# Chess ∙ vs Really Bad Chess+

The clearest difference is rating: Chess ∙ at 4.5 against Really Bad Chess+'s 3.4. Chess ∙ also leads on ratings volume (205K vs 165) and chart position (#79 vs unranked). Really Bad Chess+'s advantage is ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Chess ∙ holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chess ∙ has 205K ratings behind it against 165, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 57% of Chess ∙'s written reviews are positive against 54% of Really Bad Chess+'s.

Chess ∙ ships an update every 4 months, Really Bad Chess+ every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess ∙ | Really Bad Chess+ |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (205K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess/id311395856/reviews)** | [3.4 (165 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/really-bad-chess-plus/id1551670264/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **205K** | 165 |
| Positive reviews | **56.9% of reviews** | 54.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 3 months** |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#79** | — |
| Size | 84 MB | 100 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Optime Software LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/289278460) | [Zach Gage](https://appshunter.io/developer/294263418) |

## What reviewers say

### Chess ∙

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess/id311395856)

**Currently charting:** #79 Top Free · Strategy, #108 Top Free · Board (US App Store)

Experience a visually appealing and engaging chess game on your iPhone and iPod Touch. Play against friends or a customizable AI opponent with features like undo and automatic saving. Enjoy a free, ad-supported experience.

**Highlights:** 1 and 2 player gameplay, Challenging computer opponent, Great graphics and sound, Configurable difficulty, Undo function, Automatic save

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fun to play everyday
- 👍 Good free game
- 👍 Nice little game
- 👍 Very good practice
- 👍 Addictive

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 AD crazy
- 🐛 Major glitches make the game impossible
- 🐛 Force draw
- 🐛 Issues, needs fixing but has potential
- 🐛 Disappearing Pieces

**Reported bugs**

- Rook being able to move diagonally
- Stalemate glitch where it will preemptively call stalemate before it even happens
- Call stalemate when only the king can't move, and the other pieces can still move
- Pieces move too fast
- Doesn't allow en-passant moves by pawns

**Requested features**

- Undo from stalemate
- Highland opponents last move in green and my last move in blue
- Allow a third level of zoom to fill the screen
- Display a numeric value when difficulty slider is moved
- Ability to turn off safety where you can't move king to where it would get taken out


### Really Bad Chess+

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/really-bad-chess-plus/id1551670264)

Experience chess with a chaotic twist! This app replaces standard pieces with random assortments, forcing you to rethink strategy. Perfect for both seasoned players seeking a new challenge and beginners looking to learn the fundamentals in a fun, unpredictable way.

**Highlights:** Random piece assignments, AI challenges (Ranked, Daily, Weekly), Freeplay mode, Local versus mode, Daily chess puzzles, New strategic challenges

**Features:** With Apple Arcade, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 💡 Innovative concept
- 🤩 Addictive gameplay
- 👍 Easy to learn
- 🧠 Improves chess skills
- ✨ Clean UI

**What reviewers complain about**

- 😠 Unfair AI starting positions
- ⚖️ AI too lucky/strong
- 🚫 No draws (stalemate/repetition)
- 🐛 Bugs and glitches
- 📱 UI scaling issues

**Reported bugs**

- App zoomed in, parts of board/UI cut off (recent update)
- Cannot make legal moves
- Game won't allow moves out of check
- AI gets stuck in infinite loops
- Incorrect checkmate detection

**Requested features**

- Add draws by repetition/stalemate
- Option for mirrored pieces
- Tutorial for beginners
- Ability to play online multiplayer
- Option to see solution for daily challenges


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chess ∙ free?

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

### Is Really Bad Chess+ free?

Really Bad Chess+ is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Chess ∙ or Really Bad Chess+?

Chess ∙ is rated higher. Chess ∙ averages 4.5 out of 5 from 205K ratings, while Really Bad Chess+ averages 3.4 from 165 ratings.

### Do Chess ∙ or Really Bad Chess+ have ads?

Chess ∙ shows ads; Really Bad Chess+ does not.

### Which is updated more often, Chess ∙ or Really Bad Chess+?

Chess ∙ ships an update every 4 months, and Really Bad Chess+ every 3 months. Most recently, Chess ∙ was updated on September 26, 2026 and Really Bad Chess+ on September 6, 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.*