Comparison

AEA vs Check’d

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

AEA

Engage in a text-based online strategy game to build an empire, manage resources, and battle players globally. Coordinate with allies or taunt enemies through an in-depth chat system.

Highlights
  • Real-time strategy management
  • Turn-based PvP battles
  • Resource management
  • Global map exploration
  • In-depth chat system
Features
Read full description

Embark on a Strategic Journey Like Never Before! Dive into the ultimate text-based online strategy game, where cunning tactics and sharp decisions determine the fate of your empire! Build your civilization from the ground up, gather resources, train a formidable army, and face off against players from around the world in epic battles. Key Features: Real-time Strategy: Manage resources, train units, and upgrade your empire to dominate the battlefield. Epic PvP Battles: Engage in turn-based combat and prove your strategic mastery against other players. Resource Management: Keep your production in check, ensuring you have enough to train soldiers and expand your influence. Global Map: Explore the vast world, conquer territories, and secure vital resources. In-depth Chat System: Coordinate with your allies or taunt your enemies in the game’s lively chat rooms. Are you ready to command and conquer? Build your legacy now! Download today and start your journey to greatness!

About

Check’d

Features
Read full description

Your move, in every message. Check'd brings real chess to iMessage. Start a match inside any conversation, send moves as interactive messages, and keep playing at your own pace. No accounts, no servers, no spam—just pure chess that lives in your chat history. WHAT'S NEW & FUN • Daily Puzzles — 4,462 unique puzzles, daily rotation, UTC‑based streaks, and fastest‑time leaderboards. • Tactical Alerts — Smart on‑board warnings for hanging pieces, forks, pins, and mate threats (consistent in iMessage + companion app). • Big UI refresh — Modern redesigns for Play vs Computer, iMessage, Tutorials, Opening Guide, and FEN export/import. • Seasonal magic — Halloween, Valentine, Easter, and Winter overlays with animated effects. • Name onboarding — A fun, animated “Chess Oracle” name reveal for new and existing players. • Promotion knows the script — Auto‑promotion follows the puzzle’s expected move (Q/R/B/N) when you’re on the correct line. WHY YOU'LL LOVE CHECK'D • Seamless iMessage play — Moves send as messages and update instantly for both players. • Play vs Computer — Practice anytime with smart difficulty and helpful hints. • Interactive tutorials — Learn castling, en passant, and checkmates with mini‑games. • Full chess rules — Castling, en passant, promotions, 50‑move rule, and threefold repetition. • Replay & history — Browse finished games, replay moves, and jump to key moments. • Shareable recap — Create a beautiful recap card with opening, result, rating change, and mini‑board. • Privacy‑first by design — All game state stays on‑device and in the message thread. • Seasonal flair — Snow, hearts, pumpkins, and Easter effects (toggleable). • Fully localized — Available in 12 languages. GET STARTED 1. Install Check'd from the iMessage App Store. 2. Open any conversation and tap the Check'd icon. 3. Make your first move and send. That’s it. PLAY YOUR WAY Enjoy quick casual games or long, thoughtful matches. Check'd is built for real‑life schedules—play when you can, keep the thread alive, and finish the game in days if you want. COMPANION APP Check'd also includes a companion app with extra info, guides, stats, analysis tools, and settings outside iMessage. ACCESSIBILITY Check'd is designed to be usable by everyone: • Full VoiceOver support — Every menu button, chess square, and piece is labeled for screen readers. • Dynamic Type — Text scales with your system font size preferences. • Haptic feedback — Feel confirmation on moves and alerts for invalid actions. • High contrast pieces — Clear distinction between white and black pieces on all board themes. PRO UPGRADE Unlock advanced insights and power features with Check'd Pro: • Takeback requests with smooth slide‑back animation. • Full analytics dashboard: win/loss/draw breakdown, activity heatmap (games & moves), Elo rating + peak + trend, win streaks, shortest/longest game, and piece‑balance records. • Performance insights: white/black performance split and favorite opponents. • Opening insights: full openings list and win‑rate breakdowns. • Critical moments + Journey replay: best move, blunder, and missed‑chance markers with quick playback. • Move assistance toggles: move hints, capture targets, move dots, last‑move highlight, and tactical alerts. • Board control: rotate board to your side. • Extra customization: additional board and piece themes. • FEN export and PGN tools for analysis in other chess apps. • Best Move requests — Ask the engine for help (3 per game) with visual arrows. • Live engine verdicts — See move strength (Best, Good, Blunder) and checkmate status. • Opening Trainer — Train openings right from the analysis list. Made with care in The Netherlands.

Screenshots

AEA4 screens
Check’d4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Check’d at none against AEA's shown. Check’d also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 3 months). AEA's advantage is iOS requirement (15.6 vs 18.0). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. AEA sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month and Check’d sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

AEA ships an update every 3 months, Check’d every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
AEA versus Check’d: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAEACheck’d
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.5 (2 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews58.3% of reviews—
Number of ratings2 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.6 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size45 MB59 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBerke YalcinMarco Janssen

In-app purchases

10 purchases

AEA

Subscriptions1
  • AEA - Premium Membership$7.991 Month
One-time9
  • 100 Emerald$0.99
  • 500 Emerald$0.99
  • 1000 Emerald$0.99
Show 6 more
  • 5000 Emerald$0.99
  • AEA - Starter Package$0.99
  • AEA - Advanced Package$0.99
  • Premium Membership Package$0.99
  • 10000 Emerald$1.99
  • 50000 Emerald$5.99
1 purchases

Check’d

One-time1
  • Check'd Pro$4.99

Questions

Is AEA free?
AEA is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Check’d free?
Check’d is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do AEA or Check’d have ads?
AEA shows ads; Check’d does not.
Which is updated more often, AEA or Check’d?
AEA ships an update every 3 months, and Check’d every 2 weeks. Most recently, AEA was updated on October 17, 2026 and Check’d on October 2, 2026.

Other comparisons