# PicWords™ vs 3x3 Word Square

The clearest difference is ads: 3x3 Word Square at none against PicWords™'s shown. 3x3 Word Square also leads on iOS requirement (9.0 vs 16.0). PicWords™'s advantage is update cadence (every 5 months vs every 80 months) and rating (4.8 vs 4.5). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PicWords™ sells 8 one-off in-app purchases and 3x3 Word Square sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

PicWords™ holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 124 and 239 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 92% and 91% positive.

PicWords™ ships an update every 5 months, 3x3 Word Square every 80 months. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PicWords™ | 3x3 Word Square |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (124 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/picwords/id684966162/reviews)** | [4.5 (239 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/3x3-word-square/id983034739/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 124 | **239** |
| Positive reviews | **91.7% of reviews** | 91.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 months** | Every 80 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 128 MB | 19 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **9.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Dominik Haslinger](https://appshunter.io/developer/632783396) | [Second Gear Games](https://appshunter.io/developer/371097622) |

## What reviewers say

### PicWords™

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/picwords/id684966162)

This picture-based word game challenges you to find three words associated with a given image. Rearrange scrambled letters to form the correct words and solve over 700 levels. Enjoy an addictive experience with multiple language support.

**Highlights:** Find words related to pictures, Rearrange scrambled letters, Over 700 levels, Multiple language support, Addictive gameplay

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

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| More Coins (S) | $0.99 | one-time |
| Skip Level | $0.99 | one-time |
| More Coins (M) | $1.99 | one-time |
| Premium | $1.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads | $2.99 | one-time |
| More Coins (L) | $4.99 | one-time |
| More Coins (XL) | $9.99 | one-time |
| More coins (XXL) | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🧠 Brain-stimulating and challenging gameplay
- 😊 Highly addictive and engaging
- 🎮 Fun for all ages
- 📚 Helps improve vocabulary and observation skills
- ⚖️ Good difficulty balance - not too easy or hard

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App crashes and won't boot up
- 📢 Excessive and annoying ads
- ❌ Spelling errors in game content
- ⚠️ Ad-related freezing and glitches
- 🚫 Missing language support (e.g., Lithuanian)

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on startup and won't boot
- Freezes when ads are displayed
- Unable to close or interact with ads properly
- Show letter feature places letters in wrong positions
- Game-breaking errors on specific levels

**Requested features**

- More levels - players have completed all existing levels
- Additional language support
- Improved app stability and performance


### 3x3 Word Square

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/3x3-word-square/id983034739)

Guess 20 words per level using photo clues. Tap images to zoom and find words related to the picture, ranging from simple to challenging. This addictive brainteaser offers a new take on word search games.

**Highlights:** Guess words from photo clues, Tap to zoom on images, Multiple language support, Addictive brainteaser, New word search mechanic

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 300 coins | $0.99 | one-time |
| 1500 coins | $2.99 | one-time |
| 3000 coins | $4.99 | one-time |
| 9000 coins | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎉 Fun
- 👍 Interesting
- 🤔 Challenging
- 🧠 Keeps the brain active
- 💡 Helps learn new languages

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤯 Harder than it looks
- 🤔 Requires a lot of concentration

**Reported bugs**

- No issues reported

**Requested features**

- Add a skip option
- More levels/games
- Arabic version


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PicWords™ free?

PicWords™ is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is 3x3 Word Square free?

3x3 Word Square is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, PicWords™ or 3x3 Word Square?

PicWords™ is rated higher. PicWords™ averages 4.8 out of 5 from 124 ratings, while 3x3 Word Square averages 4.5 from 239 ratings.

### Do PicWords™ or 3x3 Word Square have ads?

PicWords™ shows ads; 3x3 Word Square does not.

### Which is updated more often, PicWords™ or 3x3 Word Square?

PicWords™ ships an update every 5 months, and 3x3 Word Square every 80 months. Most recently, PicWords™ was updated on October 23, 2026 and 3x3 Word Square on October 22, 2026.

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