# Squares vs SakataGo

The clearest difference is price: Squares at Free against SakataGo's $8.99. Squares also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 18.6). SakataGo's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.6) and update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 5 months). On review sentiment, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Squares is free to download; SakataGo costs $8.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

SakataGo holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 5 and 2 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 79% of Squares's written reviews are positive against 83% of SakataGo's.

Squares ships an update every 5 months, SakataGo every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Squares | SakataGo |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $8.99 |
| Rating | [4.6 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/squares/id287064290/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sakatago/id6755191755/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **5** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 79.2% of reviews | **83.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Paid |
| Size | 21 MB | 554 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 18.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Chris Haynes](https://appshunter.io/developer/286363962) | [Torsten Hefer](https://appshunter.io/developer/1852500527) |

## What reviewers say

### Squares

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/squares/id287064290)

A strategy game inspired by classics like Othello and Reversi. Players take turns copying or moving squares to capture opponent's pieces, aiming to block all possible moves. Enjoy a variety of boards and play modes.

**Highlights:** 125 unique boards, 5 board sizes, 1 and 2-player modes, Play against device or friend, Random board generation, Resume previous games

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and easy to learn gameplay
- 🎮 Highly addictive and engaging
- 💰 Completely free with no ads
- 📱 Works offline without data connection
- 🎨 Clean, simple graphics

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤖 AI is too easy to beat
- ⚖️ Unfair win condition based on last move
- 🔊 Volume control not adjustable
- 🎵 Music interrupts phone's background music
- 🎯 Some levels are unbalanced or unfair

**Reported bugs**

- Game crashes when AI has one move left
- Game freezes during gameplay
- Crashes on app launch in certain versions
- One-player mode exits to home screen
- Incorrect win/loss determination

**Requested features**

- Difficulty levels or harder AI
- Online multiplayer mode
- Custom level/board creation
- More board layouts
- Achievements or tournament mode


### SakataGo

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sakatago/id6755191755)

Play the ancient game of Go offline with a powerful AI engine. Analyze your games, get hints, and adjust AI strength from beginner to superhuman levels. Features realistic board designs and SGF file support for easy sharing and storage.

**Highlights:** Offline KataGo AI engine, Adjustable AI strength, Game analysis and hints, Realistic board and stone design, SGF file support, Multiple board sizes

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Squares free?

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

### Is SakataGo free?

SakataGo costs $8.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Squares or SakataGo?

SakataGo is rated higher. Squares averages 4.6 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while SakataGo averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Squares or SakataGo have ads?

Neither Squares nor SakataGo shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Squares or SakataGo?

Squares ships an update every 5 months, and SakataGo every 5 weeks. Most recently, Squares was updated on November 6, 2026 and SakataGo on November 5, 2026.

---

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