# Lichess vs RankUp Chess

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Lichess at none against RankUp Chess's 1. Lichess also leads on chart position (#39 vs unranked). RankUp Chess's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs fortnightly). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. RankUp Chess sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Lichess asks for nothing beyond the download.

Lichess ships an update fortnightly, RankUp Chess every 2 days. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Lichess | RankUp Chess |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.1 (754 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lichess/id1662361230/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **754** | — |
| Positive reviews | 53.4% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Best chart rank | **#39** | — |
| Size | 109 MB | 99 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [LICHESS.ORG](https://appshunter.io/developer/968371783) | [Stillware Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/6804301135) |

## What reviewers say

### Lichess

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lichess/id1662361230)

**Currently charting:** #39 Top Free · Strategy (US App Store)

Play chess online with millions of users, participate in tournaments, solve puzzles, and analyze games. This free and open-source application offers a comprehensive chess experience for players of all levels, with features for learning and casual play.

**Highlights:** Real-time and correspondence chess, Arena tournaments, Chess puzzles, Game analysis with Stockfish, Interactive study feature, Chess clock

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great interface
- 🚀 Smooth performance
- 💡 Useful resources for learning and analysis

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional UI issues
- 💡 Room for more customization options

**Reported bugs**

- Swipe-to-go-back gesture interferes with piece placement

**Requested features**

- Name of opening in opening explorer
- Ability to add and subtract additional things on the homepage
- Reset/replay button on puzzles


### RankUp Chess

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rankup-chess-learn-and-play/id6806675796)

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Lifetime Unlock | $11.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Lichess free?

Lichess is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is RankUp Chess free?

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

### Do Lichess or RankUp Chess have ads?

Neither Lichess nor RankUp Chess shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Lichess or RankUp Chess?

Lichess ships an update fortnightly, and RankUp Chess every 2 days. Most recently, Lichess was updated on October 24, 2026 and RankUp Chess 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.*