# The Guides vs Exception;

The clearest difference is update cadence: Exception; at fortnightly against The Guides's every 4 months. Exception; also leads on ratings volume (2.7K vs 731). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

The Guides costs $2.99 and Exception; $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for The Guides against 4.8 for Exception;. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 731 and 2.7K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 88% of The Guides's written reviews are positive against 82% of Exception;'s.

The Guides ships an update every 4 months, Exception; fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Guides | Exception; |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $2.99 | $2.99 |
| Rating | [4.8 (731 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-guides/id894022200/reviews) | [4.8 (2.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/exception/id1439153819/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 731 | **2.7K** |
| Positive reviews | **87.7% of reviews** | 82.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Size | 45 MB | 79 MB |
| Requires iOS | 8.0 | 8.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [2 Fountains LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1730752274) | [Kunpo](https://appshunter.io/developer/767379940) |

## What reviewers say

### The Guides

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-guides/id894022200)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Challenging and engaging puzzles
- 🧠 Exercises the mind
- 🎨 Minimalist and visually appealing
- 🕹️ Unique gameplay experience
- 🕵️‍♂️ Intriguing storyline and mystery

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches
- 🤯 Puzzles can be overly complex or unclear
- 📱 Small text and UI elements on mobile
- 🤔 Lack of clear instructions or guidance

**Reported bugs**

- Puzzle solutions not being accepted correctly
- App crashes or freezes when switching between puzzles

**Requested features**

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


### Exception;

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/exception/id1439153819)

Engage in a unique single-player game where you program AI units to overcome challenges and defeat enemies in a virtual world. Strategize and code different unit types to progress through levels and uncover the secrets of a seemingly perfect system.

**Highlights:** AI programming gameplay, Strategic unit control, Challenging single-player levels, Virtual world exploration, Uncover system secrets

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Interesting and challenging gameplay
- 🚀 Smooth and fluid animations
- 💡 Unique programming-based mechanics
- 🤖 Good introduction to programming concepts
- 🎨 Visually appealing design

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Most levels locked behind paywall
- 🐛 Inconsistent bot behavior
- 💰 Game feels like a demo with limited content

**Reported bugs**

- Bots not responding to commands as expected
- Scripting errors when retreating

**Requested features**

- Sandbox mode to create custom levels
- Hint system for difficult levels
- Ability to sync progress across devices
- Multiplayer or co-op modes


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Guides free?

The Guides costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Exception; free?

Exception; costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, The Guides or Exception;?

The Guides and Exception; are both rated 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store, from 731 and 2.7K ratings respectively.

### Do The Guides or Exception; have ads?

Neither The Guides nor Exception; shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, The Guides or Exception;?

The Guides ships an update every 4 months, and Exception; fortnightly. Most recently, The Guides was updated on September 29, 2026 and Exception; on September 21, 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.*