# Mini Chess 5x5 vs Halfchess

The clearest difference is update cadence: Halfchess at every 3 weeks against Mini Chess 5x5's every 12 months. Halfchess also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 18.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Mini Chess 5x5 sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Halfchess sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Mini Chess 5x5 ships an update every 12 months, Halfchess every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Mini Chess 5x5 | Halfchess |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.5 (79 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mini-chess-5x5/id1457707362/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **79** | — |
| Positive reviews | 43.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 12 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 10 MB | 49 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Golmium](https://appshunter.io/developer/887238485) | [naval saini](https://appshunter.io/developer/1014367289) |

## What reviewers say

### Mini Chess 5x5

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mini-chess-5x5/id1457707362)

Experience a unique chess variant on a 5x5 board. Play against AI with adjustable difficulty or use it as a physical board for two players. Enjoy a streamlined chess experience with simplified rules.

**Highlights:** 5x5 chess board variant, Play against computer AI, Multiple AI difficulty levels, Two-player mode, Simplified chess rules

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mini Chess 5x5 full version | $0.99 | one-time |


### Halfchess

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/halfchess-daily-chess-puzzles/id6761184005)

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Extra Attempts | $0.99 | one-time |
| Halfchess Pass — 30 Days | $1.99 | one-time |
| Halfchess Pass — 1 Year | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Mini Chess 5x5 free?

Mini Chess 5x5 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Halfchess free?

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

### Do Mini Chess 5x5 or Halfchess have ads?

Neither Mini Chess 5x5 nor Halfchess shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Mini Chess 5x5 or Halfchess?

Mini Chess 5x5 ships an update every 12 months, and Halfchess every 3 weeks. Most recently, Mini Chess 5x5 was updated on November 6, 2026 and Halfchess on November 9, 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.*