# SHGBackgammon vs Backgammon Mastery

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: SHGBackgammon at none against Backgammon Mastery's 2. SHGBackgammon also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.6). Backgammon Mastery's advantage is update cadence (every 9 days vs every 6 weeks). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Backgammon Mastery sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. SHGBackgammon asks for nothing beyond the download.

SHGBackgammon ships an update every 6 weeks, Backgammon Mastery every 9 days. Both last shipped on October 10, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | SHGBackgammon | Backgammon Mastery |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 9 days** |
| Size | 45 MB | 133 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 16.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Safe Harbor Games, LP](https://appshunter.io/developer/1457325518) | [Freddie Noer](https://appshunter.io/developer/1771039310) |

## What reviewers say

### SHGBackgammon

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shgbackgammon/id1457325519)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Backgammon Mastery

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backgammon-mastery/id6739251446)

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly subscription | $3.99 | per month |
| Annual subscription | $34.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SHGBackgammon free?

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

### Is Backgammon Mastery free?

Backgammon Mastery is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do SHGBackgammon or Backgammon Mastery have ads?

Neither SHGBackgammon nor Backgammon Mastery shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SHGBackgammon or Backgammon Mastery?

SHGBackgammon ships an update every 6 weeks, and Backgammon Mastery every 9 days. Most recently, SHGBackgammon was updated on October 10, 2026 and Backgammon Mastery on October 10, 2026.

---

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