Comparison

Backgammon vs Backgammon AI

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

Head to head
About

Backgammon

Experience the classic board and dice game with multiple variations and play modes. Challenge yourself against AI or friends online, with helpful features like move assist and unlimited undos.

Highlights
  • Multiple game variations (Nackgammon, Old English, Acey Deucey)
  • Single player with adjustable AI difficulty
  • Online and Bluetooth multiplayer
  • Match play with Doubling and Crawford Rule
  • Move-Assist feature
  • Unlimited Undo in single-player
  • Extensive game statistics
Read full description

Challenge yourself in the deluxe board & dice game! Both the press and customers agree: Backgammon's got it in spades! __________________________________________ PRESS LOVE: Recommended by MacWorld Magazine as a Top Download for your iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad. “Backgammon Premium is the crème-de-la-crème ‘gammon’” 9 out of 10 stars from Appaddicts.com! Nominated for “Best Dice Game” in the Best App Ever Awards hosted by bestappever.com! __________________________________________ CUSTOMER LOVE: "Elegant and beautifully laid out. The play is terrific. I play a game every break I get. The fun just doesn't stop!" "This app is awesome!!! No problems and extremely fun." "Backgammon is a great game, simple and intriguing. This app does it justice. The AI is smart and sometimes infuriating. Five Stars!" __________________________________________ Play solo or live online against friends! Great for players who enjoy Gin Rummy, Spades, Cribbage, Blackjack, or Dominos. GREAT GAME VARIATIONS: Backgammon - The classic game you know and love Nackgammon - Changing the token setup requires players to get creative. Old English - A British favorite! No more than 5 checkers to a single point. Acey Deucey - Start in your own goal tray and work your way into your opponent's! WAYS TO PLAY: Single Player- Prove you're the King against Backgammon's Easy, Medium, or Hard difficulties! Online Multiplayer- Match against friends or strangers to prove your mastery! Peer to Peer- Play against your friends on their devices with no network required. __________________________________________ FEATURES: - Single Player Games (with Easy, Medium, Hard) - Match support! Play to 3, 5, 9 or 15 points with Doubling. Matches use the Crawford Rule - Four distinct board designs - Online and Bluetooth multiplayer - Move-Assist, highlights available moves - Unlimited “Undo” in single-player games - Extensive game statistics

About

Backgammon AI

Experience a classic board game with a smart AI opponent across four difficulty levels. Enjoy online multiplayer, customizable themes, and helpful move previews. Play for free with no ads or subscriptions.

Highlights
  • Four AI difficulty levels
  • Online multiplayer via Game Center
  • Pass-and-play mode
  • Full doubling cube support
  • Three visual themes
  • Move previews and animations
  • Available in 14 languages
Features
Read full description

Play backgammon against a smart AI opponent — free, with no ads and no subscriptions. Backgammon AI brings the world's oldest board game to your iPhone and iPad with three AI difficulty levels, online multiplayer, and pass-and-play. Learn the game on Easy, then climb all the way to a near-expert neural-net opponent. Smart AI Opponents • Easy and Medium — free, perfect for learning and casual play • Expert — a one-time unlock; a neural-net engine that plays near-expert backgammon and knows when to double Play Online Challenge players worldwide with Game Center multiplayer. Find opponents automatically or invite friends, with push notifications when it's your turn. Full doubling cube support. Three Visual Themes • E-Ink — clean black & white, perfect for focus • Classic — the original board aesthetic • Dark Walnut — rich wood tones, 3D checkers, and emerald felt Move Previews & Animations See where your checkers can go before you commit. Movable checkers are highlighted, arrows show legal destinations, and dice tumble with a satisfying bounce. Doubling Cube Full doubling cube support in every mode — offer doubles, accept or decline, just like tournament play. Available in 14 languages. Designed for iPhone and iPad with portrait menus and landscape gameplay. Free to play — unlock the Expert AI once, forever.

Screenshots

Backgammon4 screens
Backgammon AI3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Backgammon AI at none against Backgammon's shown. Backgammon AI also leads on update cadence (every 6 days vs every 5 months) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). Backgammon's advantage is ratings volume (15K vs 18) and review sentiment (65% vs 43%). On price, in-app purchases and device support 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. Backgammon sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and Backgammon AI sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Backgammon holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Backgammon has 15K ratings behind it against 18, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 65% of Backgammon's written reviews are positive against 43% of Backgammon AI's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Backgammon ships an update every 5 months, Backgammon AI every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Backgammon versus Backgammon AI: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBackgammonBackgammon AI
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (15K ratings) — better4.2 (18 ratings)
Positive reviews65.2% of reviews — better42.9% of reviews
Number of ratings15K — better18
Update frequencyEvery 5 monthsEvery 6 days — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.6 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size123 MB10 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperWildCard Classics IncAsa Ivry Block

Customer experience

Backgammon

All ratings14,844 ratings
Positive86.4%
Neutral5.2%
Negative8.4%
Written reviews1,412 reviews
Positive65.2%
Neutral10.1%
Negative24.6%

Backgammon AI

All ratings18 ratings
Positive72.2%
Neutral11.1%
Negative16.7%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive42.9%
Neutral14.3%
Negative42.9%

Bugs and requests

Backgammon

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Pieces no longer hand on the bars on iPads or iPad minis
  • Doesn't work anymore with the last update of the iPhone
  • Game freezes after ads
  • Crashes every time I try to open it
  • Pieces become minuscule after ads

Requested features

4 requests
  • Allow offline playing
  • Turn based option
  • Ability to review board before doubling
  • Ability to undo moves

Backgammon AI

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Backgammon

One-time2
  • Christmas Theme$0.99
  • Acey Deucey$1.99
1 purchases

Backgammon AI

One-time1
  • Expert AI Unlock$1.99

Questions

Is Backgammon free?
Backgammon is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Backgammon AI free?
Backgammon AI is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Backgammon or Backgammon AI?
Backgammon is rated higher. Backgammon averages 4.4 out of 5 from 15K ratings, while Backgammon AI averages 4.2 from 18 ratings.
Do Backgammon or Backgammon AI have ads?
Backgammon shows ads; Backgammon AI does not.
Which is updated more often, Backgammon or Backgammon AI?
Backgammon ships an update every 5 months, and Backgammon AI every 6 days. Most recently, Backgammon was updated on November 3, 2026 and Backgammon AI on October 31, 2026.

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