Sudoku Blast! is a well-rated, simple classic sudoku app that shows ads (its App Store age rating says so) and sells weekly, monthly and yearly subscriptions. Its listing does not say what a subscription unlocks. Sudoku Royale plays the same 9x9 puzzles with no ads and nothing to subscribe to, and adds hints that name the technique you need. Pick Sudoku Blast! if you want a long-running app in your own language; pick Sudoku Royale if you want the puzzles without ads or a plan to pay for.
Sudoku Blast! has been on the App Store since 2022 and holds 4.9 from 76,426 ratings in the US, so plenty of people are happy with it. Sudoku Royale launched in 2026 and has 11 US ratings so far. This page sets out what each listing actually promises, because Sudoku Blast!'s is short and easy to over-read.
The App Store facts
| App | Price and ads | Paid options listed | US rating | Last update | Devices |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sudoku Royale | Free, no in-app purchases | None listed | 4.8 from 11 ratings | October 23, 2026 | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Vision |
| Sudoku Blast! | Free, ads, in-app purchases | 1 Week Subscribe $1.49, 1 Month Subscribe $3.99, 1 Year Subscribe $19.99 | 4.9 from 76,426 ratings | October 10, 2026 | iPhone, iPad, 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.
What each app gives you at the grid
Sudoku Blast!'s listing names six features: thousands of puzzles, a clean design, hints, pencil notes, daily challenges and a progression from easy to advanced. Anything not in that list (undo, auto-check, the number of difficulty levels) is marked as not stated below, which means the listing is silent, not that the feature is missing.
| Feature | Sudoku Royale | Sudoku Blast! |
|---|---|---|
| Ads | None | Yes, per its age rating |
| Paid options | None: no purchases, no subscription | 1 Week Subscribe $1.49, 1 Month Subscribe $3.99, 1 Year Subscribe $19.99 |
| Puzzle library | About 500,000 puzzles | "Thousands", per its listing |
| Difficulty levels | Six, Easy to Extreme, unlocked in order | Easy to advanced; count not stated |
| Hints | Names the technique and the cell, links to a lesson | "Helpful hints" |
| Notes | Manual, cleared from the row, column and box when you place a number | Pencil notes |
| Mistakes | Checked on entry, a wrong number is rejected | Not stated |
| Undo | No | Not stated |
| Daily puzzle | Daily Challenge with streaks, leaderboard and archive | Daily challenges |
| Learning path | 88-level Journey, Dojo drills, Sensei coach | Not stated |
| App language | English only | 41 languages listed |
| Oldest iOS supported | iOS 17.0 | iOS 13.0 |
The subscription question
The paid items Apple lists for Sudoku Blast! are: 1 Week Subscribe $1.49, 1 Month Subscribe $3.99, 1 Year Subscribe $19.99. Those are recurring plans, and the listing gives no description of them. We could not confirm whether they remove ads, add hints or both, so read the in-app paywall before you subscribe. Apple's privacy label for the app also lists data used for third-party advertising.
Sudoku Royale has no paywall to read. There is no store selling anything for money; the one shop in the app sells avatar outfits for shurikens, a currency you earn by solving. You do not need an account either: you start as a guest and can sign in later if you want your progress on another device. If a free app without a subscription is your main filter, our sudoku apps without a subscription page compares the rest.
Hints: unstuck versus taught
Sudoku Blast! describes its hints as a way "to guide your solving process". That is all the listing says. Sudoku Royale's hint is built to make you need it less: in Practice, after about 90 seconds without progress, a bulb lights up, points at a cell and tells you which technique solves it, for example a hidden single or a naked pair. It does not reveal the number. The lesson for that technique is one tap away, and the Dojo turns each pattern into short timed drills. Two limits to know: the hint works only in Practice, and it needs an internet connection.
Daily play
Sudoku Blast!'s recent update notes call it "your daily Sudoku ritual", and the listing includes daily challenges with fresh puzzles. Sudoku Royale's Daily Challenge is one puzzle a day with a streak counter, a leaderboard against friends and the world, and an archive of past days to catch up on. It gives you three lives; after the third mistake the run is unranked but you can still finish it. It needs a connection, while Practice puzzles you have already downloaded play offline.
Where Sudoku Blast! is the better pick
- You want the app in your language. Sudoku Blast! lists 41 languages. Sudoku Royale's app is in English only.
- Your iPhone is older. Sudoku Blast! supports iOS 13.0 and later; Sudoku Royale needs iOS 17.0.
- You want a long track record. It has years of updates and 76,426 US ratings behind it.
- You do not mind ads, or you are happy to subscribe. Then the main argument for switching goes away.
Where Sudoku Royale is the better pick
- No ads and no plan to cancel later. Everything is free from the first launch.
- A clear ladder of difficulty. Six levels, with Master and Extreme above Expert, each unlocked by solving at the level below. See how that compares in sudoku apps with levels.
- You want to get better, not just solve more. The Journey teaches one technique per chapter over 88 levels.
- Optional company. A weekly belt league and live games with friends exist if you want them. Nothing in solo play depends on them.
The short version
If Sudoku Blast! already works for you and the ads are tolerable, staying is reasonable. If the ads or the subscription prompts are what brought you here, download Sudoku Royale and play the same classic puzzles without them. For other options, read our Sudoku Blast alternatives, the best sudoku apps with no ads, or browse every matchup on the comparisons page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sudoku Blast! free?
It is free to download. Its App Store age rating says it contains advertising. The paid items Apple lists are 1 Week Subscribe $1.49, 1 Month Subscribe $3.99, 1 Year Subscribe $19.99. The listing does not describe what those subscriptions include.
What does the Sudoku Blast! subscription remove?
The App Store listing does not say. It names the plans and their prices but no benefits, so check the screen inside the app before you subscribe. Sudoku Royale has no subscription and no ads, so there is nothing to compare it against there.
Is Sudoku Blast! a good sudoku app?
Its US App Store rating is 4.9 from 76,426 ratings, so most players like it. Its listing is short: thousands of puzzles, hints, pencil notes and daily challenges. If you want hints that teach techniques or a higher top difficulty, look at a teaching app such as Sudoku Royale.
Does Sudoku Royale have undo?
No. Sudoku Royale checks each number when you place it and rejects a wrong one, so mistakes never stay on the board, but there is no undo button for notes or moves.
Can I play Sudoku Royale offline?
Partly. Practice puzzles already downloaded for a level play offline, and Journey challenges work offline once the map has loaded. The Daily Challenge, the Dojo, hints and Belts need a connection.
Is Sudoku Royale available in other languages?
Not yet. The app is in English only, although its store listing is translated. Sudoku Blast! lists 41 languages, which is a real advantage if you prefer to play in yours.