Tripledot Sudoku Alternatives Without Ads

Tripledot Sudoku gives you a lot of control over how you play: unlimited undo, auto-check you can switch off, an optional three-mistake limit, notes that update themselves and six skins. It also shows ads (its App Store age rating says so) and its listing shows no purchase to remove them. No single alternative copies every toggle without ads. Brainium and Sudoku.com come closest on settings, with a one-time payment to drop the ads. Sudoku Royale has no ads and costs nothing, but it trades some of those switches for a fixed way of playing.

That trade is the real decision on this page. Tripledot, around since 2018 and with 104,197 US ratings, is built around letting you set the game up your way. Before you switch, decide which of its settings you actually use, then pick the app that keeps those.

The App Store facts

From each app's US App Store listing, checked October 26, 2026. Prices and paid items change, so check the listing before you buy.

Tripledot's settings, and who else has them

Each row is one of the features in Tripledot's own listing. The cells say what each alternative's listing claims; "not in listing" means the listing is silent, not that the feature is missing.

If you want every toggle: Brainium or Sudoku.com

Brainium Sudoku is the closest match for someone who likes switches. Its listing has separate options for auto-filling notes, auto-clearing them and checking errors, plus number painting, landscape play with a left-handed layout, and keyboard support on iPad. It shows ads until you buy Remove Ads ($11.99). We compare it in detail in Sudoku Royale vs Brainium.

Sudoku.com has the same core trio as Tripledot: auto-check you can turn off, notes that update when you fill a cell, and duplicate highlighting. It adds daily trophies and seasonal events. It is also free with ads, and Sudoku.com No Ads costs $14.99. See Sudoku.com alternatives if that price puts you off.

If you want no ads and no purchase: Sudoku Royale

Sudoku Royale has no ads and nothing to buy, ever. What you give up compared with Tripledot is choice over the rules:

• No undo. Every number is checked as you place it and a wrong one is rejected, so you never build on a mistake. If you play by trying a number and taking it back, you will miss undo.
• Checking cannot be turned off. Tripledot's free-form mode, where you find your own errors, has no equivalent. Our guide on finding mistakes in sudoku covers that skill on paper.
• Fewer looks. Light, dark or follow the system, not six skins.

What you get in return: two levels above Expert (Master and Extreme), a hint that names the technique instead of filling the cell, and lessons. The Dojo drills single patterns such as naked pairs against the clock, and the Daily Challenge has an archive of past days and a leaderboard. Tripledot's listing mentions best times and streaks per level, which Sudoku Royale's profile stats also track.

Two more worth a look

Good Sudoku has "optional tools to reduce busywork" and a hint system that looks at your notes to work out which technique you are missing. Its listing sells a Full Game Unlock for $4.99. It suits players who found Tripledot's expert level too easy.

Sudoku by MobilityWare+ has no ads because it is an Apple Arcade game. It starts you on smaller, colored grids and lets you switch to a classic black and white board. If you already pay for Arcade, it is the zero-extra-cost option.

When to stay with Tripledot

• Undo is how you play. Tripledot lists unlimited undo; Sudoku Royale has none.
• You want the mistake limit as a challenge you choose. Tripledot makes it optional in every game. In Sudoku Royale only the Daily Challenge has lives.
• You play on Android too. Sudoku Royale is iPhone and iPad only.
• The ads do not bother you. Then there is little reason to move from an app that does the basics well.

The short version

Keep all your settings and pay once: Brainium. Keep the familiar Sudoku.com-style toolset and pay once: Sudoku.com. Pay nothing and see no ads, accepting always-on checking and no undo: download Sudoku Royale. Woodoku players from the same studio can look at our Woodoku alternatives, and the rest of our matchups are on the comparisons hub.