# Five Elements Chess vs 168 Pips

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Five Elements Chess at 103 against 168 Pips's 3. Five Elements Chess also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 26.2). 168 Pips's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.8). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Five Elements Chess sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and 168 Pips sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

168 Pips holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Five Elements Chess has 103 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Five Elements Chess ships an update weekly, 168 Pips every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Five Elements Chess | 168 Pips |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (103 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/five-elements-chess/id934862443/reviews) | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/168-pips/id6760584541/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **103** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 81.8% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 280 MB | 236 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 26.2 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ming Gao](https://appshunter.io/developer/654637118) | [Matthew D Coburn](https://appshunter.io/developer/1858396602) |

## What reviewers say

### Five Elements Chess

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/five-elements-chess/id934862443)

Engage in strategic spell duels with this match-three game. It blends elemental theory with puzzle mechanics for a unique gameplay experience. Enjoy both local and online player-versus-player battles.

**Highlights:** Match-three gameplay, Five Elements theory integration, Deep strategy, Zen-inspired visuals, Local PvP, Online PvP

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Time Skin Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Five Elements Chess full game | $3.99 | one-time |
| Seasons Skin Pack | $3.99 | one-time |


### 168 Pips

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/168-pips/id6760584541)

This logic puzzle game challenges you to pair adjacent numbers on a board using a complete set of dominoes. It offers daily puzzles, timed challenges, and unlockable content for unlimited gameplay. Enjoy a satisfying deduction experience with customizable aesthetics.

**Highlights:** Domino pairing logic, Daily puzzles, Timed challenges, Unlockable domino skins, Customizable felt colors, Unlimited puzzle generation

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Game Unlock | $1.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Five Elements Chess free?

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

### Is 168 Pips free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Five Elements Chess or 168 Pips?

168 Pips is rated higher. Five Elements Chess averages 4.8 out of 5 from 103 ratings, while 168 Pips averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do Five Elements Chess or 168 Pips have ads?

Neither Five Elements Chess nor 168 Pips shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Five Elements Chess or 168 Pips?

Five Elements Chess ships an update weekly, and 168 Pips every 3 weeks. Most recently, Five Elements Chess was updated on November 1, 2026 and 168 Pips on October 11, 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.*