# Shogi for beginners vs Shogi ™

The clearest difference is rating: Shogi ™ at 4.5 against Shogi for beginners's 3.5. Shogi ™ also leads on ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (84 vs 19). Shogi for beginners's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 13.0). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Shogi ™ sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Shogi for beginners asks for nothing beyond the download.

Shogi ™ holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 19 and 84 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 35% of Shogi for beginners's written reviews are positive against 41% of Shogi ™'s.

Shogi for beginners ships an update every 10 months, Shogi ™ every 5 months. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Shogi for beginners | Shogi ™ |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.5 (19 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shogi-for-beginners/id1387477303/reviews) | **[4.5 (84 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shogi/id6444690337/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 19 | **84** |
| Positive reviews | 35.3% of reviews | **41.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 10 months | **Every 5 months** |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 45 MB | 72 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [HAREPPO](https://appshunter.io/developer/604325074) | [VM Mobile Team](https://appshunter.io/developer/646128457) |

## What reviewers say

### Shogi for beginners

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shogi-for-beginners/id1387477303)

Learn and play Japanese chess with a simplified board option for beginners. Offers both casual play and authentic Shogi experiences.

**Highlights:** Beginner-friendly small board, Authentic Shogi gameplay, Casual play option, Learn Japanese chess

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Shogi ™

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shogi/id6444690337)

Experience the strategic depth of Shogi, Japan's version of Chess. This app offers a rich gameplay experience with customizable boards, multiple difficulty levels, and the unique mechanic of redeploying captured pieces. Perfect for both beginners and seasoned players.

**Highlights:** Deploy captured pieces, 5 difficulty levels, Customizable board editor, Timer-driven gameplay, Save and load games, Tailored sound effects

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium | $3.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Shogi for beginners free?

Shogi for beginners is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Shogi ™ free?

Shogi ™ is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Shogi for beginners or Shogi ™?

Shogi ™ is rated higher. Shogi for beginners averages 3.5 out of 5 from 19 ratings, while Shogi ™ averages 4.5 from 84 ratings.

### Do Shogi for beginners or Shogi ™ have ads?

Shogi for beginners shows ads; Shogi ™ does not.

### Which is updated more often, Shogi for beginners or Shogi ™?

Shogi for beginners ships an update every 10 months, and Shogi ™ every 5 months. Most recently, Shogi for beginners was updated on October 24, 2026 and Shogi ™ on October 24, 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.*