# Kaodoku vs Pumbuzzle

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Pumbuzzle at none against Kaodoku's 1. Pumbuzzle also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 6 months) and ratings volume (14 vs 1). Kaodoku's advantage is iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.6). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Kaodoku sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Pumbuzzle asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Kaodoku against 5.0 for Pumbuzzle. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pumbuzzle has 14 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

Kaodoku ships an update every 6 months, Pumbuzzle weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Kaodoku | Pumbuzzle |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kaodoku/id923859724/reviews) | [5.0 (14 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pumbuzzle/id1667401537/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **14** |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 4 MB | 18 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Michel Colman](https://appshunter.io/developer/305429704) | [Brainwash Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/301476775) |

## What reviewers say

### Kaodoku

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kaodoku/id923859724)

This puzzle game offers a unique twist on Sudoku using symbols instead of numbers. Solve grids where only parts of symbols are revealed, requiring strategic deduction. Enjoy a rich puzzle experience with various difficulty levels and helpful hints.

**Highlights:** Symbol-based Sudoku puzzles, Partially revealed symbols, Multiple difficulty levels, Sophisticated hint system, Pencil notes and candidate marks, Export and print puzzles

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full version of Kaodoku | $0.99 | one-time |


### Pumbuzzle

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pumbuzzle/id1667401537)

Solve daily logic puzzles by arranging numbers so each row sums to 80. Use directional clues to guide your placement and swap squares to achieve the correct pattern. Compete on leaderboards and replay past challenges.

**Highlights:** Daily pattern puzzles, Row summation to 80, Swap squares to solve, Directional clues (▲▼, ◀▶), Replay past puzzles, GameCenter leaderboards

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Kaodoku free?

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

### Is Pumbuzzle free?

Pumbuzzle is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Kaodoku or Pumbuzzle?

Kaodoku and Pumbuzzle are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 14 ratings respectively.

### Do Kaodoku or Pumbuzzle have ads?

Neither Kaodoku nor Pumbuzzle shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Kaodoku or Pumbuzzle?

Kaodoku ships an update every 6 months, and Pumbuzzle weekly. Most recently, Kaodoku was updated on November 1, 2026 and Pumbuzzle on November 3, 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.*
