# Chess ∙ vs Play Chess for iMessage

The clearest difference is rating: Chess ∙ at 4.5 against Play Chess for iMessage's 3.1. Chess ∙ also leads on review sentiment (56% vs 29%) and ratings volume (207K vs 170). Play Chess for iMessage's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (daily vs every 4 months). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement 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 3.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chess ∙ has 207K ratings behind it against 170, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 56% of Chess ∙'s written reviews are positive against 29% of Play Chess for iMessage's.

Chess ∙ ships an update every 4 months, Play Chess for iMessage daily. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess ∙ | Play Chess for iMessage |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (207K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess/id311395856/reviews)** | [3.1 (170 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/play-chess-for-imessage/id6443798218/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **207K** | 170 |
| Positive reviews | **56.3% of reviews** | 29.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Daily** |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#66** | — |
| Size | 84 MB | 15 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) | [Chess.com](https://appshunter.io/developer/329218552) |

## What reviewers say

### Chess ∙

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

**Currently charting:** #66 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


### Play Chess for iMessage

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/play-chess-for-imessage/id6443798218)

Engage in unlimited chess matches directly through iMessage with friends. Customize your game with different boards and pieces. Enjoy a casual, timer-free experience without registration or in-app purchases.

**Highlights:** Unlimited chess games, Play via iMessage, Customizable boards and pieces, Play multiple friends simultaneously, No timers or ratings, No registration required

**Features:** iMessage stickers

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to play without knowing chess rules
- 🎮 Fun gameplay mechanics for iMessage
- 🎨 Theme customizer available
- 🔄 Move guide and helpful features
- 🎬 Can convert wins to GIF format

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🚫 Cannot uninstall app (major recurring issue)
- 🐛 iCloud login error persists despite being logged in
- ❌ App doesn't show on home screen
- 🔄 Must exit and reopen app to see opponent's moves
- ⚠️ Only playable in portrait mode

**Reported bugs**

- iCloud authentication error when already logged in
- App cannot be uninstalled from device
- No home screen icon appears after installation
- Game doesn't work with group chats over 2 people
- Time calculation error giving opponent extra time

**Requested features**

- Confirmation dialog for accidental game reviews
- Uninstall functionality
- Ability to choose piece color or randomize
- CPU/AI opponent mode
- Fischer random chess mode


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chess ∙ free?

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

### Is Play Chess for iMessage free?

Play Chess for iMessage is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Chess ∙ or Play Chess for iMessage?

Chess ∙ is rated higher. Chess ∙ averages 4.5 out of 5 from 207K ratings, while Play Chess for iMessage averages 3.1 from 170 ratings.

### Do Chess ∙ or Play Chess for iMessage have ads?

Chess ∙ shows ads; Play Chess for iMessage does not.

### Which is updated more often, Chess ∙ or Play Chess for iMessage?

Chess ∙ ships an update every 4 months, and Play Chess for iMessage daily. Most recently, Chess ∙ was updated on October 29, 2026 and Play Chess for iMessage on October 27, 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.*