# Crossword vs Crossword+

The clearest difference is ads: Crossword+ at none against Crossword's shown. Crossword+ also leads on update cadence (every 10 days vs every 6 weeks) and review sentiment (83% vs 69%). Crossword's advantage is ratings volume (43K vs 11K) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.6). On price, rating, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Crossword sells 11 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 — 4.5 for Crossword against 4.5 for Crossword+. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 43K and 11K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 69% of Crossword's written reviews are positive against 83% of Crossword+'s.

Crossword ships an update every 6 weeks, Crossword+ every 10 days. Both last shipped on September 26, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Crossword | Crossword+ |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (43K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crossword-by-puzzlingcom/id859866568/reviews) | [4.5 (11K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crossword-plus/id1330947092/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **43K** | 11K |
| Positive reviews | 68.8% of reviews | **82.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#105** |
| Size | 484 MB | 49 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [AppyNation Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/488094583) | [PuzzleStar Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/603054453) |

## What reviewers say

### Crossword

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crossword-by-puzzlingcom/id859866568)

Engage your mind with a vast collection of crossword puzzles and word games. Solve thousands of clues, complete daily challenges, and collect trophies across multiple game modes. Enjoy a new puzzle experience every day with this extensive library of brain-teasing fun.

**Highlights:** Thousands of unique clues, Hundreds of original puzzles, Daily themed puzzles, World's Biggest and Tallest crosswords, Multiple game modes (Cryptogram, Codewords, Word Grid), Trophies, quests, and achievements, Timed events

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Coins Starter Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Coin Doubler | $0.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads | $0.99 | one-time |
| Tokens Starter Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Coins Booster Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| Tokens Booster Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| Coins Super Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Tokens Super Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Coins Mega Pack | $9.99 | one-time |
| Tokens Mega Pack | $9.99 | one-time |
| Coins Ultra Pack | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Entertaining and user-friendly
- 🧠 Educational and practical
- 🤔 Challenging but not too difficult
- 🕰️ Good for passing time

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Tokens/coins required to play more puzzles
- 📺 Excessive ads that interrupt gameplay
- 🇬🇧 Some clues use British slang/terms
- 🔁 Repetitive use of same words in puzzles

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes or freezes after updates
- Inconsistent behavior with token/coin rewards
- Clues/answers not matching properly

**Requested features**

- Allow exchanging coins for tokens
- Provide more tokens/coins for completing puzzles
- Add option to view past completed puzzles
- Improve navigation and reduce interruptions


### Crossword+

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

**Currently charting:** #105 Top Grossing · Word, #192 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 Crossword free?

Crossword 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, Crossword or Crossword+?

Crossword and Crossword+ are both rated 4.5 out of 5 on the App Store, from 43K and 11K ratings respectively.

### Do Crossword or Crossword+ have ads?

Crossword shows ads; Crossword+ does not.

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

Crossword ships an update every 6 weeks, and Crossword+ every 10 days. Most recently, Crossword was updated on September 26, 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.*