# Crosswords vs Rithmo

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Rithmo at none against Crosswords's 10. Rithmo also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Crosswords sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Rithmo asks for nothing beyond the download.

Crosswords ships an update every 3 days, Rithmo every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Crosswords | Rithmo |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.3 (579 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crosswords/id688876601/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **579** | — |
| Positive reviews | 29.6% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 days** | Every 5 days |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 36 MB | 16 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Stand Alone, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/284036527) | [rithmo.app](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896413482) |

## What reviewers say

### Crosswords

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

Enjoy daily crossword puzzles from various newspapers and sources, with features like hints, clue lookups, and progress tracking. Upgrade for automatic puzzle downloads and access to an extensive library of challenging crosswords.

**Highlights:** Daily new puzzles, Hints and clue lookups, Progress tracking, US and UK Cryptic puzzles, Automatic background downloads, Extensive puzzle sources

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Safari Extension, Family Sharing, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Dell Crosswords | $1.99 | one-time |
| Edited by Ben Tausig, Vol. 1 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Ridonkulous 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


### Rithmo

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rithmo/id6767182850)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Crosswords free?

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

### Is Rithmo free?

Rithmo is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Crosswords or Rithmo have ads?

Neither Crosswords nor Rithmo shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Crosswords or Rithmo?

Crosswords ships an update every 3 days, and Rithmo every 5 days. Most recently, Crosswords was updated on November 1, 2026 and Rithmo on October 28, 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.*