# 4x4 Chess vs ChessUp

The clearest difference is review sentiment: 4x4 Chess at 100% against ChessUp's 54%. 4x4 Chess also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.8) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16). ChessUp's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 7 months). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

4x4 Chess holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ChessUp has 2.7K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of 4x4 Chess's written reviews are positive against 54% of ChessUp's.

4x4 Chess ships an update every 7 months, ChessUp every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | 4x4 Chess | ChessUp |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/4x4-chess/id1329346327/reviews)** | [4.8 (2.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chessup/id1588782312/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 3 | **2.7K** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 54.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | **Free** |
| Size | 37 MB | 218 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 16 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Daisuke Shinzato](https://appshunter.io/developer/1329176830) | [Bryght Labs Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1588782314) |

## What reviewers say

### 4x4 Chess

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/4x4-chess/id1329346327)

Experience a fast-paced, simplified version of chess on a 4x4 board. Games conclude in about a minute, making it perfect for quick play sessions. This accessible variant is designed for both beginners and experienced players seeking a new challenge.

**Highlights:** 4x4 chessboard, Random piece arrangement, Quick 1-minute games, Beginner-friendly gameplay, Accessible chess variant

**In-app purchases:** none


### ChessUp

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chessup/id1588782312)

This app enhances your chess experience with a smart chessboard. It offers game archives, analysis, and live AI assistance. Connect to play remote opponents on various platforms.

**Highlights:** Chess game archives, Game analysis, Live AI assistance, Remote opponent play, BLE connectivity

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great app and board
- 👍 Fantastic board to learn and improve game
- 🚀 Awesome chess experience
- 👍 Wonderful app
- 👍 Incredible learning tool

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Lots of bugs and glitches
- 🐛 Crashes and connectivity issues
- 🐛 Misleading marketing and unfinished product
- 🐛 Haptics issues and unresponsive interface
- 🐛 AI difficulty imbalanced

**Reported bugs**

- Moves not registering
- Bluetooth connectivity issues
- Crashes and freezes
- Sync issues between app and board
- Lessons not working properly

**Requested features**

- Add chess openings lessons
- Implement position setup and export/import
- Add post-game review mechanism
- Improve AI difficulty scaling
- Add chess puzzles


## Frequently asked questions

### Is 4x4 Chess free?

4x4 Chess is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is ChessUp free?

ChessUp is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, 4x4 Chess or ChessUp?

4x4 Chess is rated higher. 4x4 Chess averages 5.0 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while ChessUp averages 4.8 from 2.7K ratings.

### Do 4x4 Chess or ChessUp have ads?

4x4 Chess shows ads; ChessUp does not.

### Which is updated more often, 4x4 Chess or ChessUp?

4x4 Chess ships an update every 7 months, and ChessUp every 2 weeks. Most recently, 4x4 Chess was updated on October 12, 2026 and ChessUp on October 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.*