# 2048 vs SpellingGnat

The clearest difference is rating: 2048 at 4.7 against SpellingGnat's 3.5. 2048 also leads on ratings volume (1.3K vs 2) and update cadence (every 5 months vs every 22 months). SpellingGnat's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (100% vs 73%). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. 2048 sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and SpellingGnat sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

2048 holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: 2048 has 1.3K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 73% of 2048's written reviews are positive against 100% of SpellingGnat's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

2048 ships an update every 5 months, SpellingGnat every 22 months. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | 2048 | SpellingGnat |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (1.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/2048/id864653361/reviews)** | [3.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spellinggnat/id1611197521/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.3K** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 72.8% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 months** | Every 22 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#180** | — |
| Size | 49 MB | 41 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **13.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPod, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Chaohsien Lee](https://appshunter.io/developer/438073768) | [S2 Design UG haftungsbeschraenkt](https://appshunter.io/developer/1377341957) |

## What reviewers say

### 2048

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/2048/id864653361)

**Currently charting:** #180 Top Free · Word (US App Store)

A tile-merging puzzle game where players swipe to combine tiles of the same number, aiming to reach the 2048 tile and achieve high scores. It offers various modes including classic, challenge, obstacle, and multiplayer.

**Highlights:** Swipe to merge tiles, Multiplayer mode via Game Center, Multiple difficulty levels, Challenge and obstacle modes, High score and shortest move tracking, Auto-save functionality, Achievements

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| DisableAds | $0.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Fun and relaxing game
- 🧠 Challenging brain exercise
- 🕰️ Great time killer
- 🎮 Addictive gameplay
- 💻 Works well on Apple Watch

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes or freezes
- 🔍 Lack of leaderboard or score tracking
- 🔧 Limited game modes or customization
- 📺 Intrusive ads
- 🔁 Inability to continue previous game

**Reported bugs**

- Leaderboard not working properly
- Game resets progress after closing
- Apple Watch version has performance issues
- No-Ads purchase doesn't work as expected

**Requested features**

- Add a back/undo button
- Implement global leaderboards
- Introduce new game modes
- Improve Apple Watch integration
- Add more visual themes and customization


### SpellingGnat

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spellinggnat/id1611197521)

This word puzzle game challenges you to find words from nine random letters. It offers dictionaries in multiple languages to help you expand your vocabulary.

**Highlights:** Find words from nine random letters, Expand your dictionary, Multiple language dictionaries, Addictive word puzzle gameplay

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Enable Hints | $0.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is 2048 free?

2048 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is SpellingGnat free?

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

### Which has better reviews, 2048 or SpellingGnat?

2048 is rated higher. 2048 averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.3K ratings, while SpellingGnat averages 3.5 from 2 ratings.

### Do 2048 or SpellingGnat have ads?

2048 shows ads; SpellingGnat does not.

### Which is updated more often, 2048 or SpellingGnat?

2048 ships an update every 5 months, and SpellingGnat every 22 months. Most recently, 2048 was updated on September 26, 2026 and SpellingGnat on September 9, 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.*