# Chess.com vs Backgammon Online

The clearest difference is rating: Chess.com at 4.8 against Backgammon Online's 2.8. Chess.com also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 5 months) and ratings volume (840K vs 21). Backgammon Online's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price, in-app purchases 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 and Backgammon Online sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Chess.com holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 2.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chess.com has 840K ratings behind it against 21, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 64% of Chess.com's written reviews are positive against 55% of Backgammon Online's.

Chess.com ships an update weekly, Backgammon Online every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess.com | Backgammon Online |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (840K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chesscom-play-and-learn/id329218549/reviews)** | [2.8 (21 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backgammon-online/id1205069359/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **840K** | 21 |
| Positive reviews | **64.4% of reviews** | 55.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#4** | — |
| Size | 457 MB | 69 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **8.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Chess.com](https://appshunter.io/developer/329218552) | [Nguyen Thi Kiem AI](https://appshunter.io/developer/913823076) |

## What reviewers say

### Chess.com

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

**Currently charting:** #4 Top Free · Strategy, #5 Top Free · Board, #8 Top Grossing · Board, #18 Top Grossing · Strategy, #36 Top Free · Games, #72 Top Grossing · Games, #197 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


### Backgammon Online

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backgammon-online/id1205069359)

Engage in classic backgammon with a sophisticated AI opponent or challenge friends online. Offers adjustable skill levels and detailed game features for both beginners and experts.

**Highlights:** Advanced neural network AI, Local 2-player mode, Online multiplayer, 3 skill levels, Highlighting of possible moves, Customizable checker colors, Unlimited undo

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chess.com free?

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

### Is Backgammon Online free?

Backgammon Online is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Chess.com or Backgammon Online?

Chess.com is rated higher. Chess.com averages 4.8 out of 5 from 840K ratings, while Backgammon Online averages 2.8 from 21 ratings.

### Do Chess.com or Backgammon Online have ads?

Chess.com shows ads; Backgammon Online does not.

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

Chess.com ships an update weekly, and Backgammon Online every 5 months. Most recently, Chess.com was updated on October 16, 2026 and Backgammon Online on October 5, 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.*