# Mini Chess vs Losing chess

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Mini Chess at 83% against Losing chess's 50%. Mini Chess also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 12 months) and rating (4.6 vs 4.2). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Mini Chess sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Losing chess 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 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Mini Chess has 345 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 83% of Mini Chess's written reviews are positive against 50% of Losing chess's.

Mini Chess ships an update every 3 weeks, Losing chess every 12 months. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and September 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Mini Chess | Losing chess |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (345 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mini-chess-quick-chess/id1048990809/reviews)** | [4.2 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/losing-chess/id1556993151/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **345** | 6 |
| Positive reviews | **82.9% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 12 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 29 MB | 14 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [OutOfTheBit Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/286210012) | [Jan Maes](https://appshunter.io/developer/1550506252) |

## 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)


### Losing chess

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/losing-chess/id1556993151)

Experience a unique chess variant where the goal is to lose all your pieces or be stalemated. Play against AI, solve puzzles, or challenge a friend locally with special rules like compulsory captures and a capturable king.

**Highlights:** Play losing chess against AI, Solve 100 unique puzzles, Local multiplayer mode, Compulsory captures, Capturable king, Pawn promotion to king

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock all features | $1.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Mini Chess free?

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

### Is Losing chess free?

Losing chess is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Mini Chess or Losing chess?

Mini Chess is rated higher. Mini Chess averages 4.6 out of 5 from 345 ratings, while Losing chess averages 4.2 from 6 ratings.

### Do Mini Chess or Losing chess have ads?

Both Mini Chess and Losing chess show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Mini Chess or Losing chess?

Mini Chess ships an update every 3 weeks, and Losing chess every 12 months. Most recently, Mini Chess was updated on October 1, 2026 and Losing chess on September 27, 2026.

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