# Mastersoft Chess vs Mini Chess 5x5

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Mastersoft Chess at 90% against Mini Chess 5x5's 43%. Mastersoft Chess also leads on rating (4.7 vs 3.5) and update cadence (every 5 days vs every 12 months). Mini Chess 5x5's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Mastersoft Chess sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Mini Chess 5x5 sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Mastersoft Chess holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Mastersoft Chess has 1.5K ratings behind it against 79, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 90% of Mastersoft Chess's written reviews are positive against 43% of Mini Chess 5x5's.

Mastersoft Chess ships an update every 5 days, Mini Chess 5x5 every 12 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Mastersoft Chess | Mini Chess 5x5 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (1.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mastersoft-chess/id378161776/reviews)** | [3.5 (79 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mini-chess-5x5/id1457707362/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.5K** | 79 |
| Positive reviews | **90.5% of reviews** | 43.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 days** | Every 12 months |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 277 MB | 10 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Mastersoft](https://appshunter.io/developer/994180799) | [Golmium](https://appshunter.io/developer/887238485) |

## What reviewers say

### Mastersoft Chess

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mastersoft-chess/id378161776)

Master the game of chess with this comprehensive app. Learn step-by-step, play against adaptive AI across 100 difficulty levels, and sharpen your skills with thousands of puzzles. Enjoy offline play and track your progress with an ELO rating.

**Highlights:** 100 difficulty levels, Interactive learning coach, Thousands of chess puzzles, Adaptive AI opponent, ELO rating tracker, Multiple game modes, Offline play

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Chess Pro for 1 month. | $2.99 | per month |
| Buy Chess Pro. | $2.99 | one-time |
| Upgrade to Ginkgo. 10% Off. | $9.95 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great learning tool
- 🚀 Smooth gameplay
- 💡 Helpful training mode
- 👍 Challenging at higher levels
- 👍 Customizable board and pieces

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes or bugs
- 🔋 Battery drain issues
- 🔍 Unclear move suggestions
- 🤖 Computer plays too strong at times

**Reported bugs**

- Pawn disappearing issue when castling
- Ratings not updating properly after games
- Crashes on certain iOS versions

**Requested features**

- More detailed explanations for suggested moves
- Option to play against other users online
- Ability to set up custom board positions
- Slower computer move speeds for beginners


### Mini Chess 5x5

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mini-chess-5x5/id1457707362)

Experience a unique chess variant on a 5x5 board. Play against AI with adjustable difficulty or use it as a physical board for two players. Enjoy a streamlined chess experience with simplified rules.

**Highlights:** 5x5 chess board variant, Play against computer AI, Multiple AI difficulty levels, Two-player mode, Simplified chess rules

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mini Chess 5x5 full version | $0.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Mastersoft Chess free?

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

### Is Mini Chess 5x5 free?

Mini Chess 5x5 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Mastersoft Chess or Mini Chess 5x5?

Mastersoft Chess is rated higher. Mastersoft Chess averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.5K ratings, while Mini Chess 5x5 averages 3.5 from 79 ratings.

### Do Mastersoft Chess or Mini Chess 5x5 have ads?

Mastersoft Chess shows ads; Mini Chess 5x5 does not.

### Which is updated more often, Mastersoft Chess or Mini Chess 5x5?

Mastersoft Chess ships an update every 5 days, and Mini Chess 5x5 every 12 months. Most recently, Mastersoft Chess was updated on September 25, 2026 and Mini Chess 5x5 on September 18, 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.*