# Shogi Lite vs PocketShogi

The clearest difference is rating: Shogi Lite at 4.6 against PocketShogi's 2.0. Shogi Lite also leads on ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (12 vs 1). PocketShogi's advantage is review sentiment (67% vs 55%). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Shogi Lite holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 2.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Shogi Lite has 12 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 55% of Shogi Lite's written reviews are positive against 67% of PocketShogi's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Shogi Lite ships an update every 6 weeks, PocketShogi every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Shogi Lite | PocketShogi |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shogi-lite-chess/id737135884/reviews)** | [2.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocketshogi/id1389735935/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **12** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 55.4% of reviews | **66.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 weeks** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Ad-supported |
| Size | 11 MB | 191 MB |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 | 12.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Shigeo Mimura](https://appshunter.io/developer/704921892) | [SilverStarJapan](https://appshunter.io/developer/367753463) |

## What reviewers say

### Shogi Lite

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shogi-lite-chess/id737135884)

A digital adaptation of the ancient Japanese board game, offering a strategic challenge similar to chess. Players can capture opponent pieces and redeploy them on the board, adding a unique tactical layer to gameplay.

**Highlights:** Classic Shogi gameplay, Piece capture and redeployment, Two-player strategy, Similar to Chess and Xiangqi, Digital board game adaptation

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### PocketShogi

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocketshogi/id1389735935)

Play Shogi against a computer with 20 difficulty levels or challenge a friend on a single device. Save up to 100 game records and utilize various in-game features for a comprehensive Shogi experience.

**Highlights:** 20 computer difficulty levels, 2-player local versus mode, Save and resume game records, In-game move assistance, Adjustable game settings

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Shogi Lite free?

Shogi Lite is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is PocketShogi free?

PocketShogi is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Shogi Lite or PocketShogi?

Shogi Lite is rated higher. Shogi Lite averages 4.6 out of 5 from 12 ratings, while PocketShogi averages 2.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Shogi Lite or PocketShogi have ads?

PocketShogi shows ads; Shogi Lite does not.

### Which is updated more often, Shogi Lite or PocketShogi?

Shogi Lite ships an update every 6 weeks, and PocketShogi every 3 months. Most recently, Shogi Lite was updated on September 22, 2026 and PocketShogi on September 15, 2026.

---

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