XKCD vs the Internet Puzzle Database
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
XKCD
Access and read a popular Q&A blog offline. Get notified of new posts and enjoy articles on a larger screen. Remove ads with an in-app purchase.
- Offline reading mode
- Push notifications for new posts
- iPad version support
- In-app purchase to remove ads
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This app is for offline reading of the wonderful Q&A blog by Randall Munroe. Features include: * Offline Reading Mode * Push notifications for new posts * iPad Version, enjoy the articles on the big screen * In-App purchase, no more ads if you don't want them
the Internet Puzzle Database
Explore a vast collection of jigsaw puzzles with this comprehensive reference platform. Discover over 22,000 indexed puzzles from hundreds of brands, contributed by a global community of enthusiasts. It serves as a rich resource for researching and comparing puzzle types and designs.
- Extensive puzzle database
- Over 22,000 indexed puzzles
- 800+ puzzle brands
- User-submitted puzzle catalog
- Puzzle research and comparison
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The Internet Puzzle Database (IPDb) is a comprehensive puzzle reference platform where users can discover and explore a vast collection of jigsaw puzzles. The database boasts over 40,000 fully indexed puzzles from more than 1500 brands, contributed by more than 1500 puzzle enthusiasts from 109 countries in its first 3 years. IPDb offers an organized, user-driven approach to cataloging puzzles, allowing users to submit their own puzzles to the growing collection. The platform does not offer puzzle-solving functionality but serves as a rich resource for puzzle lovers to research, compare, and find information on various puzzle types, brands, and designs.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: XKCD at 4.3 against the Internet Puzzle Database's 3.5. XKCD also leads on review sentiment (76% vs 50%) and ratings volume (22 vs 2). the Internet Puzzle Database's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and update cadence (every 2 days vs monthly). On price, ads and device support 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
Both are free to download. XKCD sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. the Internet Puzzle Database asks for nothing beyond the download.
XKCD holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: XKCD has 22 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 76% of XKCD's written reviews are positive against 50% of the Internet Puzzle Database's.
XKCD ships an update monthly, the Internet Puzzle Database every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | XKCD | the Internet Puzzle Database |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.3 (22 ratings) — better | 3.5 (2 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 75.5% of reviews — better | 50.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 22 — better | 2 |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Every 2 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 8.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 18 MB | 3 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Dimitry Grekov | Henrik Rasmussen |
Customer experience
XKCD
the Internet Puzzle Database
Bugs and requests
XKCD
Reported bugs
24 issues- Data does not load
- Text won't scroll
- Too many glitches
- Footnotes with non-ASCII text, footnotes with footnotes, and footnotes with math formatting are broken
- Links inside footnotes don't work right
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- Image alt-text is often truncated
- Footnotes are out of order
- Links are broken
- Missing half a paragraph and an image in at least one article
- App is consistently unusable with iOS 9
- Scrolling is broken, unresponsive at times
- App freezes
- Buttons are disabled during loading
- App doesn't update
- Lack of numbering makes finding place difficult
- Numbers like '3 x 10^12' show up as 'I'
- Reference text bleeds into normal text
- Chronological order of articles not apparent
- Images in articles do not show up
- Formulas do not display
- Formulas are not fixed on older devices
- Text is unnecessarily spaced apart
- New What If? articles are un-openable
- App asks to be reviewed too often
Requested features
13 requests- Update app more frequently
- Add 'weird and worrying questions from the what if inbox'
- Add date of publication to articles
- Improve formatting on tablets
- Fix issues with footnotes
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- Fix issues with math formatting
- Fix image alt-text truncation
- Fix missing paragraphs and images in articles
- Add a refresh option for content
- Improve chronological order of articles
- Add clear column separators
- Add visual hints about article ordering
- Remove ads or offer a paid ad-free version
the Internet Puzzle Database
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
XKCD
- Bronze Level$0.99
- Silver Level$4.99
- Gold Level$9.99
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- Platinum Level$19.99
the Internet Puzzle Database
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is XKCD free?
Is the Internet Puzzle Database free?
Which has better reviews, XKCD or the Internet Puzzle Database?
Do XKCD or the Internet Puzzle Database have ads?
Which is updated more often, XKCD or the Internet Puzzle Database?
Other comparisons
