# Cryptogram Tale vs Cipher Master

Cryptogram Tale and Cipher Master both sit at 4.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 72% of Cryptogram Tale's written reviews are positive against 25% of Cipher Master's. Cipher Master's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months) and ratings volume (6.1K vs 1.6K). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Cryptogram Tale sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and Cipher Master sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Cryptogram Tale against 4.5 for Cipher Master. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.6K and 6.1K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 72% of Cryptogram Tale's written reviews are positive against 25% of Cipher Master's.

Cryptogram Tale ships an update every 3 months, Cipher Master monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Cryptogram Tale | Cipher Master |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (1.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cryptogram-tale/id966436749/reviews)** | [4.5 (6.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cipher-master-word-game/id1673410546/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1.6K | **6.1K** |
| Positive reviews | **72.5% of reviews** | 25.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 160 MB | 242 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.1 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [GammaLateral LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/685178329) | [Hitapps Games LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/1648314473) |

## 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


### Cipher Master

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cipher-master-word-game/id1673410546)

Engage your mind with a new word puzzle game. Decipher hidden phrases, learn interesting facts, and enjoy wise thoughts from famous people. This game offers a fun way to train your brain, practice logic, and expand your knowledge.

**Highlights:** Decipher hidden phrases, Learn interesting facts, Solve word riddles, Train your brain, Practice logic, Discover wise thoughts

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Small pack of energy | $3.29 | one-time |
| Small pack of hints | $3.49 | one-time |
| No ADS | $4.99 | one-time |
| Big pack of energy | $5.49 | one-time |
| Big pack of hints | $5.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎮 Fun and challenging game
- 💡 Interesting quotations and proverbs
- 👍 Large and easy-to-use letter squares

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤬 Excessive and disruptive ads during gameplay
- 🐛 Glitches with letter selection and scoring
- 🤔 Puzzles too easy for experienced players

**Reported bugs**

- Letters not registering properly
- Incorrect scoring and game over issues
- Ads not respecting device sound settings

**Requested features**

- Reduce ad frequency and disruption
- Provide an ad-free paid version
- Increase puzzle difficulty for more experienced users


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Cryptogram Tale free?

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

### Is Cipher Master free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Cryptogram Tale or Cipher Master?

Cryptogram Tale is rated higher. Cryptogram Tale averages 4.6 out of 5 from 1.6K ratings, while Cipher Master averages 4.5 from 6.1K ratings.

### Do Cryptogram Tale or Cipher Master have ads?

Both Cryptogram Tale and Cipher Master show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Cryptogram Tale or Cipher Master?

Cryptogram Tale ships an update every 3 months, and Cipher Master monthly. Most recently, Cryptogram Tale was updated on September 22, 2026 and Cipher Master 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.*