# Starchess vs Conway's Cells

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Starchess at none against Conway's Cells's 3. Starchess also leads on ads (none vs shown) and device support (4 vs 2). Conway's Cells's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 4 months). On price there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Conway's Cells sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Starchess asks for nothing beyond the download.

Starchess ships an update every 4 months, Conway's Cells monthly. The most recent releases landed on June 4, 2026 and September 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Starchess | Conway's Cells |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 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** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 60 MB | 24 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Nathan Lane](https://appshunter.io/developer/1422920165) | [Andrey Tyurin](https://appshunter.io/developer/1890072364) |

## 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


### Conway's Cells

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/conways-cells/id6761510965)

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $1.99 | one-time |
| Pro Upgrade | $3.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Everything | $7.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Starchess free?

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

### Is Conway's Cells free?

Conway's Cells is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do Starchess or Conway's Cells have ads?

Conway's Cells shows ads; Starchess does not.

### Which is updated more often, Starchess or Conway's Cells?

Starchess ships an update every 4 months, and Conway's Cells monthly. Most recently, Starchess was updated on June 4, 2026 and Conway's Cells on September 10, 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.*