# Chess vs Shogi Lite

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Shogi Lite at none against Chess's 4. Chess's advantage is ratings volume (39K vs 12) and review sentiment (70% vs 55%). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Chess sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Shogi Lite asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Chess against 4.6 for Shogi Lite. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chess has 39K ratings behind it against 12, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 70% of Chess's written reviews are positive against 55% of Shogi Lite's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and November 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess | Shogi Lite |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (39K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess/id319305999/reviews)** | [4.6 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shogi-lite-chess/id737135884/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **39K** | 12 |
| Positive reviews | **70.2% of reviews** | 55.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 65 MB | 11 MB |
| Requires iOS | 12.4 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Vintolo Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1453865533) | [Shigeo Mimura](https://appshunter.io/developer/704921892) |

## What reviewers say

### Chess

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess/id319305999)

Engage in the classic game of chess with customizable graphics and multiple difficulty levels. Play against AI or a friend, with features like move undo, hints, and time controls. Enjoy a rich chess experience with detailed game history and board customization.

**Highlights:** HD graphics, 5 difficulty levels, Hint option, Play against computer or friend, 2D and 3D themes, Unlimited undo moves, Time control options

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 10 hints | $4.99 | one-time |
| 45 hints | $19.99 | one-time |
| 125 hints | $49.99 | one-time |
| 200 hints | $69.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great for beginners
- 🚀 Smooth gameplay
- 💡 Helpful puzzles and hints
- 🎨 Customizable chess sets
- 🎮 Fun and challenging

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Glitchy pawn movement
- 🤖 AI too easy even on hard mode
- ⏱️ Stalemate issues
- 💰 Paid hints for puzzles
- 🔁 Repetitive AI moves

**Reported bugs**

- Incorrect stalemate detection
- Pieces disappearing or moving incorrectly
- Compatibility issues on older devices

**Requested features**

- Ability to replay puzzles
- Undo/redo move functionality
- Online/multiplayer mode
- More advanced AI difficulty
- Improved stalemate detection


### Shogi Lite

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shogi-lite-chess/id737135884)

A digital adaptation of the ancient Japanese board game, offering a strategic challenge similar to chess. Players can capture opponent pieces and redeploy them on the board, adding a unique tactical layer to gameplay.

**Highlights:** Classic Shogi gameplay, Piece capture and redeployment, Two-player strategy, Similar to Chess and Xiangqi, Digital board game adaptation

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chess free?

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

### Is Shogi Lite free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Chess or Shogi Lite?

Chess is rated higher. Chess averages 4.7 out of 5 from 39K ratings, while Shogi Lite averages 4.6 from 12 ratings.

### Do Chess or Shogi Lite have ads?

Neither Chess nor Shogi Lite shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Chess or Shogi Lite?

Chess ships an update every 6 weeks, and Shogi Lite every 6 weeks. Most recently, Chess was updated on November 5, 2026 and Shogi Lite 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.*