Comparison

The Guides vs Decrypto

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

Head to head
About

The Guides

Embark on a journey of challenging codes, puzzles, and interactive ciphers that test your wit and imagination. Unravel a fragmented story by finding clues and patterns, utilizing integrated decoding tools and a distress support system.

Highlights
  • Hundreds of challenging codes and puzzles
  • Interactive ciphers
  • Fragmented story to unravel
  • Integrated decoding tools (Morse, binary)
  • Screenshot saving for clues
  • Distress support system
Features
Read full description

Featured by Apple in: 15 Most Mind-Bending Puzzlers, 15 Most Mysterious Games, The Best Games You’ve Never Played, Challenge Your Brain, Best New Games * * * * * “Best Mobile Games of 2015” — CNET “Best iOS Games of 2015” — Apple ‘N’ Apps “Best One Handed Mobile Games for Long Commutes” — Appcessories * * * * * Consisting of hundreds of extremely challenging codes, puzzles and interactive ciphers, The Guides is a journey that will challenge your wit, stretch your imagination and test your ingenuity in unique and innovative ways. Simply stated, they’re not easy. Progressing will be difficult, but you have the appropriate tools at your disposal. Everything you need to proceed is — or has been — provided. Look for clues and patterns to build on what you have learned. Remember what you have seen as for no detail is too subtle or insignificant. As you explore deeper, you’ll begin to unravel the enigma of The Guides. Peculiar, isn't it? • • • • • • • "From the word 'Go'... it tells you nothing. And you have to work it out for yourself. And that, my friends, that is cool." James Gilmour for App Spy "The Guides gets under your skin... you’ll find yourself thinking about it outside of the game and coming back for more." Jennifer Allen for 148apps "The Guides is one of the year’s most interesting puzzle games. It’s a beautifully designed toy box filled with an enormous variety of code-breaking ciphers and visual riddles..." Owen Faraday for Pocket Tactics "It's brilliant, uncompromising, satisfying, and one of the best games I have ever played on my phone... quite possibly on any platform." chanandler of App Army for Pocket Gamer • • • • • • • • Four Sections and 100 pages embedded with countless challenges. • Meticulously designed interactive puzzles and ciphers with each being more unique than the last. • Piece together the fragmented story to reveal the source of the messages. • Various game mechanics such as the code interface screen and the title bar to provide added layers of support. • Integrated decoding tools — including morse, binary and many more — to assist you on your journey. • Ability to save screenshots to keep track of invaluable clues and notes. • A distress support system is available if you find yourself stuck, but use sparingly, for your transmissions are limited. Official Site: theguidesapp.com General Inquiries: info@theguidesapp.com Twitter: twitter.com/theguidesapp Facebook: fb.com/theguidesapp Instagram: instagram.com/theguidesapp

About

Decrypto

Engage in a captivating puzzle game where you decode classic ciphers and solve cryptogram word puzzles. This app offers a challenging yet accessible experience for those who enjoy riddles and code-breaking. It's designed for curious minds to train their brains with pure, ad-free fun.

Highlights
  • Decode classic ciphers
  • Solve cryptogram word puzzles
  • Break challenging codes
  • Brain training
  • VoiceOver support
  • Ad-free gameplay
Features
Read full description

Decode classic ciphers, solve cryptogram word puzzles, break challenging codes, and train your brain in Decrypto, the puzzle game for the curious mind. If you love riddles, crosswords, or old-school cypher code-breaking, Decrypto will put your mind to the test. Decrypto is designed to be accessible, with full support for VoiceOver so more players can experience the thrill of codebreaking without barriers. Play for free with no ads, just pure puzzles and brain-teasing fun.

Screenshots

The Guides4 screens
Decrypto4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Decrypto at Free against The Guides's $2.99. Decrypto also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs every 4 months). The Guides's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 8) and ratings volume (731 vs 123). On rating, review sentiment, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Decrypto is free to download; The Guides costs $2.99 up front. Decrypto sells 8 one-off in-app purchases. The Guides asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for The Guides against 4.8 for Decrypto. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: The Guides has 731 ratings behind it against 123, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 88% of The Guides's written reviews are positive against 85% of Decrypto's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

The Guides ships an update every 4 months, Decrypto every 4 days. Both last shipped on September 22, 2026.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
The Guides versus Decrypto: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterThe GuidesDecrypto
Price$2.99Free — better
Rating4.8 (731 ratings)4.8 (123 ratings)
Positive reviews87.7% of reviews — better85.4% of reviews
Number of ratings731 — better123
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 4 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS8.0 — better17.2
Further details — not scored
Size45 MB16 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer2 Fountains LLCIncognitum, MB

Customer experience

The Guides

All ratings731 ratings
Positive96.0%
Neutral0.5%
Negative3.4%
Written reviews219 reviews
Positive87.7%
Neutral4.1%
Negative8.2%

Decrypto

All ratings123 ratings
Positive94.3%
Neutral4.1%
Negative1.6%
Written reviews41 reviews
Positive85.4%
Neutral12.2%
Negative2.4%

Bugs and requests

The Guides

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Puzzle solutions not being accepted correctly
  • App crashes or freezes when switching between puzzles

Requested features

3 requests
  • More frequent updates and new content
  • Improved UI and accessibility options
  • Hint system or gradual difficulty scaling

Decrypto

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

The Guides

No in-app purchases

8 purchases

Decrypto

One-time8
  • Help Points$0.99
  • 5 Keys$1.49
  • Remove ads$1.99
Show 5 more
  • 15 Keys$3.49
  • 30 Keys$5.49
  • Unlimited Keys$11.49
  • Solutions$14.99
  • Solutions & Unlimited Keys$19.99

Questions

Is The Guides free?
The Guides costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Decrypto free?
Decrypto is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, The Guides or Decrypto?
The Guides and Decrypto are both rated 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store, from 731 and 123 ratings respectively.
Do The Guides or Decrypto have ads?
Neither The Guides nor Decrypto shows ads.
Which is updated more often, The Guides or Decrypto?
The Guides ships an update every 4 months, and Decrypto every 4 days. Most recently, The Guides was updated on September 22, 2026 and Decrypto on September 22, 2026.

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