# Chess5x5 vs Active Chess

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Chess5x5 at none against Active Chess's 3. Chess5x5 also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs every 39 months) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.0). Active Chess's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Active Chess sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days. Chess5x5 asks for nothing beyond the download.

Chess5x5 ships an update every 4 days, Active Chess every 39 months. The most recent releases landed on October 2, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess5x5 | Active Chess |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/active-chess/id6449165496/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **1** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Every 39 months |
| Monetization | — | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 54 MB | 4 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [BLOSSOMMOON](https://appshunter.io/developer/1620907356) | [Alexey Polunin](https://appshunter.io/developer/1541894864) |

## What reviewers say

### Chess5x5

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess5x5/id1661617775)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Active Chess

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/active-chess/id6449165496)

Experience a unique chess variant with randomized starting positions and modified rules for dynamic gameplay. Develop your strategic thinking and planning skills in this engaging board game.

**Highlights:** Randomized starting positions, Modified chess rules, Strategic gameplay, Cognitive skill development, Choice of board sizes, Play against a chess bot

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlimited Positions 1 Week | $0.99 | per 7 days |
| Unlimited Positions 1 Month | $1.99 | per month |
| Unlimited Positions 3 Month | $4.99 | per 3 months |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chess5x5 free?

Chess5x5 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Active Chess free?

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

### Do Chess5x5 or Active Chess have ads?

Chess5x5 shows ads; Active Chess does not.

### Which is updated more often, Chess5x5 or Active Chess?

Chess5x5 ships an update every 4 days, and Active Chess every 39 months. Most recently, Chess5x5 was updated on October 2, 2026 and Active Chess on September 23, 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.*