Comparison

Chess Royale vs Plain Chess

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

Head to head
About

Chess Royale

Engage in the classic game of chess with millions worldwide. This app offers AI challenges, multiplayer matches, and extensive training tools including puzzles and post-game analysis to improve your strategic skills.

Highlights
  • Play against AI
  • Multiplayer matches
  • Chess puzzles
  • Post-game analysis
  • Beginner and advanced training
  • Multiple game modes
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

► THE ONLY CHESS APP YOU NEED Whether you’re a complete beginner or a highly experienced player, Chess Royale has everything you could need to enjoy one of the world’s greatest board games on your mobile device. Play with the AI, with friends, or with millions of strangers all over the world, then train your chess skills with tutorials, puzzles, and post-game analysis. One of the greatest things about chess is that there’s always something new to learn, and this beautifully designed app will allow you to keep on discovering the magic of chess and enhancing your love of the game day after day. ► WHY CHESS? ◾ With a history that stretches back over millennia, chess is both a vital cultural artefact and a beloved pastime that brings together millions of players all over the world. ◾ Renowned as a fierce test of the intellect, chess provides incredible training for your brain. Regularly playing chess and solving puzzles can train your strategic skills, develop logical and lateral thinking, help with learning and understanding psychology, improve your analysis and enhance your memory. ◾ It’s fun! Chess may be intimidating for beginners, but the more you learn and the better you understand the game, the more entertaining and rewarding it becomes. There’s some reason why it has remained among the most popular board games in the world for centuries, after all. ► WHY CHESS ROYALE? ◾ It pays to be popular: With over 50 000 000 players across all popular platforms, Chess Royale ensures there’s always a real opponent of similar skill online and ready to play in a variety of multiplayer formats. ◾ Endless variations: Not only can you challenge real players of different skill levels, you can also play in eight different modes. Play blitzes with varying time limitations, use the notifications system to play with friends when they’re online, test yourself in private against the game’s AI, and enter and arrange tournaments of various formats for more multiplayer fun. ◾ More than just a game: Chess Royale boasts more than 5000 chess puzzles to help you train specific aspects of your game. The app also features analysis tools that you can use post-match to help with your learning and development. And there is a trainer for beginners and more advanced players to get a better grasp of this intensely rich and complex game. Despite the wonders of modern technology, you’ll be hard pressed to find a mobile game that’s as challenging, enjoyable, and intellectually satisfying as chess. Whether you’re looking for just a new game to play online or a trainer to help you take the very first steps in exploring the magic of chess, Chess Royale offers something extra. Download the app now to discover the ultimate mobile chess environment. ►Vip Subscription: - You can subscribe to Vip membership to play without any ads, unlock all purchasable deck packs and play infinite puzzles every day. Also you can use infinite hints while solving chess puzzles - You are able to choose from three subscription options: a weekly subscription (free for the first 3 days) for $4.99 USD, a monthly subscription for $14.99 USD, an annual subscription for $79.99 USD - Subscription payments will be charged to your iTunes account at confirmation of your purchase and upon commencement of each renewal term. Subscription with a free trial period will automatically renew to a paid subscription. You can cancel your subscription or free trial in the iTunes settings at least 24-hours before the end of the free trial period. The cancellation will take effect the day after the last day of the current subscription period and you will be downgraded to the free service. - Please note that any unused portion of a free trial period will be forfeited when you purchase a premium subscription during the free trial period. - Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase Privacy Policy: https://say.games/privacy-policy Terms of Use: https://say.games/terms-of-use

About

Plain Chess

Enjoy offline chess matches on your iPhone without ads or accounts. Play against the computer, a friend, or use the AI Coach for strategic advice. Perfect for learning, practicing, or quick games.

Highlights
  • Offline chess play
  • Play against computer
  • Pass-and-play multiplayer
  • AI Coach explanations
  • Saved games
  • No ads or account required
Features
Read full description

Chess without the stress. Play a free game every day, learn from a coach that explains your games, and play the people you know. FREE EVERY DAY Play one new game a day in any mode: one of six rivals, a friend, Quick Match, or pass and play on one iPhone. Solve the daily puzzle, keep your streak going, and get a hint and a threat check in your game. After each game, see how many moments there are to learn from. SIX RIVALS WITH REAL PERSONALITIES From Pip, a beginner learning one move at a time, to Nova, an expert who loves to attack, each rival plays at their own level and talks like themselves. Choose how chatty they are: quiet, friendly or spicy. Every rival is an AI and always labeled as one. PLAY THE PEOPLE YOU KNOW Invite friends through Game Center for a daily game, with up to three days a move, or a live game with a clock. Quick Match finds a player near your level, or one of our AI rivals when nobody's around. No chat, just six friendly reactions. PLAIN CHESS COACH Become a member for everything else: • Unlimited games in every mode • A review of every game: where it turned, your best move and every mistake, explained in plain words • Unlimited Hint and Threats: a strong move, or what your opponent is after • 300 AI Coach answers a month: ask about your position, typed or out loud • Nearly 5,000 checkmate puzzles on a path through ten lands, and 85 opening lessons • My Games: every game you finish, synced with iCloud • Voices for the coach and your rivals, made on your iPhone Choose Yearly, with a 7-day free trial for eligible new members, or Monthly. Family covers up to six people through Family Sharing, with 50 AI Coach answers a month for each person. Prices vary by country; the app shows your price before you buy. Plain Chess Lifetime, $99 once, includes everything except AI Coach answers. AI Coach answer packs (25, 75 or 250 answers) are available to Lifetime owners, original buyers and members who use up their monthly answers. Already a member, or bought Plain Chess early? You keep everything you have, and your price stays the same while your membership is active. Payment is charged to your Apple Account when you confirm the purchase. A membership renews automatically unless you cancel at least 24 hours before the end of the current period, and your account is charged for renewal within 24 hours before the period ends. Manage or cancel in your Apple Account settings. Deleting the app doesn't cancel a membership. AI Coach needs an internet connection and can make mistakes. No ads, no account to create. Privacy: https://cerebraenterprises.com/plain-chess/privacy Terms: https://cerebraenterprises.com/plain-chess/terms Apple Standard EULA: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Chess Royale4 screens
Plain Chess4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Plain Chess at 100% against Chess Royale's 60%. Plain Chess also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 4 days vs every 5 weeks). Chess Royale's advantage is ratings volume (20K vs 5) and monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs paid). On price 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. Chess Royale sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per 7 days and Plain Chess sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Plain Chess holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chess Royale has 20K ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 60% of Chess Royale's written reviews are positive against 100% of Plain Chess's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Chess Royale ships an update every 5 weeks, Plain Chess every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard9 real differences · 2 level
Chess Royale versus Plain Chess: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterChess RoyalePlain Chess
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (20K ratings)4.8 (5 ratings) — better
Positive reviews59.6% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings20K — better5
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeksEvery 4 days — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterPaid
Best chart rank#174 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size490 MB115 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSayGames LTDCerebra Enterprises, LLC

Customer experience

Chess Royale

All ratings20,246 ratings
Positive88.1%
Neutral5.4%
Negative6.4%
Written reviews787 reviews
Positive59.6%
Neutral11.2%
Negative29.2%

Plain Chess

All ratings5 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Chess Royale

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Incorrect puzzle solutions being marked as wrong
  • Game losses due to connection issues or app freezes
  • Inconsistent trophy/ranking system
  • Inability to report cheating or suspicious behavior

Requested features

4 requests
  • Ability to play longer timed games
  • Option to disable ads for a one-time fee
  • More advanced chess analysis and training features
  • Improved matchmaking to pair players of similar skill levels

Plain Chess

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

10 purchases

Chess Royale

Subscriptions3
  • Weekly Vip3 Days trial2 variants$7.997 Days
  • Monthly Vip$19.991 Month
  • Annual Vip$39.991 Year
One-time7
  • Tiny Coins Pack$0.99
  • Tiny Gems Pack$1.99
  • Gold Reserve 2$2.99
Show 4 more
  • Coins Pack Offer$3.99
  • Disable Ads Forever$4.99
  • Medium Gems Pack$6.99
  • Large Gems Pack$19.99
3 purchases

Plain Chess

One-time3
  • 10 AI Coach Credits$2.99
  • 30 AI Coach Credits$7.99
  • 100 AI Coach Credits$19.99

Questions

Is Chess Royale free?
Chess Royale is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Plain Chess free?
Plain Chess is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Chess Royale or Plain Chess?
Plain Chess is rated higher. Chess Royale averages 4.5 out of 5 from 20K ratings, while Plain Chess averages 4.8 from 5 ratings.
Do Chess Royale or Plain Chess have ads?
Chess Royale shows ads; Plain Chess does not.
Which is updated more often, Chess Royale or Plain Chess?
Chess Royale ships an update every 5 weeks, and Plain Chess every 4 days. Most recently, Chess Royale was updated on October 28, 2026 and Plain Chess on October 25, 2026.

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