ChessUp vs zenkari
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
ChessUp
This app enhances your chess experience with a smart chessboard. It offers game archives, analysis, and live AI assistance. Connect to play remote opponents on various platforms.
- Chess game archives
- Game analysis
- Live AI assistance
- Remote opponent play
- BLE connectivity
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ChessUp is a companion app for the ChessUp smart chessboard. The app provides chess game archives and analysis. The app can link with the chessboard over BLE to provide live Ai assistance. The app can also provide an internet connection for the board in order to play remote chess opponents on various chess platforms.
zenkari
A native Akari puzzle game for iPhone and iPad. Place lanterns to light up the board while avoiding conflicts. Offers various puzzle types, daily challenges, and optional Game Center integration.
- Touch-friendly grids with haptics
- Multiple Akari variations
- Procedurally generated puzzles
- Daily challenge with target time
- Optional Game Center integration
- Accessibility features
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zenkari is a native Akari (Light Up) puzzle app for iPhone and iPad. Place lanterns on open cells, satisfy numbered walls, and light the whole board — without two lanterns shining at each other. CLASSIC RULES, MODERN PLAY • Touch-friendly grids with clear feedback, haptics, and optional conflict highlighting • Step-by-step tutorial for new players • Timer, marks, sound, and appearance options (system, light, or dark) PUZZLE VARIETY • Standard Akari plus variations such as coloured light, mirrors, twins, queens (diagonal rays), regional boards, and hex grids • Procedurally generated boards by difficulty and size • Bundled puzzle packs and import support DAILY CHALLENGE & GAME CENTER (OPTIONAL) • A new puzzle each day with a target time • Leaderboards, achievements, and fastest-time previews per board size • Game Center sign-in is optional — core solo play does not require an account ACCESSIBILITY • VoiceOver labels on the grid • Dynamic Type in navigation and settings • Reduce Motion support PRIVACY Saved games, settings, and local progress stay on your device. The app may show ads to help keep zenkari free. See the privacy policy for details on advertising, analytics, and App Tracking Transparency. Akari and Light Up refer to the puzzle type. Nikoli and other third-party names are trademarks of their respective owners.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: zenkari at 100% against ChessUp's 54%. zenkari also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.8). ChessUp's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (2.7K vs 1). On price, update cadence, 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
zenkari holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ChessUp has 2.7K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 54% of ChessUp's written reviews are positive against 100% of zenkari's.
ChessUp ships an update every 2 weeks, zenkari every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | ChessUp | zenkari |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (2.7K ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 54.5% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 2.7K — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Every 10 days — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free — better | Ad-supported |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 16 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 218 MB | 35 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Bryght Labs Inc. | JEREMY S WEBER |
Customer experience
ChessUp
zenkari
Bugs and requests
ChessUp
Reported bugs
6 issues- Moves not registering
- Bluetooth connectivity issues
- Crashes and freezes
- Sync issues between app and board
- Lessons not working properly
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- Chess.com integration problems
Requested features
5 requests- Add chess openings lessons
- Implement position setup and export/import
- Add post-game review mechanism
- Improve AI difficulty scaling
- Add chess puzzles
zenkari
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
ChessUp
No in-app purchases
zenkari
No in-app purchases









