Brainium Sudoku and Good Sudoku are two apps known for hints that teach rather than fill in numbers, so the choice is about what sits around those hints. Pick Brainium if you want a calm, flexible board: auto notes, number painting, landscape play with a left-handed option, and more recent updates. Pick Good Sudoku if you want to go deep: five levels with their techniques spelled out, puzzles that need Jellyfish and XYZ-Wings, ranked dailies and a mode to import your own puzzles. Brainium sells Remove Ads for $11.99; Good Sudoku sells a Full Game Unlock for $4.99.
The App Store facts
| App | Price and ads | Paid options listed | US rating | Last update | Devices |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brainium Sudoku | Free, ads (remove for $11.99) | Remove Ads $11.99 | 4.8 from 161,164 ratings | June 29, 2026 | iPhone, iPad, Apple Vision |
| Good Sudoku | Free, in-app purchases | Full Game Unlock $4.99 | 4.2 from 1,332 ratings | July 21, 2025 | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Vision |
| Sudoku Royale | Free, no in-app purchases | None listed | 4.8 from 11 ratings | October 23, 2026 | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Vision |
From each app's US App Store listing, checked October 26, 2026. Prices and paid items change, so check the listing before you buy.
Brainium has been on the App Store since 2011 and has 161,164 US ratings. Good Sudoku arrived in 2020 from Zach Gage and has 1,332. Brainium's last update was on June 29, 2026; Good Sudoku's was on July 21, 2025.
Feature by feature
| Feature | Brainium Sudoku | Good Sudoku |
|---|---|---|
| Hints | Teach the logic behind the answer, with animations | A solver reads your answers and notes and shows the next technique |
| Difficulty | Five levels, beginner to expert | Five levels, with the techniques for each listed |
| Hardest techniques named | Not in listing | XYZ-Wing, hidden quadruples, Jellyfish, Swordfish |
| Technique practice outside puzzles | Not in listing | Yes, and it tracks which ones you have learned |
| Automatic notes | Auto-Fill Notes and Auto-Clear Notes options | Optional busywork tools; a version note adds auto-notes at puzzle start |
| Checking mistakes | Auto-Check Errors option | Arcade mode uses hearts, per a version note |
| Fast entry | Number Painting fills cells with a number or note | Not in listing |
| Modes | Classic puzzles by level | Good, Arcade and Eternal |
| Daily puzzle | Daily Puzzles with points and gold checkmarks | Three daily modes that get harder through the week |
| Leaderboards | Global and friend | Global, for the dailies |
| Import your own puzzle | Not in listing | Custom mode, with sharing |
| Landscape | Portrait and landscape, left-handed option | Not in listing for iPhone; a version note fixed iPad landscape |
| Keyboard | iPad keyboard compatible | Not in listing |
| Sync | Not in listing | iCloud syncing, per a version note |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Vision | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Vision |
Two kinds of teaching hint
Both apps sell themselves on the hint, and both say it does more than hand you a number. They differ in where the hint starts. Brainium's listing describes a hint that gives you "the techniques you need to make progress", unique to each puzzle and shown with animations and colored visuals. It looks at the puzzle and teaches the next logical step.
Good Sudoku's solver runs while you play and starts from what you have done: your placed numbers and your notes. Its listing says it detects what you already know and helps you find the next technique you need. Starting from your own work makes it closer to a tutor looking over your shoulder. Our best sudoku apps with hints compares hint systems across more apps.
Depth versus comfort
Good Sudoku is the deeper app. It names the techniques for each of its five levels, lets you practise them outside puzzles and keeps track of the ones you have learned. Its hardest puzzles, per its listing, need moves like the Swordfish, Jellyfish and XYZ-Wing. If your goal is to solve puzzles that once looked impossible, that ladder is the reason to choose it.
Brainium is the more comfortable app. Its five levels run from beginner to expert without naming techniques, and its board is the more adjustable: two grid styles, nine backdrops, light or dark grid fonts with adjustable size, Number Painting, and auto notes you can switch on. It plays in portrait or landscape on iPhone and iPad, with a left-handed layout in landscape, and it takes an iPad keyboard. If sudoku is how you unwind, those details matter more than Jellyfish.
Price, ads and upkeep
Brainium is free with ads; its age rating says it contains advertising, and Remove Ads at $11.99 is the item its listing sells. Good Sudoku is free to download with a Full Game Unlock at $4.99. Its listing does not say what the free version leaves out, but a version note mentions its ad system, so expect ads until you pay.
On upkeep the dates speak for themselves: compare June 29, 2026 with July 21, 2025. Brainium's version notes mention hint fixes and an undo for the reset button. Good Sudoku's latest note is bug fixes and daily tournament updates; it reads as a finished design that is maintained, not one that is still growing.
Where Brainium Sudoku is the better pick
- You want auto notes and fast entry. Auto-Fill Notes and Number Painting cut the bookkeeping.
- You play sideways or with a keyboard. Landscape, a left-handed option and iPad keyboard support are all in its listing.
- You compare scores with friends. It has friend as well as global leaderboards.
- You want an app under active development. Compare the last update dates above.
Where Good Sudoku is the better pick
- You want to master advanced techniques. Named techniques per level, separate practice and very hard puzzles.
- You want hints that read your own notes. That is its solver's whole design.
- You solve puzzles from newspapers or books. Custom mode imports them and its hints work on standard puzzles.
- You want a daily that builds through the week. Three daily modes, harder by the weekend, on a global leaderboard.
- You also play on a Mac. Its listing includes Mac; Brainium's does not.
A third option: Sudoku Royale
If you like the idea of a teaching hint but not the ads or the unlock, Sudoku Royale, the app we make, is free with no ads and nothing to buy. Its hint names the technique and the cell, without the number, and links to a lesson; an 88-level Journey and timed Dojo drills teach techniques up to XY-Wing. It lacks what both apps above offer in places: no auto notes, no undo, no landscape on iPhone and no puzzle import, and its hints only work in Practice with a connection. It is also new, with 11 US ratings. If that trade suits you, try Sudoku Royale, or read Sudoku Royale vs Brainium Sudoku and Sudoku Royale vs Good Sudoku. Every other matchup is on the comparisons page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Good Sudoku better than Brainium Sudoku?
For learning advanced techniques, yes: Good Sudoku lists the techniques for each level, lets you practise them separately and has puzzles that need Jellyfish and XYZ-Wings. For a relaxed, adjustable board with auto notes, landscape play and frequent updates, Brainium Sudoku is the better fit.
How much do Brainium Sudoku and Good Sudoku cost?
Both are free to download. Brainium sells "Remove Ads" for $11.99, and Good Sudoku sells a "Full Game Unlock" for $4.99, per their US App Store listings. Both are one-time purchases.
Which app has better hints, Brainium or Good Sudoku?
Both teach the technique rather than revealing the number. Brainium explains the next step with animations. Good Sudoku's solver reads your placed numbers and notes, so its hint starts from what you have already worked out.
Do Brainium Sudoku and Good Sudoku fill in notes automatically?
Brainium lists an Auto-Fill Notes option. Good Sudoku offers optional tools to reduce busywork, and a version note added auto-notes at the start of a puzzle.
Can I play Brainium Sudoku or Good Sudoku in landscape?
Brainium's listing has portrait and landscape play, with a right or left-handed option in landscape. Good Sudoku's listing does not mention landscape on iPhone; a version note fixed landscape mode on iPad.
Is there a free app like Brainium and Good Sudoku without ads?
Sudoku Royale has no ads and no purchases, and its hints name the technique and the cell instead of the number. It has no auto notes or undo, and its techniques stop at XY-Wing and Simple Colouring.