Comparison

Chess vs ™ Chinese Chess

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Chess

Engage in the classic game of chess with customizable graphics and multiple difficulty levels. Play against AI or a friend, with features like move undo, hints, and time controls. Enjoy a rich chess experience with detailed game history and board customization.

Highlights
  • HD graphics
  • 5 difficulty levels
  • Hint option
  • Play against computer or friend
  • 2D and 3D themes
  • Unlimited undo moves
  • Time control options
Features
Read full description

Chess is #1 popular game in the world. According to FIDE, about 600 million people play chess and it is the most widespread game on the planet. "The Game of Chess is not merely an idle amusement; several very valuable qualities of the mind, useful in the course of human life, are to be acquired and strengthened by it, so as to become habits ready on all occasions..." (Benjamin Franklin, scientist) Game features: - HD graphics for iPhone 5 and the new iPad retina display - 5 levels of difficulty - hint option to find out the best next move - play either white or black - play against the computer or a friend - 2D and 3D themes for chess pieces - unlimited ability to undo moves - AI quick response time - time control (5, 15, 30 or 60 minutes) - animated moves - highlight legal moves - easy to use interface design - ability to go back to any previous position in the game - auto-save when exit or phone ring - view captured pieces - full game history with chess notation - change the appearance of the board - ability to listen music in background Play one of the oldest and most enjoyable games in the world!

About

™ Chinese Chess

Experience the strategic depth of Chinese Chess (Xiangqi) with this app. Challenge AI opponents across five difficulty levels, customize your game with a board editor and various themes, and track your progress as you ascend to grandmaster status.

Highlights
  • AI opponents with 5 difficulty levels
  • Board editor for custom game setups
  • Customizable boards, pieces, themes, and sounds
  • Undo and Save/Load functionality
  • Timer-based matches
  • Experience points and ranking system
Features
Read full description

Chinese Chess brings Xiangqi strategy to your phone and tablet with online Game Center play, offline AI practice, and local two-player matches. Play classic Xiangqi your way: - Challenge other players online through Game Center. - Invite players or use Game Center matchmaking. - Practice offline against multiple AI difficulty levels. - Play local two-player matches on the same device. - Save and load games when you want to continue later. - Use the board editor to set up custom positions. - Play with timer options for faster, sharper matches. - Customize boards, pieces, avatars, themes, and sounds. Also known as Xiangqi, Co Tuong, Cờ Tướng, and Chinese chess, this is a timeless strategy board game built around generals, chariots, cannons, horses, elephants, advisors, soldiers, and the river between two armies. Whether you are learning the rules, practicing tactics, challenging another player online, or returning to a familiar classic, Chinese Chess is designed for quick games, focused study, and comfortable play.

Screenshots

Chess4 screens
™ Chinese Chess4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Chess at every 6 weeks against ™ Chinese Chess's every 9 months. Chess also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.4) and ratings volume (39K vs 172). ™ Chinese Chess's advantage is review sentiment (91% vs 70%). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Chess sells 4 one-off in-app purchases and ™ Chinese Chess sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Chess holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chess has 39K ratings behind it against 172, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 70% of Chess's written reviews are positive against 91% of ™ Chinese Chess's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Chess ships an update every 6 weeks, ™ Chinese Chess every 9 months. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Chess versus ™ Chinese Chess: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterChess™ Chinese Chess
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (39K ratings) — better4.4 (172 ratings)
Positive reviews70.2% of reviews90.9% of reviews — better
Number of ratings39K — better172
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeks — betterEvery 9 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV — better
Requires iOS12.4 — better13.0
Further details — not scored
Size65 MB72 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperVintolo LtdVM Mobile Team

Customer experience

Chess

All ratings38,795 ratings
Positive93.5%
Neutral3.8%
Negative2.7%
Written reviews574 reviews
Positive70.2%
Neutral11.1%
Negative18.6%

™ Chinese Chess

All ratings167 ratings
Positive84.4%
Neutral6.6%
Negative9.0%
Written reviews11 reviews
Positive90.9%
Neutral0.0%
Negative9.1%

Bugs and requests

Chess

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Incorrect stalemate detection
  • Pieces disappearing or moving incorrectly
  • Compatibility issues on older devices

Requested features

5 requests
  • Ability to replay puzzles
  • Undo/redo move functionality
  • Online/multiplayer mode
  • More advanced AI difficulty
  • Improved stalemate detection

™ Chinese Chess

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

4 purchases

Chess

One-time4
  • 10 hints$4.99
  • 45 hints$19.99
  • 125 hints$49.99
Show 1 more
  • 200 hints$69.99
1 purchases

™ Chinese Chess

One-time1
  • Premium$3.99

Questions

Is Chess free?
Chess is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is ™ Chinese Chess free?
™ Chinese Chess is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Chess or ™ Chinese Chess?
Chess is rated higher. Chess averages 4.7 out of 5 from 39K ratings, while ™ Chinese Chess averages 4.4 from 172 ratings.
Do Chess or ™ Chinese Chess have ads?
Neither Chess nor ™ Chinese Chess shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Chess or ™ Chinese Chess?
Chess ships an update every 6 weeks, and ™ Chinese Chess every 9 months. Most recently, Chess was updated on October 31, 2026 and ™ Chinese Chess on October 22, 2026.

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