Words With Friends
Words With Friends: A social crossword-style word game with matchmaking and several solo activities. Ranked #23 of 90 in Free iPad Games by our editors (7.2/10); pricing: Free plan; best for word puzzles with friends and solo challenges.
At a glance
- Editor score7.2 / 10
- PricingFree plan
- Best forWord puzzles with friends and solo challenges
- Free planYes
- In-app purchasesYes
- Founded2009
- Facts checked5 Oct 2026
Where it wins
- Play crossword-style letter-tile matches with friends or matched opponents.
- Switch to Solo Challenge or the Word Wheel mini-game.
- Track achievements and goals while earning rewards and customizing tiles.
Where it doesn't
- Optional in-app purchases mean the free download is not the only purchase option.
- Requires iPadOS 15.0 or later.
- Its focus is word puzzles rather than a broad range of game genres.
Our verdict on Words With Friends
Words With Friends is a free-to-download mobile word puzzle game from Zynga Inc. for iPad players who want crossword-style letter-tile matches, either with friends and family or through opponent matchmaking. It also offers solo activities, so it can suit players who want word challenges without arranging a match. The iPad app requires iPadOS 15.0 or later, and optional in-app purchases are available.
Multiplayer is a central part of the offering: players can challenge people they know or use Smart Match to find an opponent. For solo play, Solo Challenge sets players against themed WordMaster characters, while Word Wheel provides a separate mini-game. Daily, weekend, and weekly goals add recurring activities with rewards; achievements and progress tracking give players a record of their progress. Stickers, tile styles, and profile frames provide customization. This combination fits players who want a familiar word-puzzle focus with both social and individual ways to play.
The game remains narrowly centered on word puzzles, rather than offering a variety of genres. Its free download is paired with optional in-app purchases, so players should consider whether they are comfortable with that model. Choose Words With Friends for letter-tile matches, friend challenges, matchmaking, and solo word activities; look elsewhere if you want games outside the word-puzzle genre or need an iPad app that supports an earlier version than iPadOS 15.0.
Words With Friends pricing
Words With Friends fact sheet
| Free plan | Yes |
|---|---|
| Paid from | Not verified |
| In-app purchases | Yes |
| Genre | Puzzle |
| Multiplayer | Yes |
| Offline play | Not verified |
| Controller support | Not verified |
| Minimum iPadOS | 15.0 |
| Deployment | Mobile |
| Platforms | iOS |
| Pricing | Free plan |
| Website | zynga.com |
| Facts checked | 5 Oct 2026 |
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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