# Zero Below Zero vs Not Chess

The clearest difference is price: Zero Below Zero at Free against Not Chess's $1.99. Zero Below Zero also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.4) and review sentiment (100% vs 70%). Not Chess's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 6 months). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Zero Below Zero is free to download; Not Chess costs $1.99 up front. Zero Below Zero sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Not Chess asks for nothing beyond the download.

Zero Below Zero holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Not Chess has 265 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Zero Below Zero's written reviews are positive against 70% of Not Chess's.

Zero Below Zero ships an update every 6 months, Not Chess every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Zero Below Zero | Not Chess |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $1.99 |
| Rating | **[5.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zero-below-zero/id1512598160/reviews)** | [4.4 (265 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/not-chess/id1535659343/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 6 | **265** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 69.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Every 4 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | **#184** |
| Size | 4 MB | 43 MB |
| Requires iOS | 14.3 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Omar Fahmy](https://appshunter.io/developer/1512598159) | [Tepes Ovidiu](https://appshunter.io/developer/1225592787) |

## What reviewers say

### Zero Below Zero

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zero-below-zero/id1512598160)

A challenging puzzle game with simple mechanics but extreme difficulty. Achieve a perfect score on free levels to unlock the rest at no cost. No hints are provided, requiring strategic thinking to solve each unique circle-based puzzle.

**Highlights:** Extremely challenging gameplay, Unique circle-based puzzles, Free levels unlockable, No hints provided, Inspired by math puzzles

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock all levels | $3.99 | one-time |


### Not Chess

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/not-chess/id1535659343)

**Currently charting:** #184 Top Paid · Casual (US App Store)

This mind-bending puzzle game uses simplified chess rules. Collect pieces to gain their abilities and strategize your way to the coin. Enjoy a stress-free, offline experience with adjustable difficulty levels and a relaxing soundtrack.

**Highlights:** Piece inheritance mechanics, Coin collection objective, 3 difficulty levels, Zen color palettes, Relaxing soundtrack, Offline play, Haptic feedback

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Enjoyable puzzles
- 🚀 Unique twist on chess
- 💡 Helpful for learning chess basics
- 🎨 Pleasant visuals and animations

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional glitches and bugs
- 🔍 Lack of difficulty progression
- 🕹️ Clunky navigation between levels
- 🎨 Difficulty distinguishing pieces on some levels

**Reported bugs**

- Levels freezing or becoming unsolvable
- Inconsistent difficulty across levels
- Pieces not functioning correctly in some puzzles

**Requested features**

- More levels and increased difficulty
- Option to customize colors and accessibility settings
- Auto-advance to next level after completion
- User-generated puzzles or challenges
- Scoring system and achievements


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Zero Below Zero free?

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

### Is Not Chess free?

Not Chess costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Zero Below Zero or Not Chess?

Zero Below Zero is rated higher. Zero Below Zero averages 5.0 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while Not Chess averages 4.4 from 265 ratings.

### Do Zero Below Zero or Not Chess have ads?

Neither Zero Below Zero nor Not Chess shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Zero Below Zero or Not Chess?

Zero Below Zero ships an update every 6 months, and Not Chess every 4 weeks. Most recently, Zero Below Zero was updated on September 30, 2026 and Not Chess on October 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.*