Comparison

Spellspire vs Sparrows

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Spellspire

Engage in a thrilling blend of word game and action RPG. Spell words to cast powerful spells, defeat monsters, and collect gold to upgrade your gear. Team up with friends and climb to the top of the Spellspire.

Highlights
  • Mashup of word game and action RPG
  • Spell words to cast spells
  • Collect gold for item upgrades
  • Use magical items
  • Team up with friends
  • iCloud save game support
Features
Read full description

Blast fiends by spelling words and make your way to the top of the Spellspire! Spellspire is a thrilling mashup of word game and action role playing game. Pick letters from a grid to spell words and shoot them from your wand as spells. The longer the word, the bigger the blast! Collect gold dropped by slain monsters and buy more potent wands, hats and robes with magical special effects and abilities. Will you reach the top of the Spellspire, and what will you find? Features: - Exciting mashup of word game and action role playing game - Pick letters to spell words - Collect gold and buy better items between levels - Use consumable magical items to push through tough encounters - Team up against the monsters with your Facebook friends! - iCloud support for save games - Supports iPhone 6 / Plus new resolutions!

About

Sparrows

Engage in a word-spelling puzzle game that combines elements of Mahjong and Scrabble. Earn points by forming words from letter tiles, strategically using score multipliers, and advancing through challenging levels. Multiple game modes offer varied gameplay experiences.

Highlights
  • Level progression with star ratings
  • Multiple game modes (Timed, Moves, Puzzle)
  • Score multipliers on letter/word tiles
  • Power-ups for score boosts
  • Daily goals and objectives
Features
Read full description

Sparrows – mahjong tiles meet wordplay! Spell words from letter tiles, earn score multipliers, and conquer challenging puzzles. Advance through levels, earn 1–3 stars, and master increasingly tricky boards. Multiple game modes – Timed, Moves, and Puzzle – keep gameplay fresh and engaging. Key Features: • Level Progression & Star Ratings: Tackle boards and earn 1–3 stars for top performance. • Game Modes: Timed, Moves, and Puzzle for varied challenges. • Score Multipliers: Double and triple letter/word tiles reward strategic play. • Power-Ups: Boost your score and overcome tough boards. • Daily Goals: Complete new objectives each day to stay challenged. • Relaxing, no timer needed – play at your own pace in Puzzle mode. • Plays great on iPhone and iPad. Relax or Compete: Whether you want a calm puzzle session or a fast-paced challenge, Sparrows offers a rewarding word game experience for every player. Download Sparrows Now! Start your wordplay journey, master each board, and enjoy endless mahjong-meets-wordplay fun!

Screenshots

Spellspire4 screens
Sparrows4 screens

Verdict

The call

Spellspire and Sparrows both sit at 4.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 85% of Spellspire's written reviews are positive against 58% of Sparrows's. Spellspire also leads on ratings volume (3.4K vs 778) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.2). On price, rating, update cadence and ads 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Spellspire sells 12 one-off in-app purchases and Sparrows sells 14 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Spellspire against 4.6 for Sparrows. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3.4K and 778 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 85% of Spellspire's written reviews are positive against 58% of Sparrows's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Spellspire ships an update every 6 weeks, Sparrows every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Spellspire versus Sparrows: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSpellspireSparrows
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (3.4K ratings) — better4.6 (778 ratings)
Positive reviews84.8% of reviews — better58.0% of reviews
Number of ratings3.4K — better778
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeksEvery 5 weeks — better
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS9.0 — better15.2
Further details — not scored
Size28 MB506 MB
Age rating9+4+
Developer10tons LtdFluffy Dog Studio

Customer experience

Spellspire

All ratings3,407 ratings
Positive91.0%
Neutral5.6%
Negative3.3%
Written reviews846 reviews
Positive84.8%
Neutral7.0%
Negative8.3%

Sparrows

All ratings777 ratings
Positive89.7%
Neutral5.5%
Negative4.8%
Written reviews69 reviews
Positive58.0%
Neutral17.4%
Negative24.6%

User reviews

Spellspire

From 3.4K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🎮 Fun and addictive gameplay
  • 👍 Engaging RPG elements
  • 🧠 Helps improve spelling and vocabulary
  • 🎨 Cute and polished visuals

Room to improve

  • 🔒 Paywall and limited gameplay without in-app purchases
  • ⏱️ Slow lives regeneration and limited playtime
  • 📺 Intrusive and frequent ads
  • 🐛 Bugs and crashes reported

Sparrows

From 778 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🤩 Loads of fun
  • 🧠 Challenging and engaging
  • 🎨 Lovely design and aesthetics
  • 🕰️ Great for short play sessions
  • 🧠 Stimulates the mind

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent crashes and glitches
  • 🤔 Inconsistent word recognition
  • 🤯 Frustrating when game ends unexpectedly
  • 🤖 Questionable dictionary choices
  • 🤷‍♀️ Confusing UI elements

Bugs and requests

Spellspire

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Levels and progress being reset
  • Ads causing black screens and crashes
  • Quests not triggering properly

Requested features

4 requests
  • More levels and content updates
  • Difficulty options and customization
  • Ability to earn or purchase more lives/playtime
  • Improved dictionary and word recognition

Sparrows

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Game crashes on launch for some users
  • Word search mode has incorrect timer display
  • Inability to exit certain game modes
  • Shuffling feature sometimes malfunctions
  • Newly unlocked words not recognized

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add option to retry/reset word search puzzles
  • Implement a way to contact developers for missing words
  • Introduce a multiplayer mode to compete with friends
  • Provide more customization options for the UI
  • Improve the algorithm for letter distribution

In-app purchases

12 purchases

Spellspire

One-time12
  • Pouch of Gold$0.99
  • Set of Powerful Scroll$0.99
  • Set of Refreshing Potions$0.99
Show 9 more
  • Set of Books$0.99
  • Refill lives$0.99
  • Revive$0.99
  • Instant Purchase Tier 1$0.99
  • Second Reward Chest$1.99
  • Bag of Gold$2.99
  • Gold Multiplier$3.99
  • Chest of 100,000 Gold$4.99
  • Mountain of Gold$19.99
14 purchases

Sparrows

One-time14
  • 2,500 Feathers$0.99
  • 15,000 points$1.99
  • 5,000 points$1.99
Show 11 more
  • Unlock Endless Mode$1.99
  • 5,000 Feathers$1.99
  • Unlock Full Game$2.99
  • No Ads (30 Days)$2.99
  • 10,000 Feathers$3.49
  • Getting Started$3.99
  • 50,000 points$4.99
  • 150,000 points$6.99
  • Now we're talking!$7.99
  • 25,000 Feathers$7.99
  • 100,000 Feathers$23.99

Questions

Is Spellspire free?
Spellspire is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Sparrows free?
Sparrows is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Spellspire or Sparrows?
Spellspire is rated higher. Spellspire averages 4.6 out of 5 from 3.4K ratings, while Sparrows averages 4.6 from 778 ratings.
Do Spellspire or Sparrows have ads?
Both Spellspire and Sparrows show ads.
Which is updated more often, Spellspire or Sparrows?
Spellspire ships an update every 6 weeks, and Sparrows every 5 weeks. Most recently, Spellspire was updated on October 23, 2026 and Sparrows on October 21, 2026.

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