# Cryptogram Tale vs Cryptogram Round

The clearest difference is ads: Cryptogram Round at none against Cryptogram Tale's shown. Cryptogram Round also leads on review sentiment (97% vs 72%) and rating (4.8 vs 4.6). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Cryptogram Tale sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and Cryptogram Round sells 8 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Cryptogram Round holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.6K and 3.3K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 72% of Cryptogram Tale's written reviews are positive against 97% of Cryptogram Round's.

Cryptogram Tale ships an update every 3 months, Cryptogram Round every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Cryptogram Tale | Cryptogram Round |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (1.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cryptogram-tale/id966436749/reviews) | **[4.8 (3.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cryptogram-round/id1013610861/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 1.6K | **3.3K** |
| Positive reviews | 72.5% of reviews | **96.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 160 MB | 13 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.1 | **11.4** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [GammaLateral LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/685178329) | [Norman Basham](https://appshunter.io/developer/1710814251) |

## What reviewers say

### Cryptogram Tale

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cryptogram-tale/id966436749)

Decode encrypted messages to reveal hidden stories. This word puzzle game challenges you to break codes by substituting letters, offering hundreds of tales and thousands of cryptograms to solve. Customize your experience with various fonts and color schemes, and use hints when needed.

**Highlights:** Hundreds of tales, Thousands of cryptograms, Dozens of fonts, Different color schemes, In-game hints

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Get 30 Hints | $0.99 | one-time |
| Get 70 Hints | $1.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Hundreds of cryptograms
- 📚 Interesting stories and literature
- 👍 No ads unless you want a hint
- 💡 Hints available by watching ads
- 🔒 No glitches or annoying ads

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and freezes
- 🔍 Difficulty level not always clear
- 🔍 Capitalized words revealed after first letter
- 🔍 Some stories not well-suited for cryptograms
- 🔍 Ads can't always be closed

**Reported bugs**

- Progress getting deleted
- Ads not loading properly
- Keyboard not opening automatically

**Requested features**

- More modern and diverse stories
- Ability to choose story titles
- Cursor that skips to next blank space
- Undo button
- Trigger warnings for dark/disturbing content


### Cryptogram Round

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cryptogram-round/id1013610861)

Solve cryptograms with a collection of handpicked quotes. Features include hints, letter usage counts, and adjustable puzzle sizes. Enjoy a ad-free experience that strengthens your mind and offers witty insights.

**Highlights:** No ads, Handpicked quotes, Hints available, Puzzles include punctuation, Adjustable puzzle size, Show letter usage counts, Share quotes

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mercury - 10 Rounds | $1.99 | one-time |
| 20 Hints | $1.99 | one-time |
| Mars - 25  Rounds | $3.99 | one-time |
| 50 Hints | $3.99 | one-time |
| Jupiter - 60 Rounds | $4.99 | one-time |
| Unlimited Hints | $4.99 | one-time |
| 60 Rounds & Unlimited Hints | $7.99 | one-time |
| Solar System - 95 Rounds! | $7.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Fun and challenging puzzles
- 🚀 Automatic letter filling
- 🔒 No ads
- 🚀 Quick and easy to play
- 💡 Interesting and thought-provoking quotes

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Limited number of puzzles
- 💡 Desire for more difficult/longer puzzles
- 💡 Wish for more modern or diverse quotes

**Reported bugs**

- Some puzzles have incorrect quotes

**Requested features**

- Option to turn off automatic letter filling
- More free puzzles or ability to reset/replay levels
- Daily puzzles or new content updates
- Ability to take notes or mark up the screen


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Cryptogram Tale free?

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

### Is Cryptogram Round free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Cryptogram Tale or Cryptogram Round?

Cryptogram Round is rated higher. Cryptogram Tale averages 4.6 out of 5 from 1.6K ratings, while Cryptogram Round averages 4.8 from 3.3K ratings.

### Do Cryptogram Tale or Cryptogram Round have ads?

Cryptogram Tale shows ads; Cryptogram Round does not.

### Which is updated more often, Cryptogram Tale or Cryptogram Round?

Cryptogram Tale ships an update every 3 months, and Cryptogram Round every 2 months. Most recently, Cryptogram Tale was updated on October 3, 2026 and Cryptogram Round on October 1, 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.*