# Qwirkle vs Cartographers

The clearest difference is rating: Qwirkle at 4.5 against Cartographers's 3.4. Qwirkle also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ratings volume (1.9K vs 121). On review sentiment, update cadence, ads and chart position there is nothing between them.

Qwirkle costs $2.99 and Cartographers $3.99 up front. Cartographers sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Qwirkle asks for nothing beyond the download.

Qwirkle holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Qwirkle has 1.9K ratings behind it against 121, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 36% and 36% positive.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Qwirkle | Cartographers |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$2.99** | $3.99 |
| Rating | **[4.5 (1.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/qwirkle/id684932119/reviews)** | [3.4 (121 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cartographers/id1515991485/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.9K** | 121 |
| Positive reviews | 35.9% of reviews | **36.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | **#31** | #40 |
| Size | 179 MB | 47 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [MindWare](https://appshunter.io/developer/786499030) | [Brettspielwelt GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1063292497) |

## What reviewers say

### Qwirkle

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/qwirkle/id684932119)

**Currently charting:** #31 Top Paid · Board (US App Store)

Experience the award-winning board game Qwirkle on your mobile device. Strategize by matching tiles based on color and shape to score points. Enjoy solo play, online multiplayer, and pass-and-play modes with customizable options and engaging animations.

**Highlights:** Solo, Online, and Pass and Play modes, Up to 4 players, 4 difficulty levels, Achievements and Leaderboards, Customizable backgrounds and tile colors, Tutorial and Help sections

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fun game
- 👍 Great translation to digital
- 👍 Entertaining
- 👍 Good for the mind
- 👍 Addictive

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Glitchy app
- 🐛 Clunky interface
- 🐛 Freezing issues
- 🐛 Buggy online play
- 🐛 Unreliable notifications

**Reported bugs**

- Games disappearing or not loading properly
- Inability to start new games with friends
- Tiles/bag not functioning correctly
- Moves not registering properly
- Crashes and freezes

**Requested features**

- Add chat/messaging feature
- Improve online game invitations and management
- Add notifications for turns
- Improve scoring display and accuracy
- Add more customization options


### Cartographers

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cartographers/id1515991485)

**Currently charting:** #40 Top Paid · Card, #64 Top Paid · Board (US App Store)

Become a royal cartographer tasked with mapping newly reclaimed lands for the Kingdom of Nalos. Fulfill royal edicts, strategically draw your territory, and outmaneuver rival outposts to gain the most reputation. Experience this tactical flip & write game digitally with multiple modes and global leaderboards.

**Highlights:** Map reclaimed northern lands, Fulfill royal edicts, Outmaneuver rival outposts, Tactical flip & write gameplay, Multiple game modes, Global weekly highscorelists, Collect achievements

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Cartographers Heroes | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Faithful adaptation of the board game
- 🚀 Great solo experience
- 💡 Helpful visual cues for gameplay

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and unstable app
- 🔒 Login and account issues
- 🔋 Performance and battery drain problems
- 👎 Lacking key features like multiplayer

**Reported bugs**

- Game freezes and crashes
- Incorrect tile placement and scoring
- Inconsistent save/resume functionality
- Registration and login problems

**Requested features**

- Add online/local multiplayer modes
- Implement undo/rollback functionality
- Improve tutorial and in-game help
- Add support for expansions and new maps


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Qwirkle free?

Qwirkle costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Cartographers free?

Cartographers costs $3.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Qwirkle or Cartographers?

Qwirkle is rated higher. Qwirkle averages 4.5 out of 5 from 1.9K ratings, while Cartographers averages 3.4 from 121 ratings.

### Do Qwirkle or Cartographers have ads?

Neither Qwirkle nor Cartographers shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Qwirkle or Cartographers?

Qwirkle ships an update every 3 months, and Cartographers every 3 months. Most recently, Qwirkle was updated on November 1, 2026 and Cartographers on November 3, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Qwirkle or Cartographers?

Qwirkle currently peaks at #31 in the App Store charts, and Cartographers at #40. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*