# Chess Ultimate vs Chess Crusade

The clearest difference is rating: Chess Crusade at 4.4 against Chess Ultimate's 4.0. Chess Ultimate's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs every 2 weeks) and review sentiment (63% vs 50%). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Chess Ultimate sells 6 one-off in-app purchases and Chess Crusade sells 7 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Chess Crusade holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 127 and 89 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 63% of Chess Ultimate's written reviews are positive against 50% of Chess Crusade's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Chess Ultimate ships an update every 4 days, Chess Crusade every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess Ultimate | Chess Crusade |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (127 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-ultimate/id1560046518/reviews) | **[4.4 (89 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-crusade/id6446124494/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **127** | 89 |
| Positive reviews | **62.7% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 695 MB | 80 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Jesse Lugassy](https://appshunter.io/developer/1560046520) | [Toast - Apps and Software LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/393055476) |

## What reviewers say

### Chess Ultimate

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-ultimate/id1560046518)

Engage in a strategic battle where classic chess meets a roster of unique characters. Build a team to defend your King and outwit your opponent in this fresh take on a timeless game. It's easy to learn but offers deep mastery.

**Highlights:** Unique character roster, Team building, King defense strategy, Opponent downfall plotting, Fresh take on chess

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1,000 Gems | $1.99 | one-time |
| 2,000 Gems | $3.49 | one-time |
| 3,000 Gems | $4.99 | one-time |
| Battle Pass | $7.99 | one-time |
| 5,000 Gems | $7.99 | one-time |
| 10,000 Gems | $12.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💡 Fun twist on classic chess
- 👍 Great concept and potential
- 🤩 Amazing graphics and art
- 🚀 Very fun to play
- 👍 No ads and offline play

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent bugs and glitches
- 😞 Login/sign-in issues
- ⏳ Long matchmaking times
- ⚖️ Unbalanced gameplay
- 📉 Some pieces are lackluster

**Reported bugs**

- App flashing and becoming unplayable after closing without shutting down
- Game refuses to connect to the internet
- No matches available
- Does not indicate when king is in check
- Login issues with Apple accounts

**Requested features**

- Fischer Random mode
- Spells or building mechanics
- Health bars and better motion for turtle piece
- Improved copy cat spawning mechanic
- Stronger giant piece


### Chess Crusade

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-crusade/id6446124494)

This game blends traditional chess with deck-building mechanics, introducing powerful fairy pieces and strategic upgrades. Build your battle deck, refine your strategy, and conquer colorful worlds in both casual and ranked matches.

**Highlights:** Fairy chess pieces, Deck-building mechanics, Strategic piece upgrades, Ranked PvP and PvE modes, Customizable worlds and avatars, Spectate and learn from top players

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

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Gem Pack 1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Multi-Game Pass | $0.99 | one-time |
| Username Change | $2.99 | one-time |
| Gem Pack 2 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Gem Pack 3 | $14.99 | one-time |
| Gem Pack 4 | $49.99 | one-time |
| Gem Pack 5 | $99.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chess Ultimate free?

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

### Is Chess Crusade free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Chess Ultimate or Chess Crusade?

Chess Crusade is rated higher. Chess Ultimate averages 4.0 out of 5 from 127 ratings, while Chess Crusade averages 4.4 from 89 ratings.

### Do Chess Ultimate or Chess Crusade have ads?

Neither Chess Ultimate nor Chess Crusade shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Chess Ultimate or Chess Crusade?

Chess Ultimate ships an update every 4 days, and Chess Crusade every 2 weeks. Most recently, Chess Ultimate was updated on October 27, 2026 and Chess Crusade on October 24, 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.*