# Chess vs Chess HD  ∙

The clearest difference is price: Chess HD  ∙ at Free against Chess's $0.99. Chess HD  ∙ also leads on ratings volume (7.7K vs 77) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 26.0). Chess's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (85% vs 55%). On rating, update cadence, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Chess HD  ∙ is free to download; Chess costs $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Chess against 4.5 for Chess HD  ∙. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chess HD  ∙ has 7.7K ratings behind it against 77, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 85% of Chess's written reviews are positive against 55% of Chess HD  ∙'s.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess | Chess HD  ∙ |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $0.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.6 (77 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-tchess-lite/id296756437/reviews)** | [4.5 (7.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-hd/id367637700/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 77 | **7.7K** |
| Positive reviews | **85.1% of reviews** | 55.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Ad-supported |
| Size | 6 MB | 88 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Tom Kerrigan](https://appshunter.io/developer/295445504) | [Optime Software LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/289278460) |

## What reviewers say

### Chess

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-tchess-lite/id296756437)

Enjoy a classic chess experience on your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad. This app offers a clean interface, beautiful graphics, and intuitive gameplay perfect for casual players. Play against a computer opponent, review game history, and track your progress.

**Highlights:** 1- or 2-player games on one device, Tap-to-move piece selection, Highlights legal moves, Full game history and move list, Built-in chess clock, Get hint feature, Undo moves

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great app
- 🚀 Smooth gameplay
- 💡 Helpful hints and features
- 🎨 Excellent graphics and visuals
- 🧠 Challenging AI opponent

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional bugs and crashes
- 🔍 Limited difficulty levels
- 🤖 AI can be predictable at times
- 💤 Lack of online/multiplayer options

**Reported bugs**

- Inconsistent pawn movement rules
- Stalemate issues and computer refusing to resign
- Connectivity problems with Game Center

**Requested features**

- Ability to set up custom board positions
- More difficulty levels and ELO ratings
- Online/multiplayer functionality
- Notification options for opponent moves
- Chess puzzle/training mode


### Chess HD  ∙

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-hd/id367637700)

Experience a visually stunning chess game with excellent graphics and sound effects. Play against a challenging AI or a friend, with features like configurable difficulty, score tracking, and an undo function. Enjoy a free, ad-supported chess experience.

**Highlights:** High-definition graphics and sound effects, 1-player vs. computer and 2-player modes, Configurable AI difficulty, Score tracking and player names, Undo function, Automatic save

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast gameplay
- 👍 Adjustable difficulty levels
- 💡 Undo feature
- 🎨 Nice graphics and design
- 🧠 Helps improve chess skills

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs and glitches (illegal moves, pieces disappearing, incorrect checkmate/stalemate detection)
- 💰 Intrusive ads
- 🔒 No option to disable ads even after purchase
- ⏱️ Slow computer moves on higher difficulty
- 🔀 Inability to castle or move pieces as per rules

**Reported bugs**

- Pieces disappearing during gameplay
- Incorrect checkmate/stalemate detection
- Computer making illegal moves
- Game freezing or crashing
- Inability to undo after checkmate/stalemate

**Requested features**

- Landscape mode support
- Ability to track wins/losses/draws
- More customization options (piece designs, board colors, etc.)
- Tutorials or lessons for beginners
- Multiplayer mode with friends


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chess free?

Chess costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Chess HD  ∙ free?

Chess HD  ∙ is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Chess or Chess HD  ∙?

Chess is rated higher. Chess averages 4.6 out of 5 from 77 ratings, while Chess HD  ∙ averages 4.5 from 7.7K ratings.

### Do Chess or Chess HD  ∙ have ads?

Chess HD  ∙ shows ads; Chess does not.

### Which is updated more often, Chess or Chess HD  ∙?

Chess ships an update every 5 months, and Chess HD  ∙ every 5 months. Most recently, Chess was updated on October 16, 2026 and Chess HD  ∙ on October 14, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*