# Whispering Willows vs Second Best

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Second Best at 100% against Whispering Willows's 51%. Second Best also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.6) and chart position (#194 vs unranked). Whispering Willows's advantage is update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 3 months) and price ($4.99 vs $5.99). On ratings volume, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Whispering Willows costs $4.99 and Second Best $5.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Second Best holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 20 and 31 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 51% of Whispering Willows's written reviews are positive against 100% of Second Best's.

Whispering Willows ships an update every 6 weeks, Second Best every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 19, 2026 and September 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Whispering Willows | Second Best |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$4.99** | $5.99 |
| Rating | [4.6 (20 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/whispering-willows/id950823223/reviews) | **[5.0 (31 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/second-best-bested-part-2/id6744046132/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 20 | **31** |
| Positive reviews | 50.6% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 weeks** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | **#194** |
| Size | 1.5 GB | 340 MB |
| Requires iOS | **6.0** | 11.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Akupara Games](https://appshunter.io/developer/1221828441) | [MysteryCaper, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1224170553) |

## What reviewers say

### Whispering Willows

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/whispering-willows/id950823223)

Embark on a harrowing journey as Elena Elkhorn to find her missing father and uncover the secrets of Willows Mansion. Utilize a unique amulet for astral projection to communicate with the dead, solve puzzles, and help lingering souls in a beautifully hand-drawn 2D world.

**Highlights:** Astral projection to communicate with the dead, Solve mansion tricks and puzzles, Help lingering souls, Explore a hand-drawn 2D world, Immersive haunting music and sound effects, Unlock puzzling secrets

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- ✨ Beautiful graphics and art
- 📖 Engaging and interesting story
- 💡 Innovative ghost form mechanic
- 🎧 Great sound and music
- 👍 Well-done puzzles

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes
- 🕹️ Clunky and unresponsive controls
- ⏳ Short game duration
- 🤔 Puzzles too easy
- 😵 Confusing navigation

**Reported bugs**

- Game crashes frequently
- Black screen on loading
- Status bar not disappearing
- Long loading times
- Trophies not registering without manual login

**Requested features**

- Update the game
- Make controls more responsive
- Add more chapters/content
- Improve UI
- Add a task list or map


### Second Best

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/second-best-bested-part-2/id6744046132)

**Currently charting:** #194 Top Paid · Puzzle (US App Store)

Continue an absurd mystery adventure filled with unexpected twists and whimsical humor. Solve clever puzzles and explore a world brought to life with charming hand-drawn visuals. Uncover the truth about your identity and escape a perilous journey.

**Highlights:** Absurd mystery adventure, Interactive story with twists, Classic point and click gameplay, Solve zany puzzles, Hand-drawn visuals, Colorful characters

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Whispering Willows free?

Whispering Willows costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Second Best free?

Second Best costs $5.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Whispering Willows or Second Best?

Second Best is rated higher. Whispering Willows averages 4.6 out of 5 from 20 ratings, while Second Best averages 5.0 from 31 ratings.

### Do Whispering Willows or Second Best have ads?

Neither Whispering Willows nor Second Best shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Whispering Willows or Second Best?

Whispering Willows ships an update every 6 weeks, and Second Best every 3 months. Most recently, Whispering Willows was updated on September 19, 2026 and Second Best on September 18, 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.*