CodyCross vs Words With Friends
Which is better in 2026? Five scores, side by side.
CodyCross is the better app overall, scoring 7.7 to 7.5. CodyCross wins on 4 of the 5 scores, Words With Friends on 1.
Trivia lovers who want crossword clues that teach them something
Friends and families who want a slow, chatty word rivalry on their phones
Score by score
The details
| Feature | CodyCross | Words With Friends |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Puzzle & Word Games | Puzzle & Word Games |
| Category rank | #9 of 12 | #10 of 12 |
| Developer | Fanatee | Zynga |
| Pricing | Free + paid plans | Free + paid plans |
| Usable for free | Yes | Yes |
| iPhone & iPad | ✓ | ✓ |
| Android | ✓ | ✓ |
Common questions
Is CodyCross better than Words With Friends?
CodyCross is the better app overall, scoring 7.7 to 7.5. CodyCross wins on 4 of the 5 scores, Words With Friends on 1.
Which is cheaper, CodyCross or Words With Friends?
CodyCross: Free with ads; $0.99 buys 30 ad-free days, and a monthly Club plan is listed from $3.99. Words With Friends: Free with ads; coins from $0.99 and a $9.99 Ad Free Bundle in the App Store. On value for money, CodyCross scores higher.
Do CodyCross and Words With Friends work on the same devices?
Yes, both run on iPhone & iPad, Android.
Which is more private, CodyCross or Words With Friends?
CodyCross scores higher on privacy (5.8/10). App Store label: purchases, identifiers and usage data may be used to track you; contact info, user content and diagnostics are also among the data linked to your identity.
Strengths and weaknesses
CodyCross
- Trivia clues teach you something as you solve
- Daily puzzles on top of a long main map
- Main map levels play offline once loaded
- An ad after each level unless you pay
- Loot boxes, and limited energy for missions
- Daily puzzles and new worlds need a connection
CodyCross turns the crossword into a trivia tour. Clues come from general knowledge across themed worlds, every grid hides a secret word, and Today's Crossword and Today's Password give you a reason to come back daily. Levels on the main map work offline once they've loaded. Free play brings an ad after each level, though, and loot-box packs and limited mission energy keep nudging you toward the store.
Full CodyCross review
Words With Friends
- Easy to keep long-running games going with friends
- Solo modes for when nobody has taken a turn
- The dictionary just grew by more than 25,000 words
- Ads between moves unless you pay to remove them
- Purchases include paid random items
- Heavy tracking on the App Store privacy label
Words With Friends is still the easiest way to keep a word rivalry going with people you know. You take turns on a crossword-style board at your own pace, Smart Match finds opponents when friends go quiet, and Solo Challenge pits you against WordMasters. An October 2026 update added more than 25,000 playable words and a way to report bad ones. The catch is clutter: ads between moves, paid random items and heavy tracking.
Full Words With Friends review
