Comparison

The Chinese Five Elements vs Alchemy Lab

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

The Chinese Five Elements

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The Chinese five elements ("Wu Xing") is a conceptual scheme that many traditional Chinese fields used to explain a wide range of phenomena. For Example, geomancy, Feng shui, astrology, traditional Chinese medicine, music, military strategy and martial arts. The purpose of this application lets the user through the game to continued practice the relationship of the five elements ("mutual generation" and "mutual overcoming"). Ten computerized chess players have different skills. And they are waiting for your challenge. Download it and give it a try! [ Overcomes ] Metal overcomes Wood Wood overcomes Earth Earth overcomes Water Water overcomes Fire Fire overcomes Metal [ Generation] Metal generate Water Water generate Wood Wood generate Fire Fire generate Earth Earth generate Metal The "Five elements“ are Wood (木 mù), Fire (火 huǒ), Earth (土 tǔ), Metal (金 jīn), and Water (水 shuǐ). 中国五行八卦博大精心,本应用目的是通过游戏给用户不断练习五行相剋相生的关系。十一位棋手各有不同的技能,他们等着你们的挑战。快点下载来试试吧! 五行相克:金克木,木克土,土克水,水克火,火克金 五行相生:金生水、水生木、木生火、火生土、土生金

About

Alchemy Lab

Combine elements like fire and water to discover new ones in this relaxing puzzle game. Experiment with over 60 elements and 100 recipes in a pressure-free environment. Unlock a hidden workshop and track your progress in a cozy creative space.

Highlights
  • Combine elements to discover new ones
  • Over 60 elements to uncover
  • 100+ recipes with multiple paths
  • Unlockable hidden workshop
  • Tinkerer's Journal for progress tracking
  • Ambient sound and gentle haptics
Features
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What happens when fire meets water? Something new. Alchemy Lab is a cozy discovery game where you combine elements to uncover what’s hidden beneath the surface. Start with four: Fire, Water, Earth, and Air - and experiment your way into a world that expands with every discovery. No timers. No pressure. No wrong answers. Just a warm workbench… and your curiosity. HOW IT WORKS Pick two elements. Place them on the workbench. Tap Combine. If something new emerges, you’ve made a discovery. If not, the workbench gently encourages you to keep exploring. Every discovery expands your collection and opens new paths forward. Some combinations feel obvious. Others reveal themselves slowly. The best ones feel like you found them, not followed them. WHAT YOU’LL FIND • 60+ elements to uncover across evolving tiers • 100+ recipes with multiple paths to discovery • A hidden workshop that unlocks as you go deeper • Timed transmutation for rare, higher-tier elements • A Tinkerer’s Journal to track your progress • Flavor text that gives each element its own voice • Gentle haptics and animations that make every interaction feel satisfying • Ambient sound that deepens as your journey unfolds DESIGNED TO FEEL GOOD Alchemy Lab isn’t a race. It’s a place. A quiet, creative space where ideas come together and small moments of discovery feel meaningful. There’s no punishment for trying something new. No pressure to optimize your path. Just a system that rewards curiosity… and waits patiently for your next idea. BUILT FOR DISCOVERY Some players think logically. Some experiment freely. Alchemy Lab supports both. Multiple recipes can lead to the same result, so there’s no single “correct” path. Your journey unfolds in your own way, shaped by the choices you make along the way. MORE TO COME There is more to this place. New elements, recipes, and systems are already in development. Complete the current collection to catch a glimpse of what’s being crafted next. Built with care by a solo developer at Forgebound Labs.

Screenshots

The Chinese Five Elements4 screens
Alchemy Lab4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: The Chinese Five Elements at none against Alchemy Lab's 2. The Chinese Five Elements also leads on ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 26.2). Alchemy Lab's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 18 months). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Alchemy Lab sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. The Chinese Five Elements asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

The Chinese Five Elements ships an update every 18 months, Alchemy Lab weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 5 level
The Chinese Five Elements versus Alchemy Lab: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterThe Chinese Five ElementsAlchemy Lab
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Number of ratings—2 — better
Update frequencyEvery 18 monthsWeekly — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
Monetization—Ad-supported
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS13.0 — better26.2
Further details — not scored
Size56 MB70 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperLeung Man Ho ThomasBrandon Blaisdell

In-app purchases

None

The Chinese Five Elements

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Alchemy Lab

One-time2
  • Extra Workshop Slot$1.99
  • Remove Ads$4.99

Questions

Is The Chinese Five Elements free?
The Chinese Five Elements is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Alchemy Lab free?
Alchemy Lab is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do The Chinese Five Elements or Alchemy Lab have ads?
Alchemy Lab shows ads; The Chinese Five Elements does not.
Which is updated more often, The Chinese Five Elements or Alchemy Lab?
The Chinese Five Elements ships an update every 18 months, and Alchemy Lab weekly. Most recently, The Chinese Five Elements was updated on October 9, 2026 and Alchemy Lab on October 24, 2026.

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