# Castles board game vs Chessnut Next

Castles board game and Chessnut Next both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of Castles board game's written reviews are positive against 0% of Chessnut Next's. Castles board game also leads on iOS requirement (8.0 vs 16.6). Chessnut Next's advantage is price (Free vs $0.99) and in-app purchases (none vs 1). On rating, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Chessnut Next is free to download; Castles board game costs $0.99 up front. Castles board game sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Chessnut Next asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Castles board game against 5.0 for Chessnut Next. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 25 and 28 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 100% of Castles board game's written reviews are positive against 0% of Chessnut Next's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Castles board game | Chessnut Next |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $0.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.8 (25 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/castles-board-game/id930929122/reviews) | **[5.0 (28 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chessnut-next/id6777044302/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 25 | **28** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Size | 256 MB | 369 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 16.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Bastiaan Modderkolk](https://appshunter.io/developer/919283666) | [Xenx Technology Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1682861638) |

## What reviewers say

### Castles board game

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/castles-board-game/id930929122)

Build a map by placing tiles and score points by strategically placing your pieces. Compete against friends or AI in this engaging tile-based strategy game. Your progress is automatically saved, allowing for seamless continuation of your games.

**Highlights:** Tile-based map building, Scoring with peasant placement, Local multiplayer (pass and play), Online multiplayer, Computer AI opponents, Automatic game saving

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Computer Player Difficulty Hard | $0.99 | one-time |


### Chessnut Next

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chessnut-next/id6777044302)

Enhance your chess experience by connecting a smart board to digitally record, analyze, and practice your games. Play against AI, review your moves with detailed reports, and train your skills with puzzles and human-like engines.

**Highlights:** Smart board connection, Play against chess engines, Online chess support, Automatic game recording, Local Stockfish analysis, Tactical training, Game review reports

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Castles board game free?

Castles board game costs $0.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is Chessnut Next free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Castles board game or Chessnut Next?

Chessnut Next is rated higher. Castles board game averages 4.8 out of 5 from 25 ratings, while Chessnut Next averages 5.0 from 28 ratings.

### Do Castles board game or Chessnut Next have ads?

Neither Castles board game nor Chessnut Next shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Castles board game or Chessnut Next?

Castles board game ships an update every 3 weeks, and Chessnut Next every 3 weeks. Most recently, Castles board game was updated on October 21, 2026 and Chessnut Next on October 31, 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.*