# Chess Light vs Mekorama

The clearest difference is ads: Chess Light at none against Mekorama's shown. Mekorama's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 18 months) and ratings volume (8.9K vs 6). On price, rating, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Chess Light sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Mekorama sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Chess Light against 4.7 for Mekorama. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Mekorama has 8.9K ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 79% of Chess Light's written reviews are positive against 94% of Mekorama's.

Chess Light ships an update every 18 months, Mekorama monthly. The most recent releases landed on August 27, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess Light | Mekorama |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-light/id801115018/reviews) | [4.7 (8.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mekorama/id1079464948/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 6 | **8.9K** |
| Positive reviews | 78.6% of reviews | **94.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 18 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 11 MB | 11 MB |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Pyrosphere, Lda](https://appshunter.io/developer/386458929) | [Fancade](https://appshunter.io/developer/1770270328) |

## What reviewers say

### Chess Light

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-light/id801115018)

A puzzle game inspired by chess, suitable for all skill levels. Solve over 180 unique puzzles by strategically placing pieces to illuminate every square on the board. Features adjustable difficulty and a helpful hint system.

**Highlights:** 180+ puzzles, 6 difficulty levels, Hint system, Place pieces to light up squares, Suitable for all skill levels

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 20 Hints | $0.99 | one-time |


### Mekorama

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mekorama/id1079464948)

Guide a small robot through 50 intricate mechanical dioramas to reach its home. Enjoy relaxing gameplay with charming robots and collect level cards. Create your own dioramas with the built-in maker.

**Highlights:** 50 mechanical dioramas, Relaxing gameplay, Charming robots, Collectible level cards, Diorama maker, Small install size

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

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pay What You Want 1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Pay What You Want 2 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Mekorama Premium | $3.99 | one-time |
| Pay What You Want 4 | $7.99 | one-time |
| Pay What You Want 5 | $15.99 | one-time |
| Pay What You Want 6 | $31.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Intuitive and fun gameplay
- 🎨 Beautiful graphics and animations
- 🎶 Relaxing and interactive music
- 💡 Ability to create and share custom levels
- 👍 Smooth and responsive controls

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional glitches and bugs
- 🔍 Limited camera controls
- 💰 Hints locked behind paywall
- 🤔 Difficulty curve can be uneven

**Reported bugs**

- Robot getting stuck or falling off platforms
- Inconsistent QR code scanning for user levels
- Occasional crashes or performance issues

**Requested features**

- Expand level creation tools
- Add more block types and textures
- Improve AI robot behavior
- Implement a level rating/sharing system
- Allow free camera movement in creator mode


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chess Light free?

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

### Is Mekorama free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Chess Light or Mekorama?

Chess Light and Mekorama are both rated 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store, from 6 and 8.9K ratings respectively.

### Do Chess Light or Mekorama have ads?

Mekorama shows ads; Chess Light does not.

### Which is updated more often, Chess Light or Mekorama?

Chess Light ships an update every 18 months, and Mekorama monthly. Most recently, Chess Light was updated on August 27, 2026 and Mekorama on September 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.*