Comparison

Xcell vs Word Roots Puzzle

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side β€” with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Xcell

Features
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Xcell helps you learn Excel by doingβ€”structured lessons, quick quizzes, real practice tasks, and a spreadsheet playground built for repetition and confidence. LEARN WITH STRUCTURE β€’ Step-by-step lessons with clear checklists β€’ Progress tracking so you always know what’s next β€’ Focused explanations for real spreadsheet skills MASTER FUNCTIONS β€’ Searchable function library with categories β€’ Learn syntax, use-cases, and practical examples β€’ Build confidence in essentials like SUM, IF, COUNTIF, SUMIF, INDEX/MATCH, XLOOKUP, TEXTJOIN, and more PRACTICE LIKE THE REAL WORLD β€’ Exercises with datasets and task lists β€’ Validate your results with built-in checks β€’ Level-based practice to keep you progressing PLAYGROUND MODE β€’ Try formulas instantly in a spreadsheet-like grid β€’ Load examples and experiment without risk β€’ Perfect for building muscle memory FOCUSED LEARNING + REMINDERS β€’ Optional Focused Learning mode to reduce distractions β€’ Daily reminders to stay consistent (opt-in) Whether you’re learning Excel for work, school, or personal projects, Xcell turns practice into progressβ€”fast.

About

Word Roots Puzzle

Features
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What if learning vocabulary felt more like solving a puzzle, and less like memorizing a list? Word Roots Puzzle is a no-flashcard vocabulary game where you build words from roots, prefixes, and suffixes. You don't need to know the word before you start. Break it apart. Follow the clues. Have that little "aha!" moment when it clicks. English words often share the same roots, prefixes, and suffixes. Once you notice those patterns, unfamiliar words can feel a lot less unfamiliar. HOW TO PLAY You're given a meaning, and your job is to build the word by putting its parts in the right order. Need a clue? Tap Show Meanings to see what each part means. Get it right and the word opens up, showing how the pieces connect to the whole word. In purchased volumes, get every word right twice to graduate. In the Free Sampler, once is enough. After graduating, you can reset and play again anytime. YOUR CERTIFICATE KEEPS THE WORDS When you graduate from a volume, you get a certificate that keeps every word you built, along with its word parts and meaning. So the words don't disappear when you finish. You can come back and review them anytime. SOMETIMES THE PARTS DON'T TELL THE WHOLE STORY Not every word means exactly what you'd expect if you simply combined its parts. Meanings change over time, and some words move far from where they started. That's why each puzzle includes a short explanation connecting the word parts to the way the word is used today. Etymology isn't a perfect formula, but it can give you an image, structure, or pattern that makes a new word easier to approach. WORD-PART HINTS IN 12 LANGUAGES French, Hungarian, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, Thai, Traditional Chinese, or Vietnamese. Translations stay close to dictionary meanings, with learner-friendly wording where helpful. CHOOSE YOUR TRACK 560 words across 14 volumes, plus a free 20-word sampler. ESL ESSENTIALS β€” 40 words Γ— 3 volumes B1–B2 vocabulary for stronger everyday English. UNIVERSITY PREP β€” 40 words Γ— 3 volumes C1–C2 academic vocabulary, including language used in SAT, TOEFL, IELTS, and higher-level English study. MEDICAL TERMS β€” 40 words Γ— 5 volumes Greek- and Latin-based terms used in anatomy, symptoms, conditions, procedures, and other areas of healthcare. These three tracks mix easier and harder words rather than getting progressively more difficult. TOEIC β€” 40 words Γ— 3 volumes A2–C1 business and workplace vocabulary. This track gets harder from one volume to the next and is designed mainly for learners aiming for scores around 600–900. Some words also appear in other tracks because business, general, and academic English naturally overlap. I ALSO WANTED IT TO BE DEPENDABLE I want the puzzles to be fun, but I also want the information behind them to be solid. Word Roots Puzzle follows American English for spelling, definitions, usage, and word-part analysis, and every word part, meaning, and explanation is cross-checked before it goes in. JUST A DIFFERENT WAY TO STUDY Flashcards work really well for some people. They just don't work for everyone. If memorizing lists leaves you frustrated, this gives you another way in. The idea is to notice recurring patterns, so when you meet an unfamiliar word, you have something to work with. NO SUBSCRIPTION Every pack is a one-time purchase. No recurring fees. No ads. No account or login required. Your progress stays on your device. START FREE Not sure it's for you? Try the free 20-word Sampler and see how the puzzles feel before buying anything. I'D LOVE TO HEAR WHAT YOU THINK Word Roots Puzzle is independently made, so feedback from learners really does help me decide what to improve next. If you enjoy the app, I'd really appreciate a review. Word Roots Puzzle by Verbal Structure

Screenshots

Xcell4 screens
Word Roots Puzzle4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Word Roots Puzzle at Free against Xcell's $0.99. Word Roots Puzzle also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 3 months) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 26.0). Xcell's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

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

CostPrice Β· In-app purchases Β· Ads Β· Monetization

Word Roots Puzzle is free to download; Xcell costs $0.99 up front. Word Roots Puzzle sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Xcell asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Xcell ships an update every 3 months, Word Roots Puzzle every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences Β· 2 level
Xcell versus Word Roots Puzzle: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterXcellWord Roots Puzzle
Price$0.99Free β€” better
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 2 weeks β€” better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo β€” betterYes
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS26.015.0 β€” better
Further details β€” not scored
Size4 MB2 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRick TwillingRyoko Goto

In-app purchases

None

Xcell

No in-app purchases

10 purchases

Word Roots Puzzle

One-time10
  • SAT & GRE Prep β€” Volume III$2.49
  • Medical Terms β€” Volume I$2.49
  • Medical Terms β€” Volume II$2.49
Show 7 more
  • Medical Terms β€” Volume III$2.49
  • Medical Terms β€” Volume IV$2.49
  • Medical Terms β€” Volume V$2.49
  • ESL Essentials β€” Complete Pack$5.89
  • SAT & GRE Prep β€” Complete Pack$5.90
  • Medical Terms β€” Complete Pack$9.99
  • Complete Library β€” Every Volume$18.49

Questions

Is Xcell free?
Xcell costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Word Roots Puzzle free?
Word Roots Puzzle is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Xcell or Word Roots Puzzle have ads?
Neither Xcell nor Word Roots Puzzle shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Xcell or Word Roots Puzzle?
Xcell ships an update every 3 months, and Word Roots Puzzle every 2 weeks. Most recently, Xcell was updated on October 31, 2026 and Word Roots Puzzle on October 25, 2026.

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