# Block Mage vs Gryphon Chess

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Block Mage at none against Gryphon Chess's 4. Block Mage also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs every 3 weeks). Gryphon Chess's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Gryphon Chess sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Block Mage asks for nothing beyond the download.

Block Mage ships an update every 2 days, Gryphon Chess every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Block Mage | Gryphon Chess |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 days** | Every 3 weeks |
| Size | 48 MB | 69 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 13.4 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [天橙](https://appshunter.io/developer/1473947832) | [Animeeples LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1475706602) |

## What reviewers say

### Block Mage

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/block-mage/id6451403957)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Gryphon Chess

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gryphon-chess/id6477377353)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Handful of Gems | $0.99 | one-time |
| Pile of Gems | $4.99 | one-time |
| Crate of Gems | $9.99 | one-time |
| Barrel of Gems | $19.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Block Mage free?

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

### Is Gryphon Chess free?

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

### Do Block Mage or Gryphon Chess have ads?

Block Mage shows ads; Gryphon Chess does not.

### Which is updated more often, Block Mage or Gryphon Chess?

Block Mage ships an update every 2 days, and Gryphon Chess every 3 weeks. Most recently, Block Mage was updated on October 13, 2026 and Gryphon Chess on October 14, 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.*