Starchess vs CheckMate
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Starchess
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.
- Three-dimensional chess board
- Traditional chess rules
- Expanded piece movement (up, down, diagonal)
- Unique strategic gameplay
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Starchess has all of the same rules as traditional chess but now on a three-dimensional board. Pieces can move up, down and diagonally.
CheckMate
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Three ways to play chess, in one beautifully designed, focused game app. PLAY WITH AI Five levels of engine, from a beginner that overlooks things to a full-strength search that will outcalculate most club players. Each level is a genuinely different search depth and time budget, not the same engine with random blunders bolted on. Works completely offline. TWO PLAYERS (PASS & PLAY) Pass one phone back and forth for a game with whoever is sitting next to you. The board can turn around between turns so both players always see it the right way up. Also works 100% offline. ONLINE WITH FRIENDS Open Play Online, then sign in with Apple or Google, or continue as a Guest. Search for a quick match or create a private room, and send the five-character room code to a friend. They type it in and you are on the same board — moves appear on both devices instantly. Offer a draw or resign, and reconnect seamlessly if your network drops. EVERY RULE, PROPERLY IMPLEMENTED Castling on both kingside and queenside with all standard conditions checked. En passant captures. Promotion to queen, rook, bishop, or knight with an interactive selector. Stalemate, threefold repetition, fifty-move rule, and insufficient material are all automatically detected and clearly explained. BUILT TO HELP YOU IMPROVE • Tap any piece to see all legal moves — dots for quiet moves, rings for captures • Undo button to take back moves in AI and pass-and-play games • Hint system with minimax analysis in AI games • Live move list kept in official algebraic chess notation • Clear board coordinates, last-move highlighting, and check alerts MAKE IT YOURS Choose from 5 board themes: Classic, Emerald, Ocean, Midnight, and Rosewood. Optional chess clocks range from blitz (1 min, 3|2, 5 min) to rapid (10 min, 15|10), with your win/loss record stored on your device. ABOUT YOUR PRIVACY Playing against the AI and local two-player games requires no profile and works entirely on your device. Online play synchronizes the Apple, Google, or Guest identity you choose, your display name, and game moves through Firebase. Checkmate is supported by Google AdMob ads requested as non-personalized after any consent required in your region. The app does not request permission to track you across other companies' apps or websites. You can delete your account at any time from Settings > Account > Delete account. Free to play. Master your chess game today!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ads: Starchess at none against CheckMate's shown. Starchess also leads on device support (4 vs 2) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.1). On price and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
| Parameter | Starchess | CheckMate |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 1 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | — |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 15.1 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 60 MB | 32 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Nathan Lane | Shruti Sonawane |
In-app purchases
Starchess
No in-app purchases
CheckMate
No in-app purchases









