# Dragon Go Client vs Surround

The clearest difference is rating: Surround at 4.5 against Dragon Go Client's 3.9. Surround also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 6 months). Dragon Go Client's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and iOS requirement (10.0 vs 18.0). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Surround sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $0.49 per month. Dragon Go Client asks for nothing beyond the download.

Surround holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 28 and 76 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 74% of Dragon Go Client's written reviews are positive against 82% of Surround's.

Dragon Go Client ships an update every 6 months, Surround fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Dragon Go Client | Surround |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.9 (28 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dragon-go-client/id384372078/reviews) | **[4.5 (76 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/surround-online-go-client/id1535010544/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 28 | **76** |
| Positive reviews | 74.3% of reviews | **82.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Subscription |
| Size | 4 MB | 39 MB |
| Requires iOS | **10.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Niclas Eriksson](https://appshunter.io/developer/1022760431) | [Hong Anh Khoa](https://appshunter.io/developer/381809256) |

## What reviewers say

### Dragon Go Client

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dragon-go-client/id384372078)

Play the ancient game of Go online with players worldwide. This app provides a fast and simple interface to join, manage, and play full Go games directly from your iPhone. Communicate with opponents and track your ongoing matches.

**Highlights:** Play Go on Dragon Go Server, Start and join games, View games awaiting your move, Tap-to-zoom for precise moves, Full game support including scoring, In-app messaging with opponents

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and elegant UI
- 👍 Convenient for asynchronous play
- 👍 Better graphics than web interface
- 👍 Works as expected
- 👍 Great for long-term plays

**What reviewers complain about**

- ⏳ No updates in years
- 📉 Lacks many website features
- 📉 No dark mode option
- 📉 Limited active games/players
- 📉 No way to know if game request seen

**Reported bugs**

- Notifications stopped working completely
- Notifications no longer work
- Join a game function did not work
- No games were shown
- Shows nothing when attempting to look for a game

**Requested features**

- Dark mode option
- More integrations of website features
- Link to current game's online page
- Push notifications
- Ability to analyze moves before submitting


### Surround

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/surround-online-go-client/id1535010544)

Play the ancient strategy game of Go online with a global community. Engage in live or turn-based matches, observe ongoing games, and connect with other players. Receive timely notifications for your games and enjoy a sleek dark mode interface.

**Highlights:** Play live and turn-based Go games, Observe ongoing games, Chat with other players, Home screen widget for correspondence games, Notifications for game turns, Dark mode support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Surround App Supporter | $0.49 | per month |
| Surround App Supporter | $1.99 | per month |
| Surround App Supporter | $4.99 | per month |
| Surround App Supporter | $9.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Dragon Go Client free?

Dragon Go Client is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Surround free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Dragon Go Client or Surround?

Surround is rated higher. Dragon Go Client averages 3.9 out of 5 from 28 ratings, while Surround averages 4.5 from 76 ratings.

### Do Dragon Go Client or Surround have ads?

Neither Dragon Go Client nor Surround shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Dragon Go Client or Surround?

Dragon Go Client ships an update every 6 months, and Surround fortnightly. Most recently, Dragon Go Client was updated on October 23, 2026 and Surround on October 29, 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.*