# Board Games vs ShellMate

The clearest difference is price: Board Games at Free against ShellMate's $3.99. Board Games also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months) and ratings volume (25 vs 1). ShellMate's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 7) and ads (none vs shown). On device support there is nothing between them.

Board Games is free to download; ShellMate costs $3.99 up front. Board Games sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. ShellMate asks for nothing beyond the download.

ShellMate holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Board Games has 25 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Board Games ships an update every 3 weeks, ShellMate every 3 months. Both last shipped on October 13, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Board Games | ShellMate |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $3.99 |
| Rating | [4.6 (25 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/board-games-boardq/id6757849863/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shellmate/id6787692769/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **25** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Size | 178 MB | 4 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Nikita Bohara](https://appshunter.io/developer/1829435045) | [Marco Janssen](https://appshunter.io/developer/787863348) |

## What reviewers say

### Board Games

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/board-games-boardq/id6757849863)

Enjoy a collection of classic board games with solo, bot, or friend modes. Features include over 10 games, offline play, and customizable settings. A PRO subscription unlocks the full experience.

**Highlights:** 10+ classic board games, Play with friends or bot, Offline play supported, How-to-play guides, Customizable game settings, Ad-supported free version

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| BoardQ Pro Weekly Subscription | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| BoardQ Pro Yearly Gift Subscription | $9.99 | per year |
| BoardQ Pro Yearly Subscription | $19.99 | per year |
| BoardQ Pro Lifetime | $0.99 | one-time |
| BoardQ Pro Lifetime | $1.99 | one-time |
| BoardQ Pro Lifetime | $4.99 | one-time |
| BoardQ Pro Lifetime | $9.99 | one-time |


### ShellMate

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shellmate/id6787692769)

A fast and playful scoring companion for card games. Easily track player scores, round progress, and manage end-of-round decisions. Supports various scoring elements for a smooth gameplay experience.

**Highlights:** Score tracking for 2-4 players, Running totals and round progress, Support for Stop and Last Chance endings, Base game and expansion scoring, Saved player names, Privacy-friendly design

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Board Games free?

Board Games is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is ShellMate free?

ShellMate costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Board Games or ShellMate?

ShellMate is rated higher. Board Games averages 4.6 out of 5 from 25 ratings, while ShellMate averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Board Games or ShellMate have ads?

Board Games shows ads; ShellMate does not.

### Which is updated more often, Board Games or ShellMate?

Board Games ships an update every 3 weeks, and ShellMate every 3 months. Most recently, Board Games was updated on October 13, 2026 and ShellMate on October 13, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*