# Blackbox vs Hexchess One

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Blackbox at 93% against Hexchess One's 0%. Blackbox also leads on rating (4.8 vs 3.0) and ratings volume (109K vs 4). Hexchess One's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.6). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Blackbox sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Hexchess One asks for nothing beyond the download.

Blackbox holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Blackbox has 109K ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 93% of Blackbox's written reviews are positive against 0% of Hexchess One's.

Blackbox ships an update every 9 days, Hexchess One every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and September 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Blackbox | Hexchess One |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (109K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blackbox/id962969578/reviews)** | [3.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hexchess-one/id6478119940/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **109K** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | **92.6% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 days** | Every 4 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#29** | — |
| Size | 209 MB | 12 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Shapes and Stories LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/962969577) | [Kevin Zhang](https://appshunter.io/developer/1681309419) |

## What reviewers say

### Blackbox

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blackbox/id962969578)

**Currently charting:** #29 Top Free · Trivia, #75 Top Grossing · Trivia (US App Store)

This puzzle game challenges you to solve intricate problems without touching the screen. It utilizes minimalistic visual cues, sonic interfaces, and haptic feedback to guide you through unique challenges that require thinking outside the box. Discover a new way to interact with your device and prove your cleverness.

**Highlights:** Touchless gameplay, Minimalistic visual clues, Sonic interfaces, Haptic feedback, External puzzle solving, Easter eggs

**Features:** Family Sharing, iMessage stickers

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Tiny Hint Pack | $1.19 | one-time |
| Small Hint Pack | $2.39 | one-time |
| Erudite Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| Push Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| Coffee for Ryan | $4.49 | one-time |
| Basic Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Medium Hint Pack | $5.00 | one-time |
| All Knowing Pack | $7.99 | one-time |
| Large Hint Pack | $10.00 | one-time |
| Extra Large Hint Pack | $20.00 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Unique and creative gameplay
- 🤔 Challenges users to think outside the box
- 😄 Humorous and witty comments
- 🔑 Utilizes phone features in innovative ways

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤯 Extremely challenging puzzles
- 💰 Expensive for additional content
- 🤖 Concerns about app accessing device permissions
- 🚗 Puzzles requiring travel/location are inaccessible for some

**Reported bugs**

- Hints not working as expected
- Progress reset after app update

**Requested features**

- Add ability to earn hint credits through watching ads
- Include more free puzzles
- Improve accessibility for users with limited mobility
- Provide better guidance and instructions for puzzles


### Hexchess One

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hexchess-one/id6478119940)

Experience a unique chess variant on a hexagonal board with enhanced mobility and strategy. Compete in ranked matches, climb leaderboards, and solve puzzles to master the game and earn rewards.

**Highlights:** Hexagonal board chess variant, Ranked matches and leaderboards, Daily puzzles and puzzle campaigns, Earn rewards through gameplay, Multi-platform support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Blackbox free?

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

### Is Hexchess One free?

Hexchess One is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Blackbox or Hexchess One?

Blackbox is rated higher. Blackbox averages 4.8 out of 5 from 109K ratings, while Hexchess One averages 3.0 from 4 ratings.

### Do Blackbox or Hexchess One have ads?

Neither Blackbox nor Hexchess One shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Blackbox or Hexchess One?

Blackbox ships an update every 9 days, and Hexchess One every 4 weeks. Most recently, Blackbox was updated on September 29, 2026 and Hexchess One on September 18, 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.*