# Chess King vs Mindgammon

The clearest difference is ads: Mindgammon at none against Chess King's shown. Mindgammon also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs every 3 weeks) and rating (5.0 vs 4.8). Chess King's advantage is ratings volume (2.5K vs 1). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Chess King sells 17 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and Mindgammon sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Mindgammon holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chess King has 2.5K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Chess King ships an update every 3 weeks, Mindgammon every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess King | Mindgammon |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (2.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-king-learn-to-play/id1305823239/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mindgammon/id6476835620/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **2.5K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 78.4% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 109 MB | 149 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Chess King](https://appshunter.io/developer/1096660597) | [Christian Bailey](https://appshunter.io/developer/1727954872) |

## What reviewers say

### Chess King

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-king-learn-to-play/id1305823239)

Master the game of chess with this comprehensive learning app. It offers interactive lessons, puzzles, and analysis for all skill levels, from beginner to advanced. Improve your tactics and strategy with a personal chess trainer, available online and offline.

**Highlights:** 100+ learning courses, Interactive theoretical lessons, High-quality, double-checked puzzles, Personal chess trainer, Computer analysis, Offline support, Chess tasks for kids

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (17)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| CT-ART: The Best Tactics | $5.99 | per month |
| Chess King University | $11.99 | per month |
| Chess King Courses | $11.99 | per month |
| Chess King Maximum Pack | $17.99 | per month |
| Chess King Courses | $89.99 | per year |
| Chess King Maximum Pack | $119.99 | per year |
| Mate in 1 move (Chess Puzzles) | $3.99 | one-time |
| Chess Endings for Beginners | $7.99 | one-time |
| Chess: From Beginner to Club | $12.99 | one-time |
| Chess Combinations Vol. 1 | $12.99 | one-time |
| Chess Tactics for Beginners | $12.99 | one-time |
| Chess Opening Blunders | $12.99 | one-time |
| Chess Opening Lab (1400-2000) | $12.99 | one-time |
| Chess Strategy for Beginners | $12.99 | one-time |
| Elementary Chess Tactics 1 | $12.99 | one-time |
| CT-ART 4.0 (Chess Tactics) | $17.99 | one-time |
| Total Chess Endgames 1600-2400 | $17.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- ⭐ Best game in the world
- 👍 Helpful for practice
- 💡 Excellent tutorial and training content
- 🎨 Well-chosen puzzles
- 🧠 Improves pattern recognition and tactics

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive
- 🐛 Crashes on iPhone and iPad
- 🐛 Buggy after recent update
- 🤔 Confusing interface and lack of instructions
- 🤔 Difficult for beginners

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes on M1 Macs
- Doesnot work with iOS 13 dark mode
- Doesnot show board and pieces in exercises
- Cannot restore purchases
- Doesnot sync progress across devices

**Requested features**

- Add dark mode option
- Improve user interface and design
- Add more opening courses
- Provide better explanations for moves
- Allow resetting progress


### Mindgammon

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mindgammon/id6476835620)

A head-to-head dice and strategy game where players race chips down a single track, bear them in, and bear them off. It offers tactical gameplay suitable for quick matches or longer sessions, with options to play against AI, friends, or in tournaments.

**Highlights:** Single straight track gameplay, Chips start off the board, Doubles grant four moves and re-rolls, Aces Ducey rolls grant extra moves, Exact-count bear-off mechanic, Play against computer or friends, Tournament play available

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

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 5,000 Chips | $0.99 | one-time |
| 10,000 Chips | $1.99 | one-time |
| 15,000 Chips | $2.99 | one-time |
| 20,000 Chips | $3.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads | $3.99 | one-time |
| 1,000,000 Chips | $19.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chess King free?

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

### Is Mindgammon free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Chess King or Mindgammon?

Mindgammon is rated higher. Chess King averages 4.8 out of 5 from 2.5K ratings, while Mindgammon averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Chess King or Mindgammon have ads?

Chess King shows ads; Mindgammon does not.

### Which is updated more often, Chess King or Mindgammon?

Chess King ships an update every 3 weeks, and Mindgammon every 2 days. Most recently, Chess King was updated on October 29, 2026 and Mindgammon on October 30, 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.*