# Five Elements Chess vs Starlift

Five Elements Chess and Starlift both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of Starlift's written reviews are positive against 82% of Five Elements Chess's. Starlift also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs weekly). Five Elements Chess's advantage is ratings volume (106 vs 4). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

Starlift 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 106 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 82% of Five Elements Chess's written reviews are positive against 100% of Starlift's.

Five Elements Chess ships an update weekly, Starlift every 2 days. Both last shipped on November 6, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Five Elements Chess | Starlift |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (106 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/five-elements-chess/id934862443/reviews) | **[5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/starlift-falling-block-puzzle/id6820674176/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **106** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 81.8% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Weekly | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 280 MB | 114 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ming Gao](https://appshunter.io/developer/654637118) | [Banjo Obayomi](https://appshunter.io/developer/474325552) |

## 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 |


### Starlift

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/starlift-falling-block-puzzle/id6820674176)

A fast-paced puzzle game where matching three blocks ignites them and launches everything above. Explore eleven unique worlds with different gravity mechanics and challenge yourself in various game modes.

**Highlights:** Unique gravity mechanics per world, Branching star chart Voyage mode, Multiple game modes: Endless, Time Attack, Versus, Royale, Online multiplayer and daily challenges, One-handed portrait gameplay, No ads or account required for solo play

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Game | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Five Elements Chess free?

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

### Is Starlift free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Five Elements Chess or Starlift?

Starlift is rated higher. Five Elements Chess averages 4.8 out of 5 from 106 ratings, while Starlift averages 5.0 from 4 ratings.

### Do Five Elements Chess or Starlift have ads?

Neither Five Elements Chess nor Starlift shows ads.

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

Five Elements Chess ships an update weekly, and Starlift every 2 days. Most recently, Five Elements Chess was updated on November 6, 2026 and Starlift on November 6, 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.*