# Starchess vs InkTrace

The clearest difference is ads: Starchess at none against InkTrace's shown. InkTrace's advantage is update cadence (daily vs every 4 months). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Starchess ships an update every 4 months, InkTrace daily. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Starchess | InkTrace |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/starchess/id6446507272/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **1** | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Daily** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 60 MB | 125 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Nathan Lane](https://appshunter.io/developer/1422920165) | [Yuki Wakabayashi](https://appshunter.io/developer/1690120433) |

## What reviewers say

### Starchess

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/starchess/id6446507272)

Experience chess with a unique twist on a three-dimensional board. Pieces gain new movement capabilities, allowing for strategic plays in up, down, and diagonal directions. Enjoy a fresh challenge to your chess skills.

**Highlights:** Three-dimensional chess board, Traditional chess rules, Expanded piece movement (up, down, diagonal), Unique strategic gameplay

**In-app purchases:** none


### InkTrace

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/inktrace/id6743766153)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Starchess free?

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

### Is InkTrace free?

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

### Do Starchess or InkTrace have ads?

InkTrace shows ads; Starchess does not.

### Which is updated more often, Starchess or InkTrace?

Starchess ships an update every 4 months, and InkTrace daily. Most recently, Starchess was updated on October 13, 2026 and InkTrace on October 12, 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.*