# Shanghai Mahjong Lite vs Mahjong Challenges

The clearest difference is rating: Mahjong Challenges at 4.8 against Shanghai Mahjong Lite's 3.7. Shanghai Mahjong Lite's advantage is review sentiment (59% vs 29%) and update cadence (every 5 months vs every 34 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Shanghai Mahjong Lite sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and Mahjong Challenges sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Mahjong Challenges holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Shanghai Mahjong Lite has 549 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 59% of Shanghai Mahjong Lite's written reviews are positive against 29% of Mahjong Challenges's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Shanghai Mahjong Lite ships an update every 5 months, Mahjong Challenges every 34 months. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and November 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Shanghai Mahjong Lite | Mahjong Challenges |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.7 (549 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shanghai-mahjong-lite/id288963447/reviews) | **[4.8 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mahjong-challenges/id636879476/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **549** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | **59.5% of reviews** | 29.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 months** | Every 34 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 8 MB | 38 MB |
| Requires iOS | **3.0** | 13 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [MobileAge LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/283619402) | [Jose Varela](https://appshunter.io/developer/336500035) |

## What reviewers say

### Shanghai Mahjong Lite

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shanghai-mahjong-lite/id288963447)

Experience a visually stunning and highly customizable digital version of the classic tile-matching game. Enjoy various game modes, compelling animations, and an extensive online library of artwork to keep the gameplay fresh and engaging.

**Highlights:** Tile-matching gameplay, Multiple game modes, Extensive customization options, High-resolution artwork library, Compelling animations and sound, Windstorm mode

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Tilesets Unlimited | $0.99 | one-time |
| Layout Pack | $0.99 | one-time |


### Mahjong Challenges

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mahjong-challenges/id636879476)

Experience the classic Mahjong solitaire game with a timed challenge. Remove all tiles by matching pairs, utilizing unlimited undo, hints, and shuffles. Compete for high scores on 300 unique board layouts.

**Highlights:** 300 board layouts, Infinite Undo, Hints, Shuffle, Adjustable tile illumination, HD graphics, Guaranteed solvable puzzles, Score based on time, High score tracking

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

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 extra lives | $1.99 | one-time |
| Undo button | $1.99 | one-time |
| Hint | $1.99 | one-time |
| Double  time | $1.99 | one-time |
| Shuffle | $1.99 | one-time |
| Set of 5 lives | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Shanghai Mahjong Lite free?

Shanghai Mahjong Lite is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Mahjong Challenges free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Shanghai Mahjong Lite or Mahjong Challenges?

Mahjong Challenges is rated higher. Shanghai Mahjong Lite averages 3.7 out of 5 from 549 ratings, while Mahjong Challenges averages 4.8 from 4 ratings.

### Do Shanghai Mahjong Lite or Mahjong Challenges have ads?

Neither Shanghai Mahjong Lite nor Mahjong Challenges shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Shanghai Mahjong Lite or Mahjong Challenges?

Shanghai Mahjong Lite ships an update every 5 months, and Mahjong Challenges every 34 months. Most recently, Shanghai Mahjong Lite was updated on October 31, 2026 and Mahjong Challenges on November 1, 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.*