Comparison

VariantDoku vs Hexways

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

Head to head
About

VariantDoku

This app offers a vast library of over 1,800 logic puzzles, including various Sudoku variants. It features interactive tutorials for learning new puzzle types and tools to aid in solving without guesswork. Enjoy a calm, ad-free experience with progress tracking and customizable interface options.

Highlights
  • 1,800+ variant and zero-givens puzzles
  • Logic-checked puzzles with unique solutions
  • Daily puzzle with leaderboard
  • Interactive tutorials for all variants
  • Advanced solving tools (notes, colors, symbols)
  • Progress tracking and streaks
  • Dark mode and calm interface
Features
Read full description

No ads. No guessing. Just pure-logic variant sudoku. VariantDoku is built for solvers who want more than one daily grid — a growing library of 3,000+ variant and zero-givens puzzles, every one verified to have a single solution reachable by logic alone. No ads, ever — free or paid. WHY SOLVERS STAY - 3,000+ variant & zero-givens puzzles: killer cages, thermos, kropki dots, XV, arrows, renban, German whispers, palindromes, diagonals, anti-knight, and more - Every puzzle is logic-checked: one unique solution, no guessing required - A new daily puzzle, free for everyone — compare solve times on the daily leaderboard - Home-screen widget keeps today's puzzle one tap away - Audio narration reads the rules and tutorial steps aloud — listen while you study the grid LEARN ANY VARIANT - Step-by-step interactive tutorials for every variant, from your first 4x4 grid to mixed-constraint puzzles - A guided first-launch experience matches puzzles to your level — you're never thrown into the deep end - Already sharp? Skip straight to the expert grids TOOLS THAT RESPECT YOUR SOLVE - Candidate notes, corner marks, colors, and symbols for advanced solving - Error checking and gentle hints — only when you ask - Import puzzle links straight into your Library - Search and filters by difficulty, grid size, and constraint type - Streaks and solve history to track your progress - Dark mode and a calm interface designed for long sessions - Fully optimized for iPad in portrait and landscape, and runs on Mac BUILT TO BE ACCESSIBLE - VoiceOver plays the whole board: move cell by cell and hear the digit, your pencil marks, the clues on that cell and how it connects to its neighbours - Colour-blind support: German Whispers, Renban, Palindrome, Region Sum and Parity lines each have their own dash pattern, so no rule depends on colour alone - Reduce Motion is respected — staged hint reveals and animations settle immediately HINTS THAT COACH, NOT ANSWER - Every hint names the next logical step — Hidden Single, X-Wing, W-Wing, Simple Coloring, Forcing Chain — and highlights the cells it depends on - It reads the pencil marks you already made and builds on them - It never reveals a digit that isn't logically deduced; when the logic only rules candidates out, it shows you that instead of handing you a number THE VARIANTS LIST Classic Sudoku, Killer Sudoku, Kropki, XV, Thermo, German Whispers, Renban, Palindrome, Between Lines, Lockout Lines, Region Sum Lines, Arrow Sudoku, Diagonal (Sudoku X), Anti-Knight, Anti-King — plus multi-constraint puzzles that combine several on one board, and zero-givens puzzles solved entirely from the variant rules. Variant+ removes the hint limit and explains the available logical deductions step by step, and adds unlimited puzzles, unlimited error checking and offline Library play. The app stays 100% ad-free — free or paid. Whether you're learning your first killer cage or chasing your hundredth zero-givens solve, VariantDoku is a calm place to practice and improve. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Hexways

Features
Read full description

How to play Fill the giant 16×16 grid so that every row, column and 4×4 box contains the sixteen hexadecimal symbols — the digits 0 to 9 and the letters A to F — with no repeats. Tap a cell to select it, then tap a symbol to place it. The row and column highlight to help you spot conflicts at a glance. Pinch to zoom in on the big board, and double-tap to jump between the full grid and a close-up. Stuck on a cell? Tap Hint to reveal the correct symbol. Completely free — no ads, no accounts, nothing locked behind a purchase. There's an optional tip jar if you'd like to support development. Killer Sudoku cages Dashed outlines group cells into cages, each with a target sum shown in its corner. The symbols inside a cage never repeat and must add up exactly — extra logic on top of the usual row, column and box rules. Prefer to add up in hex? Switch cage totals between decimal and hexadecimal any time in Settings. Choose your difficulty Five levels from Very Easy through to Extreme — from a gentle introduction to a serious challenge. Track your score Every correct symbol earns points — and solving quickly, keeping a streak going and finishing under the par time all add bonuses on top. Harder puzzles score the most. A wrong guess breaks your streak, so think before you tap. Clean, distraction-free design Choose from a selection of light and dark color themes — no internet required. Prefer a relaxed solve? Zen Mode hides the score and timer and drops all penalties. If classic Sudoku has stopped stretching you, Hexways is the next level — a fresh giant puzzle every time.

Screenshots

VariantDoku4 screens
Hexways3 screens

Verdict

The call

VariantDoku and Hexways are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters — price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

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. VariantDoku sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Hexways sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

VariantDoku ships an update weekly, Hexways every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
VariantDoku versus Hexways: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterVariantDokuHexways
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (7 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews75.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings7 — better—
Update frequencyWeeklyEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemium—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.016.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size17 MB2 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperUladzislau ArtsemyeuGary Watson

In-app purchases

3 purchases

VariantDoku

Subscriptions2
  • Variant+ Monthly7 Days trial$4.991 Month
  • Variant+ Annual7 Days trial$24.991 Year
One-time1
  • Variant+ Lifetime$39.99
1 purchases

Hexways

One-time1
  • Support Developer$0.99

Questions

Is VariantDoku free?
VariantDoku is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Hexways free?
Hexways is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do VariantDoku or Hexways have ads?
Neither VariantDoku nor Hexways shows ads.
Which is updated more often, VariantDoku or Hexways?
VariantDoku ships an update weekly, and Hexways every 5 days. Most recently, VariantDoku was updated on October 24, 2026 and Hexways on October 17, 2026.

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