Comparison

SakataGo vs janvo

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

Head to head
About

SakataGo

Play the ancient game of Go offline with a powerful AI engine. Analyze your games, get hints, and adjust AI strength from beginner to superhuman levels. Features realistic board designs and SGF file support for easy sharing and storage.

Highlights
  • Offline KataGo AI engine
  • Adjustable AI strength
  • Game analysis and hints
  • Realistic board and stone design
  • SGF file support
  • Multiple board sizes
Features
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SakataGo – Play Go offline with KataGo Bring one of the world’s strongest Go AI engines, KataGo, directly to your iPhone or iPad — fully offline, no internet or servers required. Play, analyze, and improve your Go game anywhere, against AI opponents ranging from advanced beginner to professional and superhuman levels. Key Highlights: - Fully offline KataGo AI – play anywhere, anytime! - Adjustable AI strength: from 10‑kyu to full KataGo strength - Realistic board and stones: Hyuga Kaya boards with slate and clam shell stones - Game analysis and hints: review moves, estimate territory, and check win rates - SGF support: open, share, and store Go game files easily Please note: The hardware of the iPad 7th generation from 2019/2020 (A10 Fusion chip) is not compatible with the human imitation modes in SakataGo. The app will have a weaker performance on these old devices. Play & Learn SakataGo combines the KataGo engine with powerful analysis tools: - Step through games forward and backward, get AI hints, and see territory and win rate estimates - See color indications for move quality when reviewing games (green, yellow, orange, red, and purple according to point loss) - Store up to twenty positions in a review stack and cycle through them - Continue playing from any review position, keeping the reviewed game stored or in the clipboard - Choose between human imitation levels (10‑kyu to 9‑dan amateur) or full KataGo strength, based on current neural network models (2025/2026) - Switch opponent strength, AI player and think times during a game to test different reactions Main User Settings: - AI Player (white, black, none, or both (self-play)) - Board size (9 x 9, 13 x 13, 19 x 19) - Handicap and Komi adjustments - Choice of Japanese or Chinese rules - AI think time and hint calculation time - Optional on-screen win rate and score display - Select between two KataGo neural net models (small and large) - Switch sound on or off Realistic Design - Enjoy a beautiful, natural board and stone setup, with slight imperfections for a realistic feel. - SakataGo’s easy-to-use interface focuses on essentials so you can focus on playing and improving your game. Game Sharing & SGF Support - Open SGF files from the Files app, from the clipboard or via Share Extension - Share games or positions via clipboard or compatible apps, or save to file - Note: variants in SGF files are not supported; SakataGo’s main focus is offline AI gameplay and review. However, by using SakataGo's review stack and clipboard functionalities, you can easily play out variants and return to former positions. Why "SakataGo"? The app name was chosen both in honor of Eio Sakata (坂田 栄男, 1920-2010) and KataGo (*2019), combining the names of one of the leading professionals of the 20th century with today's leading Go playing AI.

About

janvo

Features
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Janvo is a new type of strategy game that combines the familiar rules of Rock Paper Scissors with tactical board movement. Each piece has unique movement directions and ranges, creating a simple yet deeply strategic battle experience as you advance across the board and capture your opponent’s pieces. Features A battle system based on classic Rock Paper Scissors strengths and weaknesses Tactical positioning and mind games that influence every turn Multiple CPU difficulty levels for casual play Simple and intuitive controls suitable for all players Upcoming Updates Online multiplayer mode Expanded player profile and match history features Enjoy a fresh and strategic take on Rock Paper Scissors with Janvo.

Screenshots

SakataGo4 screens
janvo4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: janvo at Free against SakataGo's $8.99. janvo also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs every 5 weeks). SakataGo's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On in-app purchases, 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

janvo is free to download; SakataGo costs $8.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SakataGo ships an update every 5 weeks, janvo every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
SakataGo versus janvo: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSakataGojanvo
Price$8.99Free — better
Rating5.0 (2 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews83.3% of reviews—
Number of ratings2 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeksEvery 3 days — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaid—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS18.618.4 — better
Further details — not scored
Size554 MB102 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTorsten HeferARC LAB LLC

In-app purchases

None

SakataGo

No in-app purchases

None

janvo

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is SakataGo free?
SakataGo costs $8.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is janvo free?
janvo is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do SakataGo or janvo have ads?
janvo shows ads; SakataGo does not.
Which is updated more often, SakataGo or janvo?
SakataGo ships an update every 5 weeks, and janvo every 3 days. Most recently, SakataGo was updated on October 28, 2026 and janvo on October 15, 2026.

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