# Crosswords vs Crossword+

Crosswords and Crossword+ both sit at 4.4 stars, but that hides the real split: 83% of Crossword+'s written reviews are positive against 28% of Crosswords's. Crossword+ also leads on ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (11K vs 574). Crosswords's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 17.6). On price, rating, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Crosswords sells 14 one-off in-app purchases and Crossword+ sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.4 for Crosswords against 4.5 for Crossword+. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Crossword+ has 11K ratings behind it against 574, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 28% of Crosswords's written reviews are positive against 83% of Crossword+'s.

Crosswords ships an update every 4 weeks, Crossword+ every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on September 4, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Crosswords | Crossword+ |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (574 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crosswords/id688876601/reviews) | **[4.5 (11K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crossword-plus/id1330947092/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 574 | **11K** |
| Positive reviews | 27.7% of reviews | **82.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 4 weeks | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#96** |
| Size | 16 MB | 49 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 17.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Stand Alone, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/284036527) | [PuzzleStar Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/603054453) |

## What reviewers say

### Crosswords

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crosswords/id688876601)

Engage with daily crossword puzzles from various newspapers, offering hints, clue lookups, and progress tracking. Upgrade for automatic puzzle delivery, access to extensive archives, and a wider selection of premium puzzle sources.

**Highlights:** Daily newspaper crossword puzzles, Hints and clue lookups, Progress tracking, US and UK cryptic puzzles, Automatic puzzle downloads, Access to extensive puzzle archives, Comparison with other solvers

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (14)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Lionel's crosswords, Vol. 1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Ink Well Xwords, Vol. 1 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Dell Crosswords | $1.99 | one-time |
| Edited by Ben Tausig, Vol. 1 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Ridonkulous Crosswords | $1.99 | one-time |
| Liz Gorski's Crossword Nation: Vol. 1, No. 1-20 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Dell Medium Crosswords | $1.99 | one-time |
| Brendan Emmett Quigley's Faves #1 | $2.99 | one-time |
| Jonesin' Crosswords | $2.99 | one-time |
| Edited By Tausig 2 | $2.99 | one-time |
| Brendan Emmett Quigley Freestyle | $2.99 | one-time |
| Crosswords Pro (Upgrade) | $3.99 | one-time |
| Crossword Nation's Centennial Edition | $7.99 | one-time |
| Crosswords Pro | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Diverse and challenging puzzles
- 👍 Clean and user-friendly interface
- 💡 Ability to check/reveal answers
- 👍 Responsive developers

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Stability issues and crashes
- 🐛 Bugs with navigation and menu
- 🐛 Inconsistent puzzle download functionality
- 🔒 Lack of accessibility for visually impaired users
- 💰 Expensive in-app purchases

**Reported bugs**

- Puzzle grid freezing or displaying blank
- Inconsistent behavior when switching between apps
- Inability to access or download certain puzzle sources

**Requested features**

- Dark mode option
- Ability to delete puzzles
- Comprehensive error checking and feedback
- Customizable keyboard and gestures


### Crossword+

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crossword-plus/id1330947092)

**Currently charting:** #96 Top Grossing · Word, #196 Top Free · Word (US App Store)

Start your day with two new themed crossword puzzles daily, ranging from classic literature to movie magic. Enjoy a satisfying yet gentle challenge, with helpful hints and auto-check features. Solve puzzles offline and adjust text size for a comfortable, ad-free experience.

**Highlights:** Two new themed puzzles daily, Over 3,000 puzzles in archive, Helpful hints and AutoCheck, Offline play supported, Ad-free experience, Adjustable text size

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

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Monthly | $7.49 | per month |
| Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Yearly | $37.99 | per year |
| Yearly | $37.99 | per year |
| Yearly | $39.99 | per year |
| Yearly | $39.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🧠 Brain-stimulating puzzles
- 🎯 Variety of themes and difficulty levels
- ✨ Enjoyable and challenging experience
- 🧠 Helps keep the mind active
- 🕰️ Daily puzzles provide a routine activity

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Subscription model can be expensive
- 🐛 Occasional errors in puzzle clues or answers
- 🤔 Some puzzles may be too difficult for casual users
- 🕰️ Limited number of free puzzles per month

**Reported bugs**

- Freezing or crashing issues for some users
- Subscription not always working as expected

**Requested features**

- Search function to find puzzles by topic
- More difficulty levels to cater to all skill levels
- Ability to track progress and stats over time


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Crosswords free?

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

### Is Crossword+ free?

Crossword+ is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Crosswords or Crossword+?

Crossword+ is rated higher. Crosswords averages 4.4 out of 5 from 574 ratings, while Crossword+ averages 4.5 from 11K ratings.

### Do Crosswords or Crossword+ have ads?

Crosswords shows ads; Crossword+ does not.

### Which is updated more often, Crosswords or Crossword+?

Crosswords ships an update every 4 weeks, and Crossword+ every 10 days. Most recently, Crosswords was updated on September 4, 2026 and Crossword+ on September 26, 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.*