# Pro Shogi vs AI Shogi

The clearest difference is ads: Pro Shogi at none against AI Shogi's shown. Pro Shogi also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). AI Shogi's advantage is rating (4.6 vs 4.2) and ratings volume (198 vs 10). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Pro Shogi sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and AI Shogi sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

AI Shogi holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: AI Shogi has 198 ratings behind it against 10, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 41% of Pro Shogi's written reviews are positive against 44% of AI Shogi's.

Pro Shogi ships an update every 2 weeks, AI Shogi every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pro Shogi | AI Shogi |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.2 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pro-shogi/id717265287/reviews) | **[4.6 (198 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ai-shogi-zero/id1325489888/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 10 | **198** |
| Positive reviews | 40.7% of reviews | **43.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 19 MB | 204 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Shigeo Mimura](https://appshunter.io/developer/704921892) | [RELEASE BASE, K.K.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1380525668) |

## What reviewers say

### Pro Shogi

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pro-shogi/id717265287)

Experience the ancient Japanese strategy board game, similar to chess. A unique mechanic allows players to reintroduce captured pieces into the game.

**Highlights:** Classic Shogi gameplay, Captured piece reintroduction, Strategy board game, 1000-year-old tradition

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Version | $2.99 | one-time |
| Full Version | $3.99 | one-time |


### AI Shogi

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ai-shogi-zero/id1325489888)

Enjoy a completely free Shogi experience with this app. Play against a sophisticated AI with 20 difficulty levels or challenge friends. Save your game records and analyze your matches to improve your skills.

**Highlights:** AI opponent with 20 difficulty levels, Two-player mode against friends, Save and review game records (kifu), Match statistics and win rate tracking, Simple and intuitive controls, Offline play available

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| membership | $3.99 | per year |
| プレミアムサービス30日間 | $3.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pro Shogi free?

Pro Shogi is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is AI Shogi free?

AI Shogi is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Pro Shogi or AI Shogi?

AI Shogi is rated higher. Pro Shogi averages 4.2 out of 5 from 10 ratings, while AI Shogi averages 4.6 from 198 ratings.

### Do Pro Shogi or AI Shogi have ads?

AI Shogi shows ads; Pro Shogi does not.

### Which is updated more often, Pro Shogi or AI Shogi?

Pro Shogi ships an update every 2 weeks, and AI Shogi every 3 weeks. Most recently, Pro Shogi was updated on November 1, 2026 and AI Shogi on October 30, 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.*