# Chess ∙ vs Chess.com

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Chess ∙ at none against Chess.com's 12. Chess ∙ also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 17.0). Chess.com's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 4 months) and rating (4.8 vs 4.5). On price, review sentiment, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Chess.com sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Chess ∙ asks for nothing beyond the download.

Chess.com holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 205K and 827K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 57% of Chess ∙'s written reviews are positive against 64% of Chess.com's.

Chess ∙ ships an update every 4 months, Chess.com weekly. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess ∙ | Chess.com |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (205K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess/id311395856/reviews) | **[4.8 (827K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chesscom-play-and-learn/id329218549/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 205K | **827K** |
| Positive reviews | 56.9% of reviews | **63.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #91 | **#5** |
| Size | 84 MB | 445 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Optime Software LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/289278460) | [Chess.com](https://appshunter.io/developer/329218552) |

## What reviewers say

### Chess ∙

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

**Currently charting:** #91 Top Free · Strategy, #120 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


### Chess.com

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chesscom-play-and-learn/id329218549)

**Currently charting:** #5 Top Free · Board, #6 Top Free · Strategy, #7 Top Grossing · Board, #15 Top Grossing · Strategy, #57 Top Free · Games, #64 Top Grossing · Games, #184 Top Grossing (US App Store)

Engage in online and offline chess matches with millions of players worldwide. Improve your skills through interactive lessons, over 500,000 puzzles, and powerful AI opponents. Compete in tournaments and explore various chess variants.

**Highlights:** Online multiplayer chess, Offline play against AI, Extensive puzzle library, Interactive chess lessons, Tournament participation, Chess variants, Game analysis

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Gold Membership | $4.99 | per month |
| Gold Membership | $6.99 | per month |
| Platinum Membership | $6.99 | per month |
| Platinum Membership | $10.99 | per month |
| Diamond Membership | $14.99 | per month |
| Diamond Membership | $16.99 | per month |
| Gold Membership | $29.99 | per year |
| Platinum Membership | $49.99 | per year |
| Gold Membership | $49.99 | per year |
| Platinum Membership | $79.99 | per year |
| Diamond Membership | $99.99 | per year |
| Diamond Membership | $119.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent app for learning and improving chess skills
- 🎓 Comprehensive lessons, puzzles, and analysis tools
- 🌍 Large player base for quick matchmaking
- 📊 Detailed game statistics and progress tracking
- 💻 Seamless integration between mobile app and website

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent connection issues and game freezes
- ⏱️ Unreliable and inconsistent game timers
- 🔒 Lack of transparency around anti-cheating measures
- 💰 Aggressive paywall for advanced features
- 🤖 Subpar AI opponents with questionable move choices

**Reported bugs**

- Incorrect move suggestions in game analysis
- Inability to leave or manage chess clubs within the app
- Puzzle mode crashing when attempting to reveal the solution
- Inconsistent behavior when switching between Wi-Fi and mobile data
- Pieces not registering correctly on the board during gameplay

**Requested features**

- Ability to customize board and piece themes
- Option to pause and resume games at a later time
- Improved game analysis with more detailed explanations
- Enhanced social features for interacting with other players
- Offline mode for practicing puzzles and tactics


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chess ∙ free?

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

### Is Chess.com free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Chess ∙ or Chess.com?

Chess.com is rated higher. Chess ∙ averages 4.5 out of 5 from 205K ratings, while Chess.com averages 4.8 from 827K ratings.

### Do Chess ∙ or Chess.com have ads?

Both Chess ∙ and Chess.com show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Chess ∙ or Chess.com?

Chess ∙ ships an update every 4 months, and Chess.com weekly. Most recently, Chess ∙ was updated on September 24, 2026 and Chess.com on September 24, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Chess ∙ or Chess.com?

Chess ∙ currently peaks at #91 in the App Store charts, and Chess.com at #5. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*