Comparison

Square Off Chess vs Chessplode

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Square Off Chess

This app offers a comprehensive chess experience for players of all levels. Learn, analyze, and master the game with challenging AI, unlimited game analysis, and online competition. Track your progress and share your gameplay with the world.

Highlights
  • Challenge AI up to ELO 3200+
  • Adaptive AI that adjusts to your moves
  • Unlimited game import and analysis
  • Track performance progress with game history
  • Live broadcasting of gameplay
  • Compete online against global players
  • Thousands of chess puzzles
Features
Read full description

Welcome to the realm of Square Off Chess - a chess app that places you in a royal court of strategists, where you are the king or queen! As you explore the regal rewards of our app, you'll quickly discover why it's one of the best chess apps. Ideal for beginners, enthusiasts, and seasoned professionals alike, Square Off Chess App goes beyond traditional play to help you learn, analyze, and master chess, making Square Off Chess App your perfect chess companion. Key Features: Challenge Our AI and Bots: Up to ELO 3200+ to test your mettle, refine your strategy. Access to the best LiChess bots. Adaptive AI: Square Off’s AI adjusts to your moves, making each game a new adventure. Unlimited Game Import and Analysis: Learn from each move, from pawn to king. Track Performance Progress: Unlimited game history to replay victories and learn from defeats. Live Broadcasting: Share your gameplay with the world and become a chess champion. Compete Online: Square off against millions of global players on chess.com and Lichess for an intense, international challenge. Plus More: Enjoy other features like 1000s of chess puzzles and premium AI levels, game hints, PGN export, personalized feedback, and so much more! Square Off Chess awaits you - Download now and start your epic chess journey! Experience exciting new features, challenge formidable AI, plunge into advanced game analysis, and receive personalized feedback on every game.

About

Chessplode

This app offers a unique twist on chess where capturing a piece causes others in the same line and column to explode. It's designed to be fun and accessible, even for those who aren't skilled at traditional chess, offering both single-player and multiplayer modes.

Highlights
  • Exploding pieces on capture
  • Real-time multiplayer battles
  • User-created levels
  • Local multiplayer mode
  • AI opponent practice
  • Customizable color themes
Features
Read full description

Chessplode is modern chess for everyone, it makes chess fun even if you're bad ¯\_(ツ)_/¯, one simply move... can change all game. -- THE MODERN RULE -- Chessplode is pretty much like chess with a really BIG twist... - CAPTURE a piece and everything in the same LINE and COLUMN will EXPLODE... - But if a KING is in that LINE or COLUMN it will be a really *boring* chess capture (no explosions) -- THINK DIFF... *DISTINCT* -- This rule is pretty tricky, in regular chess you need to defend your KING, but in Chessplode it can save your pieces. Remember, you can't capture some pieces because you could get check. Sometimes you will checkmate capturing a piece that explodes. And other you will be afraid of having several pieces in the same line or column...(POP!) -- FRIENDS (Who love chess) REVIEW -- They find Chessplode a great challenge and love how they need to change the old way of thinking even if they are winning... a bad move and they will run out of pieces. -- FRIENDS (Who *meh* chess) REVIEW -- Chess + Explosions... you got my attention. Some of these friends were casual chess players and others didn't really feel the attraction for chess. Both find Chessplode a really fun game. When they were playing regular chess they were not good, now they are the kings of the hill. -- FEATURES -- * FREE TO PLAY * Realtime chess battles multiplayer with people around the world. * In multiplayer you can send an emoji (to express your feelings) with every move you submit. Instant fun! * Play Levels created for other players, you can find really madness here, but you can undo your move... everyone can make a mistake. * Create your own custom Level and submit it to everyone can play it. Challenge the world! * Try local multiplayer battles with friends in the same device. Head to head! * Practice playing versus Ziri. * A lot of different color themes, play day and night with your favourite colors. Thank you for playing "Chessplode"! I really hope you enjoy it as much as I did making it ;) Support: Are you having problems? http://twitter.com/juaxma http://twitter.com/chessplode hello@juan.ma Privacy Policy: http://juan.ma/chessplode/privacypolicy/ AppPreview Music: https://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music/track/jazzy-frenchy © Juan Manuel Altamirano Argudo / juan.ma

Screenshots

Square Off Chess4 screens
Chessplode4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Square Off Chess at none against Chessplode's shown. Square Off Chess also leads on ratings volume (3K vs 574). Chessplode's advantage is review sentiment (61% vs 35%). On price, rating, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Square Off Chess sells 6 one-off in-app purchases and Chessplode sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.4 for Square Off Chess against 4.5 for Chessplode. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Square Off Chess has 3K ratings behind it against 574, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 35% of Square Off Chess's written reviews are positive against 61% of Chessplode's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Square Off Chess ships an update every 3 weeks, Chessplode every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Square Off Chess versus Chessplode: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSquare Off ChessChessplode
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (3K ratings)4.5 (574 ratings) — better
Positive reviews35.2% of reviews61.2% of reviews — better
Number of ratings3K — better574
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS11.0 — better12.0
Further details — not scored
Size703 MB86 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperInfiVention, Inc.Juan Manuel Altamirano Argudo

Customer experience

Square Off Chess

All ratings2,887 ratings
Positive83.2%
Neutral5.1%
Negative11.7%
Written reviews253 reviews
Positive35.2%
Neutral12.6%
Negative52.2%

Chessplode

All ratings574 ratings
Positive88.5%
Neutral3.8%
Negative7.7%
Written reviews67 reviews
Positive61.2%
Neutral9.0%
Negative29.9%

User reviews

Square Off Chess

From 3K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Great game
  • 👍 Awesome board
  • 🚀 Mesmerizing piece movement
  • 👍 Well-made product
  • 🚀 Impressive engineering

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Buggy app
  • 🐛 Freezing issues
  • 🐛 Connectivity problems
  • 🐛 Unreliable board recognition
  • 🔋 Battery drain

Chessplode

From 574 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Quick gameplay
  • 👍 Beautiful and fun game
  • 👍 Fantastic and great fun twist on chess
  • 👍 Lovely little game
  • 👍 Chess with a new challenge

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Won't open or get stuck
  • 🐛 Issues with king movement and checkmate detection
  • 🐛 Crashes and freezes
  • 🐛 AI issues with thinking and repeating moves
  • 🐛 Overly difficult, even at easy levels

Bugs and requests

Square Off Chess

Reported bugs

6 issues
  • App crashes frequently
  • Board loses connection during games
  • Piece movements not registered properly
  • Firmware update issues
  • Incorrect game state tracking
Show 1 more
  • Opponent moves not showing up

Requested features

8 requests
  • Landscape mode for iPad
  • Ability to stream games to the board
  • More timer options
  • Parental controls
  • Game history and analysis features
Show 3 more
  • Integration with popular chess platforms
  • Improved AI difficulty scaling
  • Ability to take back moves against AI

Chessplode

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Won't open or get stuck on certain screens
  • Issues with king movement and checkmate detection
  • Crashes and freezes, especially when AI is thinking
  • AI issues with thinking and repeating moves

Requested features

9 requests
  • Add local multiplayer mode
  • Add classic chess mode
  • Add more basic puzzles
  • Add ability to go back to previous levels
  • Add option to remove explosions
Show 4 more
  • Add Repetition end-condition
  • Add Resign button
  • Add themed boards
  • Add online levels and multiplayer

In-app purchases

6 purchases

Square Off Chess

One-time6
  • 100 Diamonds$0.99
  • 200 Diamonds$1.99
  • 500 Diamonds$4.99
Show 3 more
  • 1000 Diamonds$8.99
  • 5000 Diamonds$29.99
  • 10000 Diamonds$49.99
5 purchases

Chessplode

One-time5
  • +100 Undos$0.99
  • Generous Tip$0.99
  • Massive Tip$1.99
Show 2 more
  • INFINITE UNDOS$1.99
  • Amazing Tip$2.99

Questions

Is Square Off Chess free?
Square Off Chess is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Chessplode free?
Chessplode is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Square Off Chess or Chessplode?
Chessplode is rated higher. Square Off Chess averages 4.4 out of 5 from 3K ratings, while Chessplode averages 4.5 from 574 ratings.
Do Square Off Chess or Chessplode have ads?
Chessplode shows ads; Square Off Chess does not.
Which is updated more often, Square Off Chess or Chessplode?
Square Off Chess ships an update every 3 weeks, and Chessplode every 2 weeks. Most recently, Square Off Chess was updated on November 3, 2026 and Chessplode on November 4, 2026.

Other comparisons