# Mini Chess vs Mini Chess 5x5

The clearest difference is rating: Mini Chess at 4.6 against Mini Chess 5x5's 3.5. Mini Chess also leads on review sentiment (83% vs 43%) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 12 months). Mini Chess 5x5's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Mini Chess sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Mini Chess 5x5 sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Mini Chess holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 345 and 79 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 83% of Mini Chess's written reviews are positive against 43% of Mini Chess 5x5's.

Mini Chess ships an update every 3 weeks, Mini Chess 5x5 every 12 months. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Mini Chess | Mini Chess 5x5 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (345 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mini-chess-quick-chess/id1048990809/reviews)** | [3.5 (79 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mini-chess-5x5/id1457707362/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **345** | 79 |
| Positive reviews | **82.9% of reviews** | 43.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 12 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 29 MB | 10 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [OutOfTheBit Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/286210012) | [Golmium](https://appshunter.io/developer/887238485) |

## What reviewers say

### Mini Chess

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mini-chess-quick-chess/id1048990809)

Enjoy a simplified, faster version of chess on your mobile device. Play against AI or a friend on a smaller board with fewer pieces. Ideal for beginners and quick matches.

**Highlights:** Simplified 6x6 chessboard, Fewer pieces (no knights/bishops), Play against 3 AI levels, Local multiplayer mode, Quick matches, Beginner-friendly

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast-paced, quick gameplay
- 👍 Easy to learn and beginner-friendly
- 🎮 Addictive and fun
- 💡 Innovative simplified chess concept
- ⚙️ Multiple difficulty levels

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Check notification animation interrupts gameplay flow
- 😴 Gets repetitive and stale quickly
- 🤖 AI makes too many mistakes, even on hard mode
- 📺 Excessive and intrusive ads
- ⚖️ Unfair perpetual check mechanics

**Reported bugs**

- Checkmate declared incorrectly with viable moves available
- Queen positioned on wrong color
- AI allows illegal moves to prevent player from winning
- Stalemate not handled correctly
- Perpetual check rules unfairly favor opponent

**Requested features**

- Add Knights and Bishops to piece options
- Alternative piece combinations (2 Rooks + 2 Bishops)
- Randomized starting positions
- Landscape mode for iPad
- Random color assignment (white/black alternation)


### Mini Chess 5x5

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mini-chess-5x5/id1457707362)

Experience a unique chess variant on a 5x5 board. Play against AI with adjustable difficulty or use it as a physical board for two players. Enjoy a streamlined chess experience with simplified rules.

**Highlights:** 5x5 chess board variant, Play against computer AI, Multiple AI difficulty levels, Two-player mode, Simplified chess rules

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mini Chess 5x5 full version | $0.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Mini Chess free?

Mini Chess is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Mini Chess 5x5 free?

Mini Chess 5x5 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Mini Chess or Mini Chess 5x5?

Mini Chess is rated higher. Mini Chess averages 4.6 out of 5 from 345 ratings, while Mini Chess 5x5 averages 3.5 from 79 ratings.

### Do Mini Chess or Mini Chess 5x5 have ads?

Mini Chess shows ads; Mini Chess 5x5 does not.

### Which is updated more often, Mini Chess or Mini Chess 5x5?

Mini Chess ships an update every 3 weeks, and Mini Chess 5x5 every 12 months. Most recently, Mini Chess was updated on October 1, 2026 and Mini Chess 5x5 on October 5, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*