# Barred Crossword vs Codewords Pro

The clearest difference is rating: Codewords Pro at 4.8 against Barred Crossword's 4.2. Codewords Pro also leads on review sentiment (88% vs 58%) and ratings volume (259 vs 20). Barred Crossword's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.6). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Barred Crossword sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $4.99 per year and Codewords Pro sells 16 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Codewords Pro holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Codewords Pro has 259 ratings behind it against 20, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 58% of Barred Crossword's written reviews are positive against 88% of Codewords Pro's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 17, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Barred Crossword | Codewords Pro |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.2 (20 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/barred-crossword/id953010888/reviews) | **[4.8 (259 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/codewords-pro/id1137372438/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 20 | **259** |
| Positive reviews | 57.9% of reviews | **87.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 99 MB | 35 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Havos](https://appshunter.io/developer/309789068) | [Emmanuel Mathis](https://appshunter.io/developer/892041879) |

## What reviewers say

### Barred Crossword

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/barred-crossword/id953010888)

This app offers an unlimited supply of automatically generated crosswords with customizable grids and difficulty. It supports multiple languages and features aids to help you solve puzzles, making it ideal for crossword enthusiasts.

**Highlights:** Unlimited auto-generated crosswords, Configurable grid size and difficulty, Multiple crossword grid types (Barred, British, Arrow), Thousands of clues, Multi-language support, Zoom and pan grid functionality, Save and reload games

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Supporter (no ads) | $4.99 | per year |


### Codewords Pro

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/codewords-pro/id1137372438)

Engage in a unique word puzzle game where numbers replace letters. Solve hundreds of free puzzles or tackle two new daily challenges. Customize your experience with various difficulty levels, grid styles, and language options.

**Highlights:** Hundreds of free puzzles, Two daily puzzles, Multiple difficulty levels, Various grid styles, Multiple languages, Customizable settings, VoiceOver compatibility

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

**In-app purchases (16)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Easy Puzzles - Vol. 3 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Easy Puzzles - Vol. 4 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Easy Puzzles - Vol. 5 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Intermediate Puzzles - Vol. 4 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Easy Puzzles - Vol. 6 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Expert Puzzles - Vol. 7 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Expert Puzzles - Vol. 8 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Hard Puzzles - Vol. 3 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Easy Puzzles - Vol. 2 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Intermediate Puzzles - Vol. 2 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Hard Puzzles - Vol. 2 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Expert Puzzles - Vol. 2 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Intermediate Puzzles - Vol. 3 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Expert Puzzles - Vol. 3 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Easy Puzzles - Vol. 7 | $1.99 | one-time |
| All-Access Pass | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🧠 Good for brain exercise
- 👍 Pleasant pastime
- 💡 Lots of free content
- 😌 Relaxing and enjoyable
- 🚀 Fast and efficient

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 VoiceOver compatibility issues
- ❓ Inconsistent word choices
- 😠 Frustration with VoiceOver
- 🤔 Confusing word usage
- 👎 Annoying ads

**Reported bugs**

- VoiceOver not working as expected
- Cannot reset the grid
- Incorrect display of letters/numbers with VoiceOver

**Requested features**

- Dark mode option
- English version of the app
- Option to remove ads with purchase
- Synchronization between devices (iPad/iPhone)
- More grids available


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Barred Crossword free?

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

### Is Codewords Pro free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Barred Crossword or Codewords Pro?

Codewords Pro is rated higher. Barred Crossword averages 4.2 out of 5 from 20 ratings, while Codewords Pro averages 4.8 from 259 ratings.

### Do Barred Crossword or Codewords Pro have ads?

Both Barred Crossword and Codewords Pro show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Barred Crossword or Codewords Pro?

Barred Crossword ships an update every 3 months, and Codewords Pro every 3 months. Most recently, Barred Crossword was updated on September 17, 2026 and Codewords Pro on September 24, 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.*