Sudoku.com is the most rated sudoku app on the US App Store, with 1.87 million ratings. It is free with ads, and its listing sells a Sudoku.com No Ads purchase for $14.99. Sudoku Royale is free with no ads and nothing to buy, and it teaches the techniques behind harder puzzles. It is also new: it launched in 2026 and has 11 US ratings so far. Both play the same classic 9x9 sudoku. The differences are in what surrounds the grid: ads, hints, variants, devices and what you can learn.
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.com | Free, ads (remove for $14.99) | Sudoku.com No Ads $14.99 | 4.8 from 1.87 million ratings | October 16, 2026 | iPhone, iPad |
From each app's US App Store listing, checked October 26, 2026. Prices and paid items change, so check the listing before you buy.
Feature by feature
| Feature | Sudoku Royale | Sudoku.com |
|---|---|---|
| Ads | None | Yes, removable with a one-time purchase |
| Difficulty levels | Six: Easy to Extreme | Several, from easy to expert |
| Notes | Manual, cleared automatically when you place a number | Manual, updated automatically when you fill a cell |
| Mistakes | Every number is checked as you place it | Auto-check you can switch on or off |
| Hints | Names the technique and the cell, links to its lesson | Hints when you get stuck |
| Learning | 88-level Journey, Dojo drills, Sensei coach | Not a focus |
| Daily puzzle | Daily Challenge with streaks, leaderboard and archive | Daily Challenges with trophies |
| Events | Weekly Belts league | Seasonal events with medals |
| Variants | Classic 9x9 only | Classic in this app; Killer Sudoku is a separate app |
| Playing with others | Optional live matches and friend games | None |
| Android | No | Yes |
Ads: the main reason people switch
Sudoku.com is free because it shows ads. Its age rating on the App Store says it contains advertising, and the only purchase its listing shows is the Sudoku.com No Ads upgrade at $14.99. If you play every day for years, that one payment is fair value. If you do not want to pay to get rid of ads, Sudoku Royale has none to begin with, and no purchases or subscription either. The cosmetic items in it (avatar outfits) cost shurikens you earn by solving, not money.
Hints and learning
Sudoku.com's helpers make a puzzle easier: hints, auto-check and highlighting duplicate numbers. They get you unstuck, but they do not set out to teach you anything.
Sudoku Royale's hint works differently. In Practice, after about 90 seconds without progress a bulb lights up. It shows you which cell to look at and names the technique that solves it, a hidden single or a pointing pair, without giving you the number. The Journey teaches one technique per chapter over 88 levels, and the Dojo drills each pattern until you spot it quickly. If you have been stuck at Sudoku.com's expert level for a while, this is the part that gets you past it.
Where Sudoku.com is the better pick
- You play on Android. Sudoku Royale is iPhone and iPad only.
- You want to choose whether mistakes are checked. Sudoku.com lets you turn auto-check off and find your own errors. Sudoku Royale always checks.
- You want killer sudoku. Easybrain makes Killer Sudoku by Sudoku.com as a separate app. Sudoku Royale has classic sudoku only.
- You want a long track record. Sudoku.com has been on the App Store since 2017 and has 1.87 million ratings. Sudoku Royale came out in 2026.
Where Sudoku Royale is the better pick
- No ads, without paying. Nothing to remove and nothing to buy.
- Harder top levels. Master and Extreme sit above Expert, and each unlocks after a few solves at the level below.
- Hints that teach. Technique names and lessons instead of answers. See the best sudoku apps for beginners for how the teaching apps compare.
- A daily puzzle you can compare. The Daily Challenge has a leaderboard with friends and the world, streaks, and an archive of past days.
- Something to do with friends, if you want it. A weekly belt league, and optional live games on one shared grid. Nothing on the solo side depends on them.
Which should you choose?
If you are happy with Sudoku.com and the ads do not bother you, there is no reason to move: it is a polished app with a huge library. If the ads are why you are reading this, or you want to get better rather than just solve more, try Sudoku Royale. For more options, see our Sudoku.com alternatives, the best sudoku apps with no ads and every matchup on the comparisons page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sudoku.com free?
Yes, Sudoku.com is free to download and play, with ads. Its App Store listing sells a "Sudoku.com No Ads" purchase for $14.99 that removes them.
Is Sudoku Royale really free with no ads?
Yes. Sudoku Royale has no ads, no in-app purchases and no subscription. Every level, the Daily Challenge, the Journey and the Dojo are free from the first launch, and you do not need an account.
Which app has harder puzzles?
Sudoku Royale's top levels, Master and Extreme, go above an Expert level, and its hardest puzzles need techniques like X-Wing and XY-Wing. Sudoku.com also has expert puzzles. If you want hard puzzles with help learning the techniques, Sudoku Royale's lessons and drills are the difference.
Does Sudoku Royale have killer sudoku like Sudoku.com?
No. Sudoku Royale is classic 9x9 sudoku only. Sudoku.com's maker publishes Killer Sudoku as a separate app.
Can I play Sudoku Royale on Android?
Not yet. Sudoku Royale runs on iPhone and iPad. Sudoku.com is on both iOS and Android.
Does Sudoku Royale have undo?
No. Sudoku Royale checks each number as you place it and rejects a wrong one, so a mistake never stays on the board, but there is no undo button.