Comparison

Griddrift vs Picross

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

Head to head
About

Griddrift

Solve color nonogram puzzles to reveal hidden answers and cryptic clues. Use number hints to fill cells logically, with no guessing required. Enjoy a clean design and regularly added puzzle sets.

Highlights
  • Color nonograms with cryptic clues
  • Perfect solve tracking
  • Puzzles rated by size and difficulty
  • Clean, distraction-free design
  • Regularly added puzzle sets
Features
Read full description

Griddrift is a color nonogram (picross) puzzle game where every grid hides a picture. Fill in colored cells using the number clues along each row and column. When the last cell clicks into place, the picture appears and its cryptic clue reveals itself — and suddenly "Best in Sand" makes perfect sense. A fresh daily puzzle every day, with a streak to keep, plus more than 200 hand-made puzzles in themed collections. First Steps and Surf's Up are free to play. Each puzzle has its own personality. The clues are smug. The grid is patient. You might be faster than you think. How to play Tap a cell to fill it. Tap again to mark it empty. The numbers tell you how many consecutive cells are filled in each row and column. Logic does the rest — no guessing required. Features • Color nonograms (picross, griddlers) with cryptic reveal clues • A new daily puzzle, plus a daily archive • Hints, undo and a relaxed no-lives mode • Perfect solve tracking — finish without mistakes for a flawless run • Puzzles rated by size and difficulty • Progress syncs through iCloud • Play in English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Japanese or Dutch • No ads, and a one-time purchase to unlock everything — no subscription • New puzzle sets regularly added Supporting good things A portion of every purchase is donated to a surf therapy charity supporting children's mental health.

About

Picross

Solve logic-based picture puzzles by filling in grid cells according to number clues. Reveal colorful pixel art images, from animals to landscapes, with over 350 puzzles available. Enjoy a relaxing, ad-free experience with no timers or subscriptions.

Highlights
  • Over 350 logic-based picture puzzles
  • Color nonogram puzzles with multiple colors
  • Daily puzzles and weekly goals
  • 'Name It' guessing game
  • Living pixel scenes in 'Worlds to Fill'
  • Relaxed and Challenge game modes
  • Ad-free and no subscription
Features
Read full description

Fill the grid, reveal the picture. Picross is a calm nonogram game with more than 350 puzzles, color picture packs, worlds to fill and a daily puzzle. No ads, ever. Each number tells you how many cells in a row or column are filled. Work out which ones, cross out the rest, and a pixel picture appears: a fox, a lighthouse, a Viking ship. Every puzzle can be solved by logic alone, so you never have to guess. 350+ PUZZLES • Free to play: First steps (5×5), Ten by ten (10×10), Halloween, the daily puzzle, a big weekend puzzle and the first 2 puzzles of every pack • Everything else in one unlock: Garden, Kitchen, Travel, Sports, Big pictures, Animals, Ocean, Space, Fantasy, Haunted, Grand (20×20), Panorama (25×25) and Epic (30×30) • Puzzles get bigger and deeper as you go, from quick warm-ups to hour-long showpieces NAME IT • Think you know what the picture is? Guess before you finish • Name it at half done or earlier for a gold early find • See how early everyone else named today's daily on the Game Center leaderboard WORLDS TO FILL • Ocean, Garden, Space and Haunted are living pixel scenes • Every picture you solve takes its place in its world, and early finds shine gold • Share your world as an image COLOR NONOGRAMS • Most packs use 2 to 4 colors, with colored clues • Runs of different colors can touch, which makes for richer pictures and new logic • Every solved puzzle turns into its full-color picture A DAILY HABIT • A new daily puzzle for everyone, always in Challenge mode • Your daily album turns each month into a scene; fill every day for a gold month • A weekly goal, streak freezes, and board themes you earn with your streak • An optional reminder, at most once a day • Catch up on missed days with Past dailies (in the unlock) PLAY YOUR WAY • Relaxed mode: nothing is checked, no pressure • Challenge mode: every fill is checked (your X marks never are) and you get 3 hearts; finish without losing one for a star • Hints that point out a mistake or fill in the next cell you can work out • Drag to fill whole lines, undo and redo, pinch to zoom on big boards FAIR BY DESIGN • No ads. No subscription. No timers or energy. • Hearts are never sold. Run out and you simply try again. • One purchase unlocks everything, and you can restore it on any of your devices. • No account, no tracking. Your progress stays on your device. Made by one developer who wanted a nonogram game without ads.

Screenshots

Griddrift4 screens
Picross4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Picross at 5.0 against Griddrift's 4.0. Picross also leads on ratings volume (3 vs 1). Griddrift's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs weekly). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. Griddrift sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Picross sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Picross holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 3 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Griddrift ships an update every 3 days, Picross weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 13, 2026 and November 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Griddrift versus Picross: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGriddriftPicross
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.0 (1 ratings)5.0 (3 ratings) — better
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings13 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 days — betterWeekly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.617.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size3 MB7 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDAVID STUBBSMohamed Ali

Customer experience

Griddrift

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Picross

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Griddrift

One-time1
  • Griddrift Full Access$2.99
1 purchases

Picross

One-time1
  • Full Game$3.99

Questions

Is Griddrift free?
Griddrift is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Picross free?
Picross is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Griddrift or Picross?
Picross is rated higher. Griddrift averages 4.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Picross averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.
Do Griddrift or Picross have ads?
Neither Griddrift nor Picross shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Griddrift or Picross?
Griddrift ships an update every 3 days, and Picross weekly. Most recently, Griddrift was updated on November 13, 2026 and Picross on November 10, 2026.

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