Word game apps are a fun past time enjoyed by people of all ages. They have the added benefit of helping improve your vocabulary and keep your brain sharp. There are so many excellent word game apps to choose from on iOS and Android devices that it's not hard to find a favorite to play alone or with friends.
Words With Friends 2
Billed as "one of the world's most popular mobile word games," Words with Friends 2 boasts over 10 million installs. The second version has more game modes than the original Words with Friends, including playing against a fictional character and multi-player time-based team challenges. You can also participate in contests and polls as well as chat with other game lovers on the game's Facebook page. There are also weekly flash events and community challenges making the game have a true competitive community feel. The game is also partnered with Twitch for Amazon Prime members for the chance at extra rewards biweekly.
Words With Friends 2 Gameplay and Specs
If you've played the classic board game Scrabble, you'll have a good idea of how Words with Friends 2 works. You are challenged to create words on a "board" with an available set of letters and you either take turns against the computer or other players.
- Available for: Android devices 6.0 and up and iOS devices 11.0 and up
- Cost: Free with ads
- In-app purchases: Range between $.99 and $149.99
- Number of players: You can play solo or with friends (hence the name of the game!)
- Age range: All ages
- Languages: UK and US English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish.
- File size: 58M (Android) and 279.9 MB (iOS)
Wordscapes
Wordscapes is a popular game with over 10 million players. There are over 6,000 puzzles to work your way through and the game begins with easier challenges to get you acclimated to take on harder ones as you progress. Attractive graphics feature lovely travel landscapes for an additional highlight. BookRiot lists Wordscapes as its number one choice of best word game apps for word nerds.
Wordscapes Gameplay and Specs
Wordscapes' gameplay is a combination of crossword puzzles, anagrams and word searches. You search for words and then use them to fill out a crossword-style grid.
- Available for: iOS devices for 9.0 and up
- Cost: Free with ads; can be removed for one-time purchase of $0.99
- In-app purchases: Range between $0.99 and $99.99
- Multi-player: Single player only
- Age range: All ages
- Languages: English
- File size: 202 MB (iOS) and 111 MB (Android)
Bonza Word Puzzle
Bonza Word Puzzle is another game that's related to word puzzles with a twist. Android Authority lists it as their number one choice of best word games for Android. It was also chosen in the Best of 2014 for the Apple store. There are daily puzzle challenges and the app includes a puzzle creator you can use to make your own. If you play the game a lot you may end up needing to make in-app purchases as only a few daily puzzles are offered for free, although you can earn in-game coins through successfully completing free puzzles. The game has an appealing minimalist design with pastel colors and a soothing soundtrack making it a relaxing choice for mobile gamers.
Bonza Word Puzzle Gameplay and Specs
Bonza is a cross between a jigsaw and a crossword puzzle. You are provided with pre-filled sections of a crossword puzzle that you must arrange on the board to create a completed crossword.
- Available for: Android devices for 4.4 and up and iOS devices for 8.0 and up
- Cost: Free with ads
- In-app purchases: Range between $0.99 to $29.99
- Multi-player: Single player
- Age range: 12 and older
- Languages: English
- File size: 57 MB (Android) and 132.1 MB (iOS)
Alphabear 2
Combining word games with cute bears, and a humorous story is a perfect mix! Alphabear 2 is the new version of the original popular game. This game is not only cute but funny, as each bear has their own "personality" and includes cartoons at the end of each game. The bears that you collect along the way can also be dressed up with your own styling, requiring in-app purchases. It's number one on the iMore list of best games for iOS devices in 2018.
Alphabear 2 Gameplay and Specs
You are provided with letters to spell words on a crossword-like grid. Bears will show up when you "cross" letters for more than one word and the object is to collect bears, and earn points spelling words.
- Available for: iOS devices 11.0 and up and Android devices 6.0 and up
- Cost: Free with ads; $9.99 onetime purchase to remove ads; VIP subscription is $4.99/month
- In-app purchases: Between $4.99 and $49.99
- Multi-player: Single player; you can "friend" other players and send gifts and compete in tournaments
- Age range: Nine and up
- Languages: English
- File size: 364.4 MB (iOS); 96 MB (Android)
Wordament
One of Android Central's top picks for best word games for Android devices is Wordament. It has over one million installs. The game has fun graphics with different styles of game boards to keep play interesting. You can play to pass the time and increase your vocabulary, or compete against thousands of others by going for achievement badges. There are also different difficulty modes making the game fun for all vocabulary levels.
Wordament Gameplay and Specs
Wordament is similar to the game Boggle, where you are given a grid with scrambled letters. You have to search for words in the grid based on contiguous letters before the clock runs out. The letter grid can be rotated to help you find more words. The more difficult the words you find, the more points you earn. You can also earn points for achievements such as finding the most long words, the highest score on a puzzle and more.
- Available for: Android devices 5.0 and up, iOS devices 9.0 and up and Windows computers and Xbox Live
- Cost: Free with ads; Premium subscription is $1.99/month or $9.99/year
- In-app purchases: From $1.99 to $9.99
- Multi-player: Single player; you can track your progress against other players
- Age range: All ages
- Languages: English
- File size: 93 MB (Android) and 252.9 MB (iOS)
Crossword Puzzle Redstone
Redstone Crossword is one of the best word game apps for Android according to Gadget Hacks. While crossword puzzles may not be as flashy as newer games with fun graphics, traditional pen-and-paper crossword puzzle lovers will enjoy the clean simplicity of this app and its variety of puzzle difficulty levels. If you're stuck on a clue, the app has a hint feature which can be handy as you move into higher levels. You can also lock finished words if they're correct so you don't need to second guess your answers. The game also has an easy interface and a minimal, professional design.
Crossword Puzzle Redstone Gameplay and Specs
Crossword plays like a traditional crossword puzzle. You are provided hints for words that go horizontally and vertically across the grid. Guess all the words correctly to complete the puzzle.
- Available for: Android devices 4.2 and up and iOS devices 9.0 and up
- Cost: Free with ads; $4.99 onetime purchase to remove ads
- In-app purchases: Between $0.99 and $4.99
- Multi-player: Single player
- Age range: Teenagers and adults
- Languages: English
- File size: 27 MB (Android) and 133.6 MB (iOS)
TypeShift
TypeShift is an interesting word game that falls on PocketGamer's list of the top 25 word games on iPhone and iPad. The Verge calls it "addictive and edifying." Its developer describes it as "anagrams meets word search with a sprinkle of crosswords." The game comes with over one hundred puzzles and daily free puzzles, as well as puzzle packs available for purchase. The graphics are colorful and appealing while simple to follow with a pleasant and relaxing soundtrack.
Typeshift Gameplay and Specs
You are provided with a series of letter tiles laid out somewhat like sections of a crossword puzzle. You can slide the words up or down in an attempt to make a word in the middle row. The goal is to turn all the center tiles green when a word is formed. The tiles and layouts will become harder as you progress through the game.
- Available for: Android devices 4.1 and up and iOS devices 8.0 and up
- Cost: Free with ads
- In-app purchases: Range from $0.99 to $5.99
- Multi-player: Single player
- Age range: All ages
- Languages: English
- File size: 41 MB (Android) and 115.8 MB (iOS)
Word Cookies
Word Cookies is one of the best word games for Android and iOS according to tech website Fossbytes. The game has a cute "baker's theme" that sets it apart from other word games. As you progress through the game, you'll rise from an amateur "home baker" to a premier chef. The game has over 2,000 levels for long-term gameplay and daily bonus rewards to play for. You can also get hints if you're stuck on a set of letters. It's also not a time-based game so you can play and think of words without pressure. The game is definitely popular with over 10 million installs.
Word Cookies Gameplay and Specs
In Word Cookies, you get a series of letters in a baking pan. You swipe each letter up to the grid to create as many words as you can.
- Available for: Android devices 4.2 and up and iOS devices 9.0 and up
- Cost: Free with ads
- In-app purchases: Between $0.49 and $48.99.
- Multi-player: Single player
- Age range: All ages
- Languages: English
- File size: 54 MB (Android) and 230.3 MB (iOS)
Sticky Terms
Tech Rader chooses Sticky Terms as one of their best free Android games in 2020. The game is unusual compared to other word games with a simple yet arty graphic design. It's also humorous and instructive as the words used in the game are all from other languages and have definitions that do not have an easily matched translation. For example, "farpotshket" which is Yiddish for "trying to fix something and ruining it." The one downside to the game is there are only about 250 words to solve.
Sticky Terms Gameplay and Specs
In Sticky Terms you are presented with a series of pieces of letter combinations. You need to move the pieces around like jigsaw pieces to fit them into a word, which may not be an English word. Once the word is solved, you'll see the word's origin and definition.
- Available for: Android devices 4.0.3 and up and iOS devices 12.0 and up
- Cost: Free
- In-app purchases: None
- Multi-player: Single player
- Age range: 12 and up
- Languages: Gameplay is in English, French, German, and Spanish; words are in various languages
- File size: 64 MB (Android) and 113.7 MB (iOS)
Letterpress
Boggle lovers will enjoy Letterpress which gets high praise from MacWorld. The game has a minimal graphic design that's pleasing and easy to follow. It's an excellent choice for playing against an opponent as you need to not only find words but outwit the other player. You can play with the computer, or against friends or randomly chosen live players, as well as play in groups. There's also real-time chat with other players to increase the social aspect of the game, and leaderboards for competition.
Letterpress Gameplay and Specs
Letterpress is similar to Boggle in that you have to create words from a grid of letters. However, you also need to use strategy to place the words on the grid to block the other player. You win the game by having the most tiles in your color at the end. Tiles can be stolen by the other player if they're not surrounded by other tiles in your color.
- Available for: iOS devices 9.0 and up and Android devices 4.4 and up
- Cost: Free
- In-app purchases: $4.99 per purchase
- Multi-player: Single player against the computer or play with friends or other live players; group play is also an option
- Age range: All ages
- Languages: English and Spanish
- File size: 40.3 MB (iOS) and 12 MB (Android)
WordJong
WordJong is highly recommended on review site 148Apps.com. WordJong combines the best aspects of MahJong with testing your vocabulary skills. The game has a relaxing feel to it with a calming soundtrack with water and bird sounds added in. It's also visually appealing with an Asian theme to fit the MahJong gameplay. There is a daily puzzle available for players to test their skills and you can also play against the computer's WordJong Masters which are all characters from the Chinese zodiac. It gets a 4.6 out of 5 rating from happy iOS users.
WordJong Gameplay and Specs
You are presented with a Mahjong setup with lettered tiles. As you collect tile matches, you use the letters to create words in a grid at the bottom of the screen. There are extra points earned if you can clear the game board of all letters at the end of the game and create more difficult words. If you complete nine challenges, you earn a collection of butterflies.
- Available for: iPhone only version 7.0 and later
- Cost: $1.99
- In-app purchases: None
- Multi-player: Single player
- Age range: All ages
- Languages: English
- File size: 30 MB (iOS)
Scrabble GO
Scrabble is a beloved board game and the mobile app version is immensely popular as well. Scrabble GO is the updated version of the mobile app and now includes the official Scrabble NASPA word list along with a new graphic interface and easier access to multi-player options. The game has over five million downloads and has a 4.3 rating on the Google Play store and 4.4 on the Apple store. You can customize your game tiles and compete against your friends, random players and in tournaments.
Scrabble GO Gameplay and Specs
Just like the board game Scrabble, you compete against another player by creating words on a game board with a set of seven letters. Each player takes a turn and points are earned based on the difficulty and length of the word. The winner is the first player to use up all of their letter tiles.
- Available for: iOS devices 10.0 and up and Android devices 5.0 and up
- Cost: Free with ads
- In-app purchases: Costs between $1.69 and $299.99
- Multi-player: Single and multi-player
- Age range: Nine and up
- Languages: English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish
- File size: 244.7 MB (iOS) and 60 MB (Android)
Fill the Words
Fill the Words has a fun chemistry set theme with colorful graphics to match. By playing the game you "create" monsters who are not only amusing, but will provide you with tips to beat each level of the game. There's hundreds of levels so you can spend a long time enjoying this game. There's also a leaderboard to check your progress against that of other players. It's one of the best word game apps for Android and iPhone. The game has an average 4.1 rating on the Google Play store and 4.1 from users on the Apple iTunes store.
Fill the Words Gameplay and Specs
Fill the Words has aspects of several types of word games as part of its gameplay, including crosswords, word search grids, hangman and word/letter combinations. You search for words in a grid of letters and fill them in various chemistry containers such as beakers. The monsters you accumulate will give you hints if you're stuck. As you progress, finding the specific words for each level will become harder and harder.
- Available for: iOS devices 9.0 and up and Android devices 4.4 and up
- Cost: Free with ads
- In-app purchases: Between $1.99 and $3.99
- Multi-player: Single player
- Age range: All ages
- Languages: English, French, German, Portuguese, and Spanish
- File size: 110 MB (iOS) and 27 MB (Android)
Wordbrain 2
Wordbrain 2 looks like many other word games with a grid of letters like a Boggle grid. It's more difficult, however, in that with each game you must find words that fit a set theme, such as "food." The graphics are fun with over 77 unique themes to choose from. The game has over 570 levels, so you'll have plenty of time to have fun solving the word puzzles. GameGavel picks Wordbrain 2 as one of the best word game apps for Android and iOS. The game has over five million installs.
Wordbrain 2 Gameplay and Specs
Each game has a grid of random letters with two empty rows at the bottom. You will get a theme for the game such as "animals" or "space" and then you must find two words that fit the theme and the length of the empty rows. As you increase levels, the grids become larger, making it harder to find words.
- Available for: Android devices 4.1 and later and iOS devices 9.0 and later
- Cost: Free with ads
- In-app purchases: Run between $0.99 and $14.99
- Multi-player: Single player only
- Age range: All ages
- Languages: English
- File size: 28 MB (Android) and 240.3 MB (iOS)
WordFinder
WordFinder isn't exactly a word game app, but if you're a word game app fan you will wonder how you got by without it once you've used it. This handy app helps you to find words when you're stuck. You can check for words that start and end with certain letters or contain them which is perfect for those difficult options like J, X, Q or Z. You can also check both UK and US Scrabble word dictionaries, look up synonyms and related words and even save words that are high scorers for future use. The app also includes useful tips for popular word game apps to help you beat your own scores or the competition.
WordFinder Gameplay and Specs
Use the popular Wordle Word Finder to shave lines off your Wordle score (and beat your friends in this daily word game). There's also a handy list to help you chose the best first word for Wordle to give you even more of an advantage.
In addition to Wordle, there are supports in the app for popular games Words with Friends, Wordscapes, and Scrabble, but it can also be useful for just about any word game app available. You can look up funny titles for games like Word Cookies and find cheats for games like Word Trip and Word Domination. You can also use wildcard tiles to help you find words to play for games with blank tiles like Scrabble. You can also connect with friends through the app.
- Available for: Android devices 4.1 and up and iOS devices; Also available online through your web browser
- Cost: Free with ads
- In-app purchases: Subscriptions for premium membership are $1.99/month or $17.99/year
- Multi-player: Single player
- Age range: All ages
- Languages: English
- File size: 35 MB (Android) and 100.4 MB (iOS)
Playing the Best Word Game Apps
Word games apps are consistently popular on the Google Play and Apple iTunes store because they're fun, challenging and educational. They're accessible to a wide range of players and can be enjoyed across cultures and age groups. Choosing your favorite word game app starts with downloading and playing them by yourself or with friends and seeing which games make you the most eager to fire up your mobile device and play whenever you can!
