# Dark Squares vs Shuffle Chess 960

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Shuffle Chess 960 at none against Dark Squares's 1. Shuffle Chess 960 also leads on ratings volume (3 vs 1). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Dark Squares sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $4.99 per month. Shuffle Chess 960 asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Dark Squares against 5.0 for Shuffle Chess 960. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 3 respectively.

Dark Squares ships an update weekly, Shuffle Chess 960 every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Dark Squares | Shuffle Chess 960 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dark-squares/id6773081437/reviews) | [5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shuffle-chess-960/id6773120786/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **3** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Weekly | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Freemium | **Free** |
| Size | 75 MB | 10 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Avi Kremer](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896394329) | [ONEPIXEL, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/923543938) |

## What reviewers say

### Dark Squares

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dark-squares/id6773081437)

Experience chess with a magical twist. Arm your pieces with weapons and spells to outmaneuver opponents. Win by capturing the king in this strategic, fast-paced adaptation.

**Highlights:** Real chess mechanics, Weapon and spell loadouts, King capture victory condition, Play friends online, Play against AI, Ranked online duels, Unlock and upgrade weapons

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Dark Squares Pro | $4.99 | per month |


### Shuffle Chess 960

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shuffle-chess-960/id6773120786)

Experience Fischer Random Chess with a clean, offline interface. Learn the game through interactive tutorials, play solo against an adjustable AI opponent, and analyze your moves. Enjoy a private, distraction-free chess experience with no ads or tracking.

**Highlights:** Fischer Random Chess (Chess960), Interactive 'Learn to Play' tutorial, Offline solo play against AI, Adjustable AI difficulty, Optional move analysis and hints, Position tracking and rematching, Ad-free and private experience

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Dark Squares free?

Dark Squares is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Shuffle Chess 960 free?

Shuffle Chess 960 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Dark Squares or Shuffle Chess 960?

Dark Squares and Shuffle Chess 960 are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 3 ratings respectively.

### Do Dark Squares or Shuffle Chess 960 have ads?

Neither Dark Squares nor Shuffle Chess 960 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Dark Squares or Shuffle Chess 960?

Dark Squares ships an update weekly, and Shuffle Chess 960 every 4 days. Most recently, Dark Squares was updated on October 15, 2026 and Shuffle Chess 960 on October 24, 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.*