Pro | $2.99 | per month |
| Kotobadle Pro Yearly | $19.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is 言の葉 free?

言の葉 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Kotobadle free?

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

### Do 言の葉 or Kotobadle have ads?

Neither 言の葉 nor Kotobadle shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, 言の葉 or Kotobadle?

言の葉 ships an update every 3 weeks, and Kotobadle daily. Most recently, 言の葉 was updated on November 5, 2026 and Kotobadle on October 31, 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.*