Comparison

Master Chess vs Chessboard

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

Head to head
About

Master Chess

Engage in the timeless strategy of chess against AI opponents or players worldwide. Master tactical moves to capture the opponent's king and achieve checkmate. This classic board game offers intuitive drag-and-drop controls for seamless gameplay.

Highlights
  • Play against computer AI
  • Compete with real players globally
  • Classic chess gameplay
  • Intuitive drag-and-drop controls
  • Capture the opponent's king
  • Achieve checkmate
Features
Read full description

Use the most effective strategies to defeat the computer or real players from all over the world in this classic game for all time. The goal of the game is to capture your opponent's king. This is done by moving the pieces on the board. Who will be the first to say "Checkmate". To make a move, click on the shape and drag it to the desired position. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Chessboard

Play classic chess or Antichess with a friend on a single device or across two devices. This app enforces legal moves and saves your progress automatically. It's designed for two players, with no ads or accounts required.

Highlights
  • Two-player chess
  • Antichess mode
  • Play on one device
  • Play on two devices
  • Legal move enforcement
  • Automatic game saving
  • Offline play
Features
Read full description

Chessboard is a simple chess app for two players to play chess together. Play without ads, without an account, and without public matchmaking. Enjoy classic chess anytime — offline on one device or online by inviting each other. The chess app allows only legal moves and supports all important chess rules, including castling, en passant, and pawn promotion. It also includes Antichess, where captures are mandatory and the goal is to lose all pieces or have no legal moves. Ideal for beginners, kids, and experienced players who want to play together. CHESS ON ONE DEVICE Play chess with two people on a single device — a classic chess experience without a physical board. Perfect as travel chess, for on the go, at a café, or at home – no physical chessboard or pieces needed. CHESS ON TWO DEVICES Connect two devices and play chess on separate screens. The connection works by invitation, for example via an invite link you share once using a messenger or another method. After that, you can invite each other directly from within the app without having to resend the link every time. An internet connection is required. Suitable for games in the same room or over longer distances. GAME PROGRESS The current chess game is saved automatically. All moves remain visible, and the game can be continued at any time. FAQ Is this chess app suitable for kids? Yes, the app is kid-friendly and easy to use. Is there a computer opponent or chess AI? No. Chessboard focuses exclusively on games between two people you choose to play with — there are no random opponents or public matches. Does the chess app require internet access? Only for playing on two devices. Playing on one device works completely offline. Are there ads or registration? No. No ads, no login, no account.

Screenshots

Master Chess4 screens
Chessboard4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Chessboard at 5.0 against Master Chess's 3.1. Chessboard also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). Master Chess's advantage is ratings volume (17 vs 2). On price, device support and iOS requirement 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. Master Chess sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $0.99 per month. Chessboard asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Chessboard holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Master Chess has 17 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Master Chess ships an update every 3 months, Chessboard every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Master Chess versus Chessboard: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMaster ChessChessboard
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.1 (17 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews27.3% of reviews—
Number of ratings17 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 4 days — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.615.6
Further details — not scored
Size42 MB100 MB
Age rating+44+
DeveloperCode This Lab srlMatthias Juengel

Customer experience

Master Chess

All ratings17 ratings
Positive47.1%
Neutral5.9%
Negative47.1%
Written reviews11 reviews
Positive27.3%
Neutral9.1%
Negative63.6%

Chessboard

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Master Chess

Subscriptions1
  • Chess Subscription$0.991 Month
None

Chessboard

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Master Chess free?
Master Chess is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Chessboard free?
Chessboard is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Master Chess or Chessboard?
Chessboard is rated higher. Master Chess averages 3.1 out of 5 from 17 ratings, while Chessboard averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.
Do Master Chess or Chessboard have ads?
Master Chess shows ads; Chessboard does not.
Which is updated more often, Master Chess or Chessboard?
Master Chess ships an update every 3 months, and Chessboard every 4 days. Most recently, Master Chess was updated on October 24, 2026 and Chessboard on October 22, 2026.

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