# Pente Live vs Pente for iMessage

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Pente for iMessage at 100% against Pente Live's 50%. Pente for iMessage also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.3) and in-app purchases (none vs 1). Pente Live's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (338 vs 5). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Pente Live sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $4.99 per year. Pente for iMessage asks for nothing beyond the download.

Pente for iMessage holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pente Live has 338 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of Pente Live's written reviews are positive against 100% of Pente for iMessage's.

Pente Live ships an update weekly, Pente for iMessage every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pente Live | Pente for iMessage |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (338 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pente-live/id595426592/reviews) | **[5.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pente-for-imessage/id6748970073/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **338** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 4 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 18.5 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Walied Othman](https://appshunter.io/developer/595426595) | [Cole Bart Madden](https://appshunter.io/developer/1828319427) |

## What reviewers say

### Pente Live

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pente-live/id595426592)

Engage in strategic board game battles on a 19x19 grid. Compete globally in turn-based or live matches, test your skills against AI, and join tournaments. Explore various Pente and Gomoku variants with unique rules and capture mechanics.

**Highlights:** Turn-based and real-time online play, Play against computer opponents, Participate in tournaments, King of the Hill mode, Game database search, Multiple Pente and Gomoku variants

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pente.org subscription | $4.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great Pente app
- 👍 Good community
- 👍 Play local or online
- 👍 Excellent platform
- 👍 Many variants available

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Grid too small for fingers
- 🐛 Game play is arbitrary
- 🐛 No learning curve
- 🐛 Distracting ads
- 🐛 Difficult to read

**Reported bugs**

- Drops stone in wrong spot
- Move ends up in different position
- Changes last location
- Freezes
- Bumps out of a game

**Requested features**

- Replay button
- Landscape mode on iPad
- Slower AI response time
- Improved UI
- Take back move option


### Pente for iMessage

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pente-for-imessage/id6748970073)

Engage in a classic strategy board game directly within your messaging app. Challenge friends and family by placing stones to form five in a row or capture opponent pieces. Enjoy simple rules with deep strategic possibilities, all without leaving your conversations.

**Highlights:** Play directly in iMessage, Classic Pente gameplay, Five-in-a-row objective, Stone capture mechanics, Automatic move validation, Game state saved in history

**Features:** iMessage stickers

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pente Live free?

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

### Is Pente for iMessage free?

Pente for iMessage is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Pente Live or Pente for iMessage?

Pente for iMessage is rated higher. Pente Live averages 4.3 out of 5 from 338 ratings, while Pente for iMessage averages 5.0 from 5 ratings.

### Do Pente Live or Pente for iMessage have ads?

Neither Pente Live nor Pente for iMessage shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Pente Live or Pente for iMessage?

Pente Live ships an update weekly, and Pente for iMessage every 2 months. Most recently, Pente Live was updated on October 14, 2026 and Pente for iMessage on October 2, 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.*