# Build Up!! vs Pocket Chess

Build Up!! and Pocket Chess both sit at 4.5 stars, but that hides the real split: 61% of Pocket Chess's written reviews are positive against 34% of Build Up!!'s. Pocket Chess also leads on chart position (#117 vs unranked). Build Up!!'s advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Build Up!! sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Pocket Chess sells 7 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for Build Up!! against 4.6 for Pocket Chess. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 16K and 15K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 34% of Build Up!!'s written reviews are positive against 61% of Pocket Chess's.

Build Up!! ships an update fortnightly, Pocket Chess every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Build Up!! | Pocket Chess |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (16K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/build-up/id1453032346/reviews) | **[4.6 (15K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocket-chess/id1580054076/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **16K** | 15K |
| Positive reviews | 34.1% of reviews | **61.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#117** |
| Size | 266 MB | 199 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Voodoo](https://appshunter.io/developer/714804730) | [Lessmore GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1579865033) |

## What reviewers say

### Build Up!!

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/build-up/id1453032346)

Construct your tower as tall as possible by strategically placing building nodes. Collect more nodes as you ascend to reach crucial checkpoints and achieve new heights.

**Highlights:** Build structures high, Gather building nodes, Reach checkpoints, Ascend to new heights

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads. | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and fun game
- 🚀 Runs well with no crashes
- 💰 Free to play

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💸 Excessive ads
- 🐛 Impossible or buggy levels
- 🔁 Repetitive gameplay

**Reported bugs**

- Rivet counter malfunction
- Levels regenerating incorrectly
- Tower physics issues

**Requested features**

- More level variety
- Ability to create custom maps
- Removal of perfect triangle requirement


### Pocket Chess

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocket-chess/id1580054076)

**Currently charting:** #117 Top Free · Board (US App Store)

Enhance your chess skills with hundreds of challenging chess problems and puzzles. This app focuses on simplified boards to help you quickly recognize chess patterns and improve your game.

**Highlights:** Hundreds of chess problems, Checkmate in 2 and 4 puzzles, Simplified boards for pattern recognition, Improve chess game, Learn chess patterns faster

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

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Small Coin Bundle | $1.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads | $4.99 | one-time |
| Starter Package | $4.99 | one-time |
| Event Offer | $4.99 | one-time |
| Medium Coin Bundle | $5.99 | one-time |
| Large Coin Bundle | $11.99 | one-time |
| Super Coin Bundle | $25.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Improved chess skills
- 👍 Challenging yet fun puzzles
- 🤩 Addictive and engaging
- 🧠 Helps develop tactical thinking
- 📈 Tracks progress and skill level

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🙄 Excessive ads
- 💰 Expensive to remove ads
- 🐛 Some puzzles have issues
- 🤔 Opponent moves don't always make sense

**Reported bugs**

- Progress data loss
- Incorrect checkmate solutions
- Game freezing after certain moves

**Requested features**

- Ability to review past puzzles
- More advanced puzzles and levels
- Option to disable audio/music
- Sync progress across devices


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Build Up!! free?

Build Up!! is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Pocket Chess free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Build Up!! or Pocket Chess?

Pocket Chess is rated higher. Build Up!! averages 4.5 out of 5 from 16K ratings, while Pocket Chess averages 4.6 from 15K ratings.

### Do Build Up!! or Pocket Chess have ads?

Both Build Up!! and Pocket Chess show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Build Up!! or Pocket Chess?

Build Up!! ships an update fortnightly, and Pocket Chess every 2 months. Most recently, Build Up!! was updated on October 29, 2026 and Pocket Chess on October 30, 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.*