# Chess ∙ vs Chess Tactics and Lessons

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Chess ∙ at none against Chess Tactics and Lessons's 7. Chess ∙ also leads on ratings volume (205K vs 5K) and chart position (#81 vs unranked). Chess Tactics and Lessons's advantage is review sentiment (84% vs 57%) and rating (4.8 vs 4.5). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Chess Tactics and Lessons sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Chess ∙ asks for nothing beyond the download.

Chess Tactics and Lessons holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chess ∙ has 205K ratings behind it against 5K, 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 84% of Chess Tactics and Lessons's.

Chess ∙ ships an update every 4 months, Chess Tactics and Lessons every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess ∙ | Chess Tactics and Lessons |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (205K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess/id311395856/reviews) | **[4.8 (5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-tactics-and-lessons/id531275673/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **205K** | 5K |
| Positive reviews | 56.9% of reviews | **83.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#81** | — |
| Size | 84 MB | 37 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Optime Software LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/289278460) | [Lockwood Productions, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/466891332) |

## What reviewers say

### Chess ∙

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

**Currently charting:** #81 Top Free · Strategy, #112 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 Tactics and Lessons

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-tactics-and-lessons/id531275673)

Master chess strategy and openings with this app. Practice unlimited tactics, follow detailed lessons, and save your favorite openings. Create your own content and learn from a supportive community.

**Highlights:** Unlimited tactics practice, Detailed chess lessons, Opening practice and saving, Create custom tactics and lessons, Learn from mistakes with explanations, Community comments and discussion, Customizable board design

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

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly PRO Subscription | $3.99 | per month |
| Annual Pro Subscription | $29.99 | per year |
| Marble Chess Board | $0.99 | one-time |
| Orange Chess Board | $0.99 | one-time |
| Remove ads | $0.99 | one-time |
| Green Chess Board | $0.99 | one-time |
| Enable Saved Puzzles | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 😃 Great for learning tactics
- 👍 Enjoyable and addictive
- 🚀 Excellent training tool
- 🤗 Helpful for improving chess skills
- 💯 Best tactics app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy after updates
- 💰 Subscription model too expensive
- 🤔 Some tactics are questionable
- 🙄 Too many queen sacrifices
- 😣 Difficult to navigate

**Reported bugs**

- Server connection issues
- White screen after updates
- Inability to delete account
- Incorrect move explanations

**Requested features**

- Ability to save tactics
- Offline mode
- Difficulty filtering
- Improved user interface
- More comprehensive lessons


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chess ∙ free?

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

### Is Chess Tactics and Lessons free?

Chess Tactics and Lessons is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Chess ∙ or Chess Tactics and Lessons?

Chess Tactics and Lessons is rated higher. Chess ∙ averages 4.5 out of 5 from 205K ratings, while Chess Tactics and Lessons averages 4.8 from 5K ratings.

### Do Chess ∙ or Chess Tactics and Lessons have ads?

Both Chess ∙ and Chess Tactics and Lessons show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Chess ∙ or Chess Tactics and Lessons?

Chess ∙ ships an update every 4 months, and Chess Tactics and Lessons every 5 weeks. Most recently, Chess ∙ was updated on September 25, 2026 and Chess Tactics and Lessons 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.*