# The Chinese Five Elements vs Alchemy Lab

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.

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

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Chinese Five Elements | Alchemy Lab |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alchemy-lab-elements/id6761089448/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **2** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 18 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | — | Ad-supported |
| Size | 56 MB | 70 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 26.2 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Leung Man Ho Thomas](https://appshunter.io/developer/619609289) | [Brandon Blaisdell](https://appshunter.io/developer/1867047483) |

## What reviewers say

### The Chinese Five Elements

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-chinese-five-elements/id895781672)

**In-app purchases:** none


### Alchemy Lab

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alchemy-lab-elements/id6761089448)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Extra Workshop Slot | $1.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads | $4.99 | one-time |


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