# Chess Premium vs Chess.com

The clearest difference is price: Chess.com at Free against Chess Premium's $9.99. Chess.com also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 3 months) and ratings volume (827K vs 5.2K). Chess Premium's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 12) and ads (none vs shown). On rating and device support there is nothing between them.

Chess.com is free to download; Chess Premium costs $9.99 up front. Chess.com sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Chess Premium asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Chess Premium against 4.8 for Chess.com. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chess.com has 827K ratings behind it against 5.2K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 80% of Chess Premium's written reviews are positive against 64% of Chess.com's.

Chess Premium ships an update every 3 months, Chess.com weekly. Both last shipped on September 26, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess Premium | Chess.com |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $9.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.7 (5.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-premium/id311395924/reviews) | **[4.8 (827K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chesscom-play-and-learn/id329218549/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 5.2K | **827K** |
| Positive reviews | **80.4% of reviews** | 63.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | #35 | **#5** |
| Size | 39 MB | 445 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, 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 Premium

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-premium/id311395924)

**Currently charting:** #35 Top Paid · Board, #115 Top Paid · Strategy (US App Store)

Enjoy a classic chess experience without ads or internet. Play against a challenging AI with adjustable difficulty or a friend offline. Features stunning visuals, instant auto-saves, and undo support for uninterrupted gameplay.

**Highlights:** No ads or internet required, Adjustable AI difficulty levels, Offline two-player mode, Stunning Retina display visuals, Instant auto-save, Undo support and score tracking

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great for practicing chess
- 🚀 Fast gameplay
- 💡 Adjustable difficulty levels
- 👍 Simple and intuitive interface
- 👍 No ads in premium version

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches
- 🐛 Issues with detecting checkmate
- 🐛 Pawns moving incorrectly
- 🐛 Pieces disappearing from the board
- 🐛 Slow performance in premium version

**Reported bugs**

- Incorrect checkmate detection
- Pawns moving in illegal ways
- Pieces randomly disappearing
- Slow performance after upgrade
- Ads still showing after purchase

**Requested features**

- Option to turn off stalemate
- Ability to save and load games
- Notation or move history display
- More board and piece theme options
- Tutorials or strategic tips


### Chess.com

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

**Currently charting:** #5 Top Free · Board, #7 Top Free · Strategy, #7 Top Grossing · Board, #16 Top Grossing · Strategy, #60 Top Free · Games, #67 Top Grossing · Games, #189 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 Premium free?

Chess Premium costs $9.99, 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 Premium or Chess.com?

Chess.com is rated higher. Chess Premium averages 4.7 out of 5 from 5.2K ratings, while Chess.com averages 4.8 from 827K ratings.

### Do Chess Premium or Chess.com have ads?

Chess.com shows ads; Chess Premium does not.

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

Chess Premium ships an update every 3 months, and Chess.com weekly. Most recently, Chess Premium was updated on September 26, 2026 and Chess.com on September 26, 2026.

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

Chess Premium currently peaks at #35 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.*