# Chess.com vs Chess ⁺

The clearest difference is ads: Chess ⁺ at none against Chess.com's shown. Chess ⁺ also leads on review sentiment (85% vs 64%) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 17.0). Chess.com's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (827K vs 2.9K). On price, rating, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Chess.com sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Chess ⁺ sells 7 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Chess.com against 4.7 for Chess ⁺. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chess.com has 827K ratings behind it against 2.9K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 64% of Chess.com's written reviews are positive against 85% of Chess ⁺'s.

Chess.com ships an update weekly, Chess ⁺ every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess.com | Chess ⁺ |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (827K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chesscom-play-and-learn/id329218549/reviews)** | [4.7 (2.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess/id1217007613/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **827K** | 2.9K |
| Positive reviews | 63.9% of reviews | **85.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#5** | — |
| Size | 445 MB | 57 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Chess.com](https://appshunter.io/developer/329218552) | [Entertainment 4Media AG](https://appshunter.io/developer/1438411916) |

## What reviewers say

### Chess.com

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

**Currently charting:** #5 Top Free · Board, #6 Top Free · Strategy, #7 Top Grossing · Board, #17 Top Grossing · Strategy, #59 Top Free · Games, #70 Top Grossing · Games, #195 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


### Chess ⁺

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess/id1217007613)

Enhance your chess abilities with this comprehensive training application. It offers a vast array of puzzles, tactical exercises, and learning modes for players of all levels. Track your progress with live statistics and enjoy a visually engaging experience.

**Highlights:** 2D & 3D chess pieces, Hundreds of levels, Thousands of exercises, Tactics training, Opening and endgame practice, Checkmate puzzles, Learning mode with hints

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

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 10 Gem Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Starter Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| 50 Gem Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| 100 Gem Pack | $9.99 | one-time |
| 250 Gem Pack | $19.99 | one-time |
| 500 Gem Pack | $36.99 | one-time |
| 1000 Gem Pack | $69.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great gameplay
- 👍 Visually appealing
- 💡 Helpful for learning chess
- 🎓 Effective teaching of tactics and strategies

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches
- 💰 Limited free content, requires in-app purchases
- ⏱️ AI can take too long to make moves

**Reported bugs**

- AI freezing and not making moves
- Game progress and achievements being reset
- Connectivity issues with login and cloud sync

**Requested features**

- Ability to analyze and save past games
- Option to play against other users online
- More advanced training modes and challenges


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chess.com free?

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

### Is Chess ⁺ free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Chess.com or Chess ⁺?

Chess.com is rated higher. Chess.com averages 4.8 out of 5 from 827K ratings, while Chess ⁺ averages 4.7 from 2.9K ratings.

### Do Chess.com or Chess ⁺ have ads?

Chess.com shows ads; Chess ⁺ does not.

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

Chess.com ships an update weekly, and Chess ⁺ every 2 months. Most recently, Chess.com was updated on September 24, 2026 and Chess ⁺ 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.*