Comparison

Tessera vs Knotwork Puzzle

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

Head to head
About

Tessera

Engage with unique puzzles where the pieces are animated and constantly moving. Solve daily and weekly challenges with adjustable difficulty and helpful aids. Track your progress and enjoy a private, offline gaming experience.

Highlights
  • Animated puzzle pieces
  • Daily and weekly puzzles
  • Adjustable puzzle sizes (2x2 to 5x5)
  • Offline play
  • Progress tracking
  • Optional gameplay aids
  • No-stress mode
Features
Read full description

Tessera is a puzzle where the pieces are alive. Each puzzle is a small looping animation, cut into square tiles that keep moving while you reassemble them. Two puzzles wait for you every day. Today’s puzzle follows the week: seven scenes, one for each day, ready to play offline. This Week’s puzzle is a brand-new scene, released every Sunday. Swipe between them on the menu. Every puzzle comes in three sizes: 2×2, 3×3 and 4×4. Some are gentle. Some take real attention. Some weeks also bring a bonus 5×5: twenty-five pieces, untimed, to enjoy at your own pace. Connected pieces stay grouped, so a bonded chain travels as one. Hold the eye button to peek at the assembled picture, three times per puzzle. Two optional helpers, set before each game: a grid that shows where pieces meet, and outlines around the piece in your hand. Choose whichever suits you. Prefer a slower pace? Switch on no-stress mode in Settings. The clock disappears, peeks become unlimited, and placement is more forgiving. Your progress board fills in as you play: a dot for each day of the week, a row of Sundays for each month, and a star for every 5×5 you meet. Turn on the Sunday badge, and the app icon lets you know when a new scene arrives. Made for iPhone, iPad and iPhone Duo, in every pose. In English and French. Play straight away, privately: your progress stays on your device. Tessera is made by one person, and a tip jar is there if you’d like to support new puzzles.

About

Knotwork Puzzle

Features
Read full description

Knotwork is a calm puzzle built on one simple idea: rotate the tiles until every line joins into a single, unbroken knot with no loose ends. There is no timer, no score chasing and no way to lose. You turn each piece, watch the golden strands find each other, and feel the whole pattern settle into place. When the last end closes, the knot lights up in a soft turquoise glow. The art is inspired by Anatolian and Celtic knotwork and the gold detailing of classical tezhib. Every board is a small woven ornament on deep petrol blue. FEATURES • Hundreds of levels that grow from gentle to genuinely tricky • Fully wordless, so it plays the same in any language • Relaxing pace with optional sound, music and Zen mode • Colored strands that weave over and under at higher levels • One hand play, perfect for a quiet minute anywhere • Plays offline, with no account and no sign up • Optional one time purchase to remove ads Sit back, breathe, and weave the endless knot.

Screenshots

Tessera3 screens
Knotwork Puzzle2 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Tessera at none against Knotwork Puzzle's shown. Knotwork Puzzle's advantage is update cadence (daily vs fortnightly) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). On price, in-app purchases and device support 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Tessera sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and Knotwork Puzzle sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Tessera ships an update fortnightly, Knotwork Puzzle daily. Both last shipped on October 25, 2026.

Scorecard3 real differences · 6 level
Tessera versus Knotwork Puzzle: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTesseraKnotwork Puzzle
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyFortnightlyDaily — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS18.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size14 MB26 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMaeva LieblingEmre Buyukegribey

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Tessera

One-time3
  • Small tip$1.99
  • Nice tip$5.99
  • Generous tip$9.99
1 purchases

Knotwork Puzzle

One-time1
  • Remove Ads$1.99

Questions

Is Tessera free?
Tessera is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Knotwork Puzzle free?
Knotwork Puzzle is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Tessera or Knotwork Puzzle have ads?
Knotwork Puzzle shows ads; Tessera does not.
Which is updated more often, Tessera or Knotwork Puzzle?
Tessera ships an update fortnightly, and Knotwork Puzzle daily. Most recently, Tessera was updated on October 25, 2026 and Knotwork Puzzle on October 25, 2026.

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