Comparison

Buzz Words vs Taboo

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

Head to head
About

Buzz Words

Features
Read full description

- Buzz Words is a word game designed to foster spelling skill and nurture an interest in words. - Option to play in either UK or US English. - Free to play. - Pay to buy more time, vary letter count and remove ads. - Multiple levels of difficulty.

About

Taboo

A word-guessing party game where teams compete to describe words without using forbidden terms. Play remotely with friends via video chat and customize game settings for endless fun.

Highlights
  • Video chat integration
  • Team-based word guessing
  • Customizable game settings
  • Ad-free gameplay
  • Multiple language support
  • Themed card decks
Features
Read full description

Can you describe an APPLE without using the words RED, FRUIT, PIE, CIDER or CORE? Taboo is the ultimate brain-teasing, word-twisting adult party game. Play with video chat and throw a house party on your phone! Split into two teams and take it in turns to describe the words on the cards. Your team has to guess as many as possible before the timer runs out. If you use a taboo word by mistake, the other team will buzz and you’ll lose a point. Think fast and talk your way to victory! HOW TO PLAY TABOO: 1. Start a game and invite your friends. 2. Split into two teams and name your team. 3. The app chooses a Clue-giver for each team. Each team then takes their turn! 4. The Clue-giver draws a card. The Clue-giver must describe the word without saying any of the words on the card. 5. Team B will buzz if the Clue-giver says a taboo word! 6. Your team must guess as many words as possible before the time runs out. FEATURES - FULLY CUSTOMISABLE – Decide the number of players, rounds, how many turns per round and how many skips are allowed. - AD-FREE GAME – Have fun with zero ads to distract you. - COMPLETE STARTER CARD DECK – Includes cards from the original game. Expand your game further with additional themed decks! - FULLY TRANSLATED – Available in English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Turkish, Greek, Polish and Hindi. Get the perfect party game on your mobile now!

Screenshots

Buzz Words4 screens
Taboo4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Taboo at monthly against Buzz Words's every 53 months. Taboo also leads on chart position (#2 vs unranked). Buzz Words's advantage is price ($0.99 vs $1.99) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). On ads, in-app purchases 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

Buzz Words costs $0.99 and Taboo $1.99 up front. Buzz Words sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and Taboo sells 26 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Buzz Words ships an update every 53 months, Taboo monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 7 level
Buzz Words versus Taboo: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBuzz WordsTaboo
Price$0.99 — better$1.99
Rating—4.9 (4.7K ratings) — better
Positive reviews—37.2% of reviews
Number of ratings—4.7K — better
Update frequencyEvery 53 monthsMonthly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
Monetization—Free with in-app purchases
Best chart rank—#2 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS12.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size18 MB272 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMedia MaestroMarmalade Game Studio Limited

Bugs and requests

Buzz Words

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Taboo

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Game stopped in the middle to ask for payment
  • Video chat feature not working
  • App not optimized for high refresh rate displays

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add more cards in the base version
  • Allow customization of game rules
  • Implement a stats/history section
  • Support more than 2 teams

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Buzz Words

One-time2
  • Letter Variation Unlock$0.99
  • Time Variation Unlock$0.99
26 purchases

Taboo

One-time26
  • Holiday Thanksgiving Pack$0.99
  • Fun & Games Sports Mix 3 Pack$0.99
  • Holiday Halloween Pack$0.99
Show 23 more
  • Fun & Games Sports Mix Pack 1$0.99
  • Surprise Pack 2$1.99
  • Festive Fun$1.99
  • Fun & Games Games Mix Pack 1$1.99
  • Fun & Games Sports Mix Pack 2$1.99
  • Holiday Christmas Pack$1.99
  • Mystery Mix Pack 1$1.99
  • Generations Gen Z Pack$1.99
  • Holiday Christmas Pack 2$1.99
  • Into the wild$2.99
  • Surprise Pack 1$2.99
  • Food and Nature Bundle$2.99
  • Sports and Celebrity Bundle$2.99
  • Unlock Taboo Premium$2.99
  • Midnight Mix Pack 1$2.99
  • Midnight Night Out Pack$2.99
  • Midnight Bedroom Pack$2.99
  • Ready to Roast$6.49
  • Celebrity Deck$6.49
  • Sports and Games Pack$7.99
  • Welcome Offer$9.99
  • Midnight Deck$9.99
  • Word Bonanza Bundle$19.99

Questions

Is Buzz Words free?
Buzz Words costs $0.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Taboo free?
Taboo costs $1.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Do Buzz Words or Taboo have ads?
Neither Buzz Words nor Taboo shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Buzz Words or Taboo?
Buzz Words ships an update every 53 months, and Taboo monthly. Most recently, Buzz Words was updated on October 5, 2026 and Taboo on October 28, 2026.

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