# XKCD vs the Internet Puzzle Database

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.

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 20, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | XKCD | the Internet Puzzle Database |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.3 (22 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xkcd-what-if-reader/id757847078/reviews)** | [3.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-internet-puzzle-database/id6737433560/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **22** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | **75.5% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 18 MB | 3 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Dimitry Grekov](https://appshunter.io/developer/455609954) | [Henrik Rasmussen](https://appshunter.io/developer/1507166803) |

## What reviewers say

### XKCD

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xkcd-what-if-reader/id757847078)

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.

**Highlights:** Offline reading mode, Push notifications for new posts, iPad version support, In-app purchase to remove ads

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Bronze Level | $0.99 | one-time |
| Silver Level | $4.99 | one-time |
| Gold Level | $9.99 | one-time |
| Platinum Level | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 😂 Humorous and interesting content
- 💡 Informative and educational
- 👍 Clean and simple interface
- 📚 Great collection of articles
- 🚀 Easy to navigate

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App is unreliable
- 🐛 Frequent glitches and bugs
- 🐛 Text won't scroll
- 🐛 Data does not load
- 🐛 Freezes and crashes

**Reported bugs**

- 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

**Requested features**

- 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


### the Internet Puzzle Database

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-internet-puzzle-database/id6737433560)

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.

**Highlights:** Extensive puzzle database, Over 22,000 indexed puzzles, 800+ puzzle brands, User-submitted puzzle catalog, Puzzle research and comparison

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is XKCD free?

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

### Is the Internet Puzzle Database free?

the Internet Puzzle Database is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, XKCD or the Internet Puzzle Database?

XKCD is rated higher. XKCD averages 4.3 out of 5 from 22 ratings, while the Internet Puzzle Database averages 3.5 from 2 ratings.

### Do XKCD or the Internet Puzzle Database have ads?

Neither XKCD nor the Internet Puzzle Database shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, XKCD or the Internet Puzzle Database?

XKCD ships an update monthly, and the Internet Puzzle Database every 2 days. Most recently, XKCD was updated on October 20, 2026 and the Internet Puzzle Database on October 8, 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.*