Comparison

CelestialChess vs Boardmates

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

CelestialChess

Features
Read full description

CelestialChess is a fully offline Chinese Chess (Xiangqi) game against an on-device AI. The all-new 2.0 update removes every ad and refreshes the whole interface, so you can play a match anytime, anywhere. MULTI-LEVEL AI ‧ Five levels: Beginner, Easy, Normal, Hard, Master ‧ Lower levels make human-like slips so newcomers can win; higher levels play tight and challenge veterans ‧ Built-in opening book and endgame engine — varied openings, precise endgames ‧ A Pro-exclusive “Grandmaster” top level GET STRONGER ‧ Post-game review: every move flagged as best or mistake, so you see exactly where you went wrong ‧ AI coach: instant commentary on the move you just played, with a stronger suggestion ‧ Hints and take-backs: a nudge when you’re stuck, and a way back when you slip AUTHENTIC XIANGQI RULES ‧ Full rules: hobbling the horse’s leg, cannon screen-capture, flying general, no facing generals, repetition loss ‧ 10×9 board, river and palace — the real thing BOARD THEMES ‧ Classic wood, free ‧ Pro unlocks Ink, Jade, and Day / Night starry themes SHARE & IMPORT GAME RECORDS ‧ Export any game to Chinese notation and share it with friends (Pro) ‧ Paste a record to import and replay any great game PRIVACY & OFFLINE ‧ Fully offline and standalone — no registration, no sign-in ‧ No personal data collected, no tracking, no ads ‧ Independently made by Intoxicated Child Studio Play Xiangqi with an AI under the stars

About

Boardmates

Features
Read full description

Boardmates is where family and friends meet over a board. Play Chinese Chess (Xiangqi), Dark Chess (Banqi), Gomoku, and Ludo against the computer, online in a room, or on the same phone. How to play • Computer: Easy, Normal, and Hard • Online: 6-digit room code or invite link; add friends and invite them directly; with no time limit, play at your own pace, and if you allow notifications the app alerts you on your turn • Same phone: pass and play on one device • Same-phone and computer games work offline—handy on a flight Four games • Chinese Chess (Xiangqi): the river, captures, check, and draws • Dark Chess (Banqi): flip hidden pieces; choose rank order and movement variants • Gomoku: five in a row, easy to learn • Ludo: two to four players; mix people and the computer Made to play together • Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, and English • Large mode: bigger text and buttons • Rules are available during a game • Delete your account and online data anytime in Settings Privacy Policy: https://boardmates-b8baf.web.app/privacy.html

Screenshots

CelestialChess2 screens
Boardmates4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Boardmates at none against CelestialChess's 1. Boardmates also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). CelestialChess's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, device support and iOS requirement 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. CelestialChess sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Boardmates asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

CelestialChess ships an update every 2 months, Boardmates every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 3 level
CelestialChess versus Boardmates: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCelestialChessBoardmates
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.016.4 — better
Further details — not scored
Size16 MB60 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKuo-Tsun HuangCHUN HONG MAN

In-app purchases

1 purchases

CelestialChess

One-time1
  • Remove Ads$0.99
None

Boardmates

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is CelestialChess free?
CelestialChess is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Boardmates free?
Boardmates is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do CelestialChess or Boardmates have ads?
Boardmates shows ads; CelestialChess does not.
Which is updated more often, CelestialChess or Boardmates?
CelestialChess ships an update every 2 months, and Boardmates every 3 weeks. Most recently, CelestialChess was updated on October 28, 2026 and Boardmates on November 6, 2026.

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