# Chess vs Chess Time

The clearest difference is price: Chess Time at Free against Chess's $0.99. Chess Time also leads on update cadence (every 10 days vs every 5 months) and ratings volume (1.7K vs 77). Chess's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and ads (none vs shown). On rating, review sentiment and device support there is nothing between them.

Chess Time is free to download; Chess costs $0.99 up front. Chess Time sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Chess asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Chess against 4.7 for Chess Time. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chess Time has 1.7K ratings behind it against 77, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 85% and 86% positive.

Chess ships an update every 5 months, Chess Time every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess | Chess Time |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $0.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.6 (77 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-tchess-lite/id296756437/reviews) | **[4.7 (1.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-time-multiplayer-chess/id455602152/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 77 | **1.7K** |
| Positive reviews | 85.4% of reviews | **86.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 6 MB | 42 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Tom Kerrigan](https://appshunter.io/developer/295445504) | [Haptic Apps LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/421590139) |

## 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 Time

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-time-multiplayer-chess/id455602152)

Engage in online chess matches with friends or players worldwide. This app supports correspondence play with extended move times and offers features like in-game chat and customizable themes. Track your progress with an auto-calculated ELO rating.

**Highlights:** Online correspondence chess, Play with friends, Global player matchmaking, In-game chat, Customizable chess sets and themes, Auto-calculated ELO rating, PGN export

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Chess Time Premium | $1.99 | per month |
| Chess Time Premium - Annual | $17.99 | per year |
| IOS Chess Time Pro | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and easy to use
- 🌍 Cross-platform play
- 📊 Detailed player stats and rankings
- 💬 In-game chat functionality
- 🕰️ Flexible time controls for games

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional glitches and bugs
- 🔍 Limited customization options
- 💰 Ads can be intrusive
- 🔒 Lack of robust anti-cheat measures
- 🖥️ Outdated or basic user interface

**Reported bugs**

- Game incorrectly declaring draws on checkmate
- Inability to castle or move pieces in certain situations
- Notification issues across different devices

**Requested features**

- Ability to invite friends to watch ongoing games
- Option to disable move analysis for rated games
- Faster move processing and real-time gameplay
- More diverse chess piece and board designs
- In-app purchase to remove ads permanently


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chess free?

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

### Is Chess Time free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Chess or Chess Time?

Chess Time is rated higher. Chess averages 4.6 out of 5 from 77 ratings, while Chess Time averages 4.7 from 1.7K ratings.

### Do Chess or Chess Time have ads?

Chess Time shows ads; Chess does not.

### Which is updated more often, Chess or Chess Time?

Chess ships an update every 5 months, and Chess Time every 10 days. Most recently, Chess was updated on September 26, 2026 and Chess Time on September 23, 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.*