# SocialChess • Online Chess — Play Friends, Learn, No Ads!

> Online chess platform for playing friends and strangers with advanced features and no ads. (iPhone/iPad app by Woodchop Software LLC.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/socialchess-online-chess/id442239737 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Woodchop Software LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/442239740)
- Category: Games, Social Networking, Board, Strategy
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Rating: 4.70/5 from 7,168 App Store ratings · 405 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: +12
- Requires: iOS 15.0 · 77 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2012-12-31
- Data updated: 2026-08-26
- Monetization: free with in-app purchases
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/socialchess-online-chess/id442239737/reviews.md

## What is SocialChess?

A polished, full featured way to play chess against friends or random opponents online.  Play fast chess with a clock,  or play many correspondence games at a time making moves whenever you have a chance every day or so.

"Social Chess Is The Best Way To Get Your iCheckmate On" -CultOfMac.com

DESIGN PRINCIPLES

* No Advertisements!
* Beautiful, clean, intuitive layout.
* Features are chosen and implemented carefully.
* Your privacy is respected. We will not spam or share any user info.
* Game features are driven by your feedback.

GAME FEATURES

* Statistics - ELO Rating, Wins, Losses, Draws.
* Elo Charts & Per Opponent statistics.
* Advanced features such as Conditional Moves and Premoves.
* Receive push notifications when a game is updated.
* Play even when there is no internet connection. Moves are sent later.
* Play up to 5 games at a time, or increase it to 100 with In-App purchase.
* Search for opponents by username, email, or we'll match you with a random opponent.
* Claim Victory if opponent does not make a move in the time allowed.
* Optional Takeback move.
* Chess960
* Analysis Board to work out your strategy.

SOCIAL FEATURES

* User Profile including picture, comments, etc.
* Map view of your opponent's location.
* Chat and Group Chat
* Browse your opponent's games, and their opponent's games.
* Elo Rankings


Apple End User License Agreement
https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula

## Key features

- Online chess matches
- Timed and correspondence games
- No advertisements
- Detailed statistics (ELO, wins, losses)
- Conditional moves and premoves
- Offline play with later sync
- User profiles and chat

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**Subscriptions**

| Subscription | Price | Period |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Annual Membership | $14.99 | per year |

**One-time purchases**

| Purchase | Price | Type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| DecodeChess 1 Year | $41.99 | one-time |
| 1 Year Membership | $14.99 | one-time |
| 1 Year Gift Membership | $14.99 | one-time |


## What do users think of SocialChess?

Overall sentiment: positive

**Pros**

- 🚀 Excellent app for playing chess
- 👍 Clean, user-friendly interface
- 👍 Large player base and easy to find opponents
- 👍 Ability to play slow or fast games
- 👍 No ads or distractions
- 👍 Great customer support

**Cons**

- 🐛 Occasional glitches and bugs
- 🔋 Potential battery drain issues
- 💰 Subscription fees for some features
- 🤖 Concerns about cheating and bots
- 🤬 Issues with toxic/abusive players

**Commonly reported bugs**

- Freezing or crashing during gameplay
- Inaccurate game statistics and ratings
- Delayed or unresponsive move registrations
- Inability to cancel or delete games

**Most requested features**

- Add chess analysis and training tools
- Implement anti-cheat measures
- Improve game history and statistics tracking
- Allow customization of board and piece designs
- Add tournament and team play modes

## Recent user reviews (10 of 405)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/socialchess-online-chess/id442239737/reviews.md

### 3/5 — Notification

*2026-07-21, version 2026.06.1*

It’s pretty good so far but there is ALWAYS a notification on the app icon like it’s my turn or I have a new message. But it’s not and I don’t. Please tell me how I can make that go away.

### 5/5 — Top Ranked

*2026-07-18, version 2026.06.1*

This is the most user friendly chess app out there. Have tried them all but Social Chess is hands down the best!!

### 5/5 — Show me better

*2026-07-17, version 2026.06.1*

The best free chess app there is. Bringing the world together to play chess. I have had many great games and met some great players through this app.

### 5/5 — The best

*2026-07-14, version 2026.06.1*

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten SON JESUS CHRIST, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.AMEN.

### 1/5 — Won’t open

*2026-06-13, version 2026.05.0*

Well I was enjoying this. The chess boards were large and easy to use. I liked the turn based games. But a few days ago, with games in progress the app suddenly stopped opening. I checked the app requirements and it still said iOS version 15 or higher, and I have 15.5.0 so that didn’t explain anything. I don’t know what you did but it keeps me from opening now. Fail.

### 1/5 — Junk app

*2026-06-06, version 2026.04.2*

Engine cheats galore - no way to report suspicious accounts.

### 5/5 — I love chess

*2026-05-23, version 2026.04.2*

This is a good chess game, but it’s a lot of racist people on here and very prejudice

### 1/5 — All the bots

*2026-04-17, version 2026.04.2*

This is one of the better chess apps out their but still have to many bots

### 5/5 — Fantastic on it every minute

*2026-03-14, version 2026.01.2*

Brilliant first class app love it No need to play any other online app

### 5/5 — I love this game…

*2026-01-29, version 2026.01.2*

I love chess….  
And….

## Frequently asked questions about SocialChess

### What is SocialChess?

SocialChess is a full-featured application for playing chess online against friends or random opponents. It offers both fast-paced timed games and slower correspondence games, allowing you to make moves at your convenience. The app prioritizes a clean, intuitive design with no advertisements.

### What are the key features of SocialChess?

Key features include playing online against friends or random opponents, timed and correspondence game modes, detailed statistics like ELO rating, advanced options such as conditional moves and premoves, offline play with later syncing, and social features like user profiles and chat. It also supports Chess960 and includes an analysis board.

### How much does SocialChess cost?

The app is free to download and play, with no advertisements. However, it offers in-app purchases to expand the number of simultaneous games you can play, increasing the limit from 5 to 100 games.

### Can I play SocialChess offline?

Yes, you can play even when there is no internet connection. Moves made during offline play are sent later when you reconnect to the internet. This allows you to continue playing your games without interruption.

### Who is SocialChess designed for?

This app is designed for anyone who enjoys playing chess, from casual players to more serious enthusiasts. It's ideal for those who want to play against friends, find new opponents, track their performance with detailed statistics, and enjoy a clean, ad-free gaming experience.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 2026.06.1 — 2026-06-17

* bug fixes and improvements

### 2026.06.0 — 2026-06-15

* bug fixes and improvements

### 2026.05.0 — 2026-06-08

* bug fixes and improvements

### 2026.04.2 — 2026-04-15

* bug fixes and improvements

### 2026.04.0 — 2026-04-06

* bug fixes and improvements

## Apps similar to SocialChess

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| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Chess.com - Play and Learn](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chesscom-play-and-learn/id329218549) | 4.8 (812,130) | Free | Games |
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| [Chess Universe - Play Online](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-universe-play-online/id1487204900) | 4.7 (5,989) | Free | Games |
| [Chess for Kids: Learn to Play](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-for-kids-learn-to-play/id629375826) | 4.7 (99,595) | Free | Games |

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-26.*