Comparison
Spider solitaire apps compared: difficulty, card size and ads
We make one of the apps in this comparison — Spider Odyssey — and we say plainly below where a different app is the better choice. This page compares Spider solitaire apps on the things that actually differ between them: suit-count difficulty, card and text size, ad model, offline play and which platforms they run on. Ranked on what you can check yourself, rather than on price or star rating, which change constantly.
- Suit count is the real difficulty dial in Spider — one suit is gentle, two is the classic middle ground, four is the traditional expert game. Spider Odyssey puts all three on the difficulty screen: Easy · 1 Suit, Medium · 2 Suits, Hard · 4 Suits.
- Traditional Spider always uses four suits; a one-suit or two-suit option is a deliberate easier mode that some apps add.
- Card and text size vary independently — an app can draw large cards and still leave menus and counters small.
- Spider Odyssey is iPhone and iPad only. If you are on Android, you need a different app, and we say so rather than let you find out after downloading.
- Spider Odyssey is free, offline, needs no account, offers 1/2/4-suit difficulty and uses large, high-contrast cards — it sits inside the table below, not above it.
What actually differs between Spider solitaire apps
Spider is Spider — the rules are the same in every app. What changes is everything around the rules.
- Suit-count difficulty — whether you can choose one, two or four suits, or whether the app locks you into one difficulty.
- Card and text size — whether cards are drawn large by default and whether surrounding text scales independently.
- Ad model — banner, interstitial or rewarded video, and how often it interrupts a deal.
- Offline play — whether the game needs a connection to deal.
- Platform — iOS, Android, or both. Easy to overlook and the first thing that rules an app out entirely.
| App or category | Suit-count difficulty | Ad model | Card and text size | Offline play | Platform |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Most free ad-supported Spider apps | Usually four-suit only; a choice of suit count is less common than in Klondike apps | Typically banner and interstitial ads; a one-time remove-ads purchase is common | Standard card size in most cases; text scaling varies by app | Usually yes for the core game | Varies — most publish to both iOS and Android, some to only one |
| Big bundled suites (e.g. Microsoft Solitaire Collection) | Traditionally offers the classic four-suit game as one mode among several card games | Free tier is typically ad-supported; some offer an ad-free tier through a broader subscription | Standard card size, with several game modes bundled into one app | Core play generally works offline; daily challenges and stats sync typically need a connection | Widely available across iOS, Android and desktop |
| Apps offering only the traditional four-suit game | Four-suit only, no easier option | Varies by app | Varies by app | Varies by app | Varies by app |
| Spider Odyssey (ours) | Choice of one, two or four suits | Ad-supported, with a one-time Remove Ads purchase available inside the app | Extra-large, high-contrast cards by default; text size independently adjustable up to extra large | Yes — plays entirely on-device, no connection needed | iPhone and iPad only — no Android version |
| Paid, one-time-purchase Spider apps | Varies by app | Typically none, since the purchase price replaces ad revenue | Varies by app — card size is independent of price | Usually yes | Varies by app |
Where a different Spider app is the better pick
Spider Odyssey runs on iPhone and iPad, so Android players should choose from the ad-supported category above. If you want several card games bundled into one app with cross-device stats, a suite such as Microsoft Solitaire Collection suits you better than a single-game app built around large-print cards and a difficulty toggle.
Why suit count is the real difficulty setting
Traditional Spider is played with four suits and a full 104-card double deck, and it is genuinely difficult — a movable run has to match suit exactly, not just alternate colour, which hides far more of the board than Klondike ever does. One-suit Spider removes that constraint: every card can eventually extend the same sequence, so it plays closer to a gentle sorting puzzle than the traditional game. Two-suit sits between the two. An app that only offers the traditional four-suit game is offering the hardest version by default, whether or not that is stated clearly on the store page — worth checking before you assume "Spider solitaire" means the easy version.
How to choose
- New to Spider, or want a relaxed game: look for an app that offers one-suit or two-suit difficulty rather than only the traditional four-suit game.
- You want the traditional challenge: four-suit is standard on most Spider apps, ours included.
- You are on Android: Spider Odyssey runs on iPhone and iPad, so look at the ad-supported category above.
- You want several card games in one app: a bundled suite will serve you better than a single-game app.
- Large cards and no account matter most to you, and you are on iPhone or iPad: our Spider Odyssey page has the details.
How we compared these
Ranked on what you can check yourself: suit-count difficulty, ad model, card and text size, offline play and platform. Price and star rating stay out, because both change constantly. Where we name a specific app we describe its category, so the table stays accurate as vendors ship updates. Every outbound link is editorial. We make Spider Odyssey, it sits inside the table rather than above it, and we name above the cases where a different app is genuinely the better pick — including Android, where Spider Odyssey leaves the field to others.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between 1-suit, 2-suit and 4-suit Spider?
The difference is how many different suits are in the deck the game deals from. One-suit Spider uses only spades, so every card you see can eventually build a run with every other card — it is the easiest version. Two-suit adds hearts, and four-suit uses a full standard deck with all four suits, which is the traditional and hardest version, since a run can only be built and moved as a matching-suit sequence. Most players who are new to Spider start at one suit and move up only when they want more of a challenge.
Do all Spider solitaire apps let you choose the difficulty?
Some apps offer only the traditional four-suit game, some offer a single fixed difficulty, and some let you choose between one, two and four suits. Spider Odyssey offers all three — Easy · 1 Suit, Medium · 2 Suits, Hard · 4 Suits — so check the difficulty options in the store listing before you install.
Is Spider solitaire harder than Klondike?
Traditional four-suit Spider is generally considered harder than Klondike, because more cards are hidden at the start and building a movable run requires matching suit, not just alternating colour. One-suit Spider, on the other hand, is often easier than Klondike for a new player, since every card can eventually extend the same single-suit sequence.
Does Spider Odyssey work on Android?
No. Spider Odyssey is currently iPhone and iPad only, running on iOS 16 or later. An Android player will need a different app — we say so plainly in the comparison table below rather than leaving it for you to discover after searching Google Play.
Is Spider Odyssey free?
Yes. Spider Odyssey is free to download on the App Store. The free version shows ads, and a one-time Remove Ads purchase is available inside the app.
What should I check before installing a Spider solitaire app?
Whether it offers a suit-count choice or only the traditional four-suit game, whether the cards and text are large enough to read comfortably, whether it needs an internet connection to play, and what its ad model actually looks like once you open it, rather than what the store listing implies. None of this shows up reliably in a star rating.
If you want the one we make
Spider Odyssey is free Spider solitaire with three difficulty tiers — Easy · 1 Suit, Medium · 2 Suits, Hard · 4 Suits — where every deal is winnable, plus a fresh Today's Deal each day, extra-large high-contrast four-colour cards, adjustable text size, unlimited undo and no timers. It plays offline on iPhone and iPad.