# Shogi Lite vs Chess Royale

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Shogi Lite at none against Chess Royale's 10. Shogi Lite also leads on ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). Chess Royale's advantage is ratings volume (20K vs 12) and chart position (#159 vs unranked). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Chess Royale sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per 7 days. Shogi Lite asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Shogi Lite against 4.5 for Chess Royale. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chess Royale has 20K ratings behind it against 12, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 55% of Shogi Lite's written reviews are positive against 60% of Chess Royale's.

Shogi Lite ships an update every 6 weeks, Chess Royale every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Shogi Lite | Chess Royale |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shogi-lite-chess/id737135884/reviews)** | [4.5 (20K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-royale/id1434658250/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 12 | **20K** |
| Positive reviews | 55.4% of reviews | **59.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#159** |
| Size | 11 MB | 490 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Shigeo Mimura](https://appshunter.io/developer/704921892) | [SayGames LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/1551847165) |

## 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


### Chess Royale

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-royale/id1434658250)

**Currently charting:** #159 Top Free · Strategy, #193 Top Free · Board (US App Store)

Engage in the classic game of chess with millions worldwide. This app offers AI challenges, multiplayer matches, and extensive training tools including puzzles and post-game analysis to improve your strategic skills.

**Highlights:** Play against AI, Multiplayer matches, Chess puzzles, Post-game analysis, Beginner and advanced training, Multiple game modes

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

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Vip | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Vip | $19.99 | per month |
| Annual Vip | $39.99 | per year |
| Tiny Coins Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Tiny Gems Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Coins Pack Offer | $3.99 | one-time |
| Disable Ads Forever | $4.99 | one-time |
| Medium Gems Pack | $6.99 | one-time |
| Large Gems Pack | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Enjoyable gameplay
- 🚀 Seamless matchmaking
- 💡 Helpful chess lessons and puzzles
- 🤩 Great for learning and improving chess skills

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤬 Excessive and disruptive advertisements
- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and freezes
- 🕰️ Long wait times between games due to ads
- 🤖 Suspicion of playing against bots instead of real players

**Reported bugs**

- Incorrect puzzle solutions being marked as wrong
- Game losses due to connection issues or app freezes
- Inconsistent trophy/ranking system
- Inability to report cheating or suspicious behavior

**Requested features**

- Ability to play longer timed games
- Option to disable ads for a one-time fee
- More advanced chess analysis and training features
- Improved matchmaking to pair players of similar skill levels


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Shogi Lite free?

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

### Is Chess Royale free?

Chess Royale is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Shogi Lite or Chess Royale?

Shogi Lite is rated higher. Shogi Lite averages 4.6 out of 5 from 12 ratings, while Chess Royale averages 4.5 from 20K ratings.

### Do Shogi Lite or Chess Royale have ads?

Chess Royale shows ads; Shogi Lite does not.

### Which is updated more often, Shogi Lite or Chess Royale?

Shogi Lite ships an update every 6 weeks, and Chess Royale every 5 weeks. Most recently, Shogi Lite was updated on November 6, 2026 and Chess Royale on November 7, 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.*