# The Guides vs No.9

The clearest difference is ratings volume: The Guides at 731 against No.9's 12. The Guides also leads on iOS requirement (8.0 vs 12.0). No.9's advantage is update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 4 months) and rating (5.0 vs 4.8). On review sentiment, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

The Guides costs $2.99 and No.9 $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

No.9 holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: The Guides has 731 ratings behind it against 12, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 88% of The Guides's written reviews are positive against 93% of No.9's.

The Guides ships an update every 4 months, No.9 every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Guides | No.9 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $2.99 | **$1.99** |
| Rating | [4.8 (731 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-guides/id894022200/reviews) | **[5.0 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/no9/id1658844106/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **731** | 12 |
| Positive reviews | 87.7% of reviews | **92.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Size | 45 MB | 175 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 12.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [2 Fountains LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1730752274) | [Maciej Targoni](https://appshunter.io/developer/495165602) |

## 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


### No.9

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/no9/id1658844106)

Immerse yourself in a tranquil puzzle experience with evolving geometric forms and a serene soundtrack. Synchronize elements in form and time to achieve deep relaxation and contemplation. This app offers a score-free, ad-free, and data-free environment for peaceful engagement.

**Highlights:** Tranquil puzzly vacuum, Evolving geometric forms, Serene, slow-paced rhythm, Synchronize form and time, No scores, ads, or IAPs, Original soundtrack

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Guides free?

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

### Is No.9 free?

No.9 costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, The Guides or No.9?

No.9 is rated higher. The Guides averages 4.8 out of 5 from 731 ratings, while No.9 averages 5.0 from 12 ratings.

### Do The Guides or No.9 have ads?

Neither The Guides nor No.9 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, The Guides or No.9?

The Guides ships an update every 4 months, and No.9 every 6 weeks. Most recently, The Guides was updated on October 20, 2026 and No.9 on October 16, 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.*