Comparison

Shogi Lab vs Shogi Thinking Training

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

Head to head
About

Shogi Lab

This shogi app offers a full-featured engine for analysis and gameplay. Enjoy intuitive controls, real-time evaluation during matches, and comprehensive game record replay. Play online with rankings or offline against adjustable CPU opponents.

Highlights
  • In-game analysis with real-time evaluation
  • Thinking time visualization
  • Key move detection
  • Game record replay and analysis
  • Online ranked matches
  • Adjustable CPU strength
  • Save and resume matches
Features
Read full description

This is a shogi app powered by the full-featured Sunfish4 engine. With clear piece design and calm, intuitive controls, you can enjoy smooth gameplay from the opening to the endgame. It includes real-time evaluation during matches as well as game record replay and analysis features, allowing you to complete the entire flow from playing to reviewing within the app. Online matches with rankings are supported, and offline CPU matches are also available. Main Features ▪ In-Game Analysis (During Match) ・View evaluation values and graphs in real time. ▪ Thinking Time Visualization (During Match) ・Display thinking time on the move list. ・Long thinks are highlighted in red (top 5%) and yellow (top 15%). ▪ Key Move Detection (During Match / Analysis) ・Automatically highlights moves where the evaluation changes significantly. ▪ Game Record Analysis (Analysis) ・Replay, fast-forward, and rewind past games for review. ・Import KIF and CSA files for replay and analysis. ▪ Position Jump (Analysis) ・Instantly move to any position within the game record. ▪ Save & Resume (During Match) ・Pause a match and resume later. ▪ Adjustable CPU Strength (During Match) ・Set the difficulty level from practice to serious play. ▪ First/Second Move Selection (Start) ・Choose to play as Black or White. ▪ Take Back Move (During Match) ・Undo the last move. ▪ Legal Move Display (During Match) ・Show available moves to help prevent mistakes. ▪ Haptics & Animations (Controls) ・Smooth and responsive interaction. ▪ Online Multiplayer ・Supports ranked online matches. ・Offline CPU matches and local two-player mode are also available.

About

Shogi Thinking Training

Hone your midgame strategy with next-move problems designed to improve your ability to analyze situations and select the best move in real games. This app offers a continuous supply of AI-generated problems for motivated learners aiming to reduce judgment errors and enhance their tactical skills.

Highlights
  • Next-move problem generation
  • Focus on midgame situations
  • Review solved problems
  • AI-generated questions
  • Daily learning integration
Features
Read full description

Shogi skill cannot be improved by simply knowing joseki, techniques, and tsumeshogi problems. Winning in real games requires the ability to thoroughly consider the best move when encountering a situation for the first time. This app is a next-move problem app designed to intensively hone that ability. The purpose is to improve midgame situation judgment. By working on next-move problems, you will develop the ability to list potential moves, read the game, and select the best move. The app is designed to be easy to continue even in short bursts, making it easy to incorporate into your daily learning. The app is aimed at motivated learners, primarily 1st to 3rd dan players. It is suitable for those who want to improve, reduce judgment errors in real games, and change the way they view situations. It can be used by all ages. Key features include: Next-move problem generation. Provides problems that can be solved as thinking exercises, focusing on midgame situations that are typical of real games. Review. Review solved problems to solidify decision-making habits and reading patterns. We provide a continuous supply of high-quality problems at a low price. Question creation is streamlined by an automated question program using shogi AI, which can create 100 questions in about 20 minutes. We will continue to steadily increase the number of questions available for study.

Screenshots

Shogi Lab4 screens
Shogi Thinking Training4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Shogi Thinking Training at none against Shogi Lab's shown. Shogi Thinking Training also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.6). Shogi Lab's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs weekly). On price, review sentiment, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. Shogi Lab sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Shogi Thinking Training sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Shogi Lab ships an update every 3 days, Shogi Thinking Training weekly. The most recent releases landed on August 31, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 5 level
Shogi Lab versus Shogi Thinking Training: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterShogi LabShogi Thinking Training
PriceFreeFree
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews50.0% of reviews
Update frequencyEvery 3 days — betterWeekly
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.615.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size78 MB139 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developerkoji ozonoHikari Shimizu

Customer experience

Shogi Lab

Written reviews2 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

Shogi Thinking Training

Written reviews2 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Shogi Lab

One-time1
  • Shogi Lab Pro$3.99
3 purchases

Shogi Thinking Training

One-time3
  • 三間飛車 vs 右四間飛車$5.99
  • ショーダンシステム研究ノート$5.99
  • 右玉 vs 角換わり$6.99

Questions

Is Shogi Lab free?
Shogi Lab is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Shogi Thinking Training free?
Shogi Thinking Training is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Shogi Lab or Shogi Thinking Training have ads?
Shogi Lab shows ads; Shogi Thinking Training does not.
Which is updated more often, Shogi Lab or Shogi Thinking Training?
Shogi Lab ships an update every 3 days, and Shogi Thinking Training weekly. Most recently, Shogi Lab was updated on August 31, 2026 and Shogi Thinking Training on September 19, 2026.

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