Comparison

Chess King vs 3Chess

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

Head to head
About

Chess King

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
Read full description

Don't just play chess. Train like a master. Chess King teaches the game the way strong players are actually built — with a rigorous, structured curriculum, not a random feed of puzzles. 147 complete courses take you from your first move to advanced play, step by step. WHY CHESS KING IS DIFFERENT Most chess apps let you play. Chess King trains you. Every course is a real lesson built on classical training methods refined over 30 years — the same approach behind CT-ART, the tactics trainer used by serious players worldwide. You don't just solve a position and move on. Chess King gives you hints when you are stuck, explains the idea behind the right move, and shows you the striking refutation of the mistakes you might make. That is how understanding is built — not memorized. WHAT YOU GET - 147 structured courses covering tactics, strategy, openings, the middlegame, and endgames, organized by level from beginner to master. - Chess King University: 7 guided learning paths and 44 courses that give you a clear, ordered route to real improvement — no guessing what to study next. - Interactive theory: read the lesson, then play the moves on the board yourself. Learning by doing, not just reading. - Thousands of carefully selected exercises with graphic hints and full explanations. - Play against the computer to put what you have trained into practice. - A progress report for every lesson, so you always see how far you have come. TRAIN ON EVERY DEVICE Your subscription, purchases, progress, and rating sync automatically across web, iPhone, iPad, and Android. Train on your phone on the commute, continue on the web at home — your progress follows you. TRY IT FREE Preview courses before you commit. When you are ready, choose a monthly or yearly plan, or buy individual courses to keep forever. Chess King — train like a master. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

3Chess

Experience a unique twist on the classic game with this three-player chess variant. Test your logic and strategy in real-time or turn-based matches across multiple platforms. Learn the ropes with interactive guides and play online with friends or anonymously.

Highlights
  • Three-player chess gameplay
  • Real-time and turn-based online matches
  • Cross-platform compatibility
  • Interactive learning guides
  • Offline 'pass and play' mode
  • Anonymous play option
Features
Read full description

Chess is the most popular game of all time, but have you ever wanted to play as three? 3Chess is a revolutionary three-player chess game that defies convention and redefines strategy. Our app seamlessly merges traditional chess rules with fresh possibilities, putting your logic, strategy, and anticipation skills to test like never before. TRIPLE THE STRATEGY, TRIPLE THE FUN: Three players on one board - are you ready for the challenge? ON YOUR TIME, AT YOUR PACE: Play real-time online matches or turn-based at your convenience with notifications when it's your turn. CROSS-PLATFORM COMPATIBILITY: Choose your battle station. Whether on your phone, tablet, or browser, play seamlessly across Mobile, and 3-chess.com. LEARN: With interactive guides, and hands-on demos, we aim to provide both newcomers and seasoned chess enthusiasts with the tools they need to master this unique variant of the age-old game. PRACTICE WITH BOTS: Play offline against two bots of your chosen level to sharpen your skills. Short a player online? Add a bot to fill the gap and play as two. CONNECT, COMPETE, CONQUER: Play online with friends, join public lobbies or indulge in offline 'pass and play'. Create an account or play anonymously. With triple the players and triple the intensity, 3Chess revolutionizes the game of strategy, offering a truly unique chess experience. Are you up for the challenge? Your feedback is invaluable to us. Please share your suggestions and comments. Visit us at https://3-chess.com for more details and updates.

Screenshots

Chess King4 screens
3Chess4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Chess King at 78% against 3Chess's 25%. Chess King also leads on rating (4.8 vs 2.8) and ratings volume (2.5K vs 6). 3Chess's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10). On price, update cadence, ads and device support 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. Chess King sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. 3Chess asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Chess King holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 2.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chess King has 2.5K ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 78% of Chess King's written reviews are positive against 25% of 3Chess's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Chess King ships an update every 3 weeks, 3Chess every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 13, 2026 and November 12, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Chess King versus 3Chess: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterChess King3Chess
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (2.5K ratings) — better2.8 (6 ratings)
Positive reviews78.4% of reviews — better25.0% of reviews
Number of ratings2.5K — better6
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 5 weeks
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesAd-supported — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.0 — better15.1
Further details — not scored
Size109 MB55 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperChess KingOliver Blade

Customer experience

Chess King

All ratings2,501 ratings
Positive95.2%
Neutral2.3%
Negative2.4%
Written reviews324 reviews
Positive78.4%
Neutral5.2%
Negative16.4%

3Chess

All ratings5 ratings
Positive40.0%
Neutral40.0%
Negative20.0%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive25.0%
Neutral50.0%
Negative25.0%

Bugs and requests

Chess King

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • 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

7 requests
  • Add dark mode option
  • Improve user interface and design
  • Add more opening courses
  • Provide better explanations for moves
  • Allow resetting progress
Show 2 more
  • Improve syncing across devices
  • Add online chess mode

3Chess

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

10 purchases

Chess King

Subscriptions6
  • CT-ART: The Best Tactics7 Days trial$5.991 Month
  • Chess King University7 Days trial$11.991 Month
  • Chess King Courses3 Days trial$11.991 Month
Show 3 more
  • Chess King Maximum Pack1 Month trial$17.991 Month
  • Chess King Courses3 Days trial$89.991 Year
  • Chess King Maximum Pack1 Year trial$119.991 Year
One-time4
  • Chess: From Beginner to Club$12.99
  • Chess Tactics for Beginners$12.99
  • Chess Opening Blunders$12.99
Show 1 more
  • CT-ART 4.0 (Chess Tactics)$17.99
None

3Chess

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Chess King free?
Chess King is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is 3Chess free?
3Chess is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Chess King or 3Chess?
Chess King is rated higher. Chess King averages 4.8 out of 5 from 2.5K ratings, while 3Chess averages 2.8 from 6 ratings.
Do Chess King or 3Chess have ads?
Both Chess King and 3Chess show ads.
Which is updated more often, Chess King or 3Chess?
Chess King ships an update every 3 weeks, and 3Chess every 5 weeks. Most recently, Chess King was updated on November 13, 2026 and 3Chess on November 12, 2026.

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