# Cryptogram Tale vs literally

The clearest difference is ads: literally at none against Cryptogram Tale's shown. literally also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.1). Cryptogram Tale's advantage is ratings volume (1.6K vs 499). On price, rating, review sentiment and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Cryptogram Tale sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and literally sells 4 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 literally. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.6K and 499 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 72% and 73% positive.

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

## The numbers

| Metric | Cryptogram Tale | literally |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (1.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cryptogram-tale/id966436749/reviews)** | [4.5 (499 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/literally-word-game/id6448051011/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.6K** | 499 |
| Positive reviews | 72.5% of reviews | **73.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 160 MB | 18 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.1 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [GammaLateral LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/685178329) | [Oleksandr Kozlov](https://appshunter.io/developer/967224411) |

## 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


### literally

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/literally-word-game/id6448051011)

Engage in a timed word-building challenge where you race against the clock to form words from available letters. This game offers a substantial story mode with numerous levels and tasks, alongside unique challenges like deciphering aphorisms. It features a simplified mode for a relaxed experience and detailed statistics to track your progress.

**Highlights:** 200-level story mode, 66 aphorism deciphering tasks, Simplified, relaxed mode, Minimalistic design, Detailed statistics, Power saving mode

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Bubble gum | $0.99 | one-time |
| Coffee | $2.99 | one-time |
| Chicken wings | $4.99 | one-time |
| Borscht | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Cryptogram Tale free?

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

### Is literally free?

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

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

Cryptogram Tale is rated higher. Cryptogram Tale averages 4.6 out of 5 from 1.6K ratings, while literally averages 4.5 from 499 ratings.

### Do Cryptogram Tale or literally have ads?

Cryptogram Tale shows ads; literally does not.

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

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