# Chess.com vs Chess Master

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Chess.com at 64% against Chess Master's 0%. Chess.com also leads on price (Free vs $19.99) and rating (4.8 vs 1.0). Chess Master's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 12) and ads (none vs shown). On device support there is nothing between them.

Chess.com is free to download; Chess Master costs $19.99 up front. Chess.com sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Chess Master asks for nothing beyond the download.

Chess.com holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chess.com has 840K ratings behind it against 1, 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 0% of Chess Master's.

Chess.com ships an update weekly, Chess Master every 11 months. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess.com | Chess Master |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $19.99 |
| Rating | **[4.8 (840K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chesscom-play-and-learn/id329218549/reviews)** | [1.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-master-ultimate-guide/id1260988707/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **840K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | **64.4% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 11 months |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | **#1** | — |
| Size | 457 MB | 43 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | +4 |
| Developer | [Chess.com](https://appshunter.io/developer/329218552) | [Sergiy Kurash](https://appshunter.io/developer/1781967191) |

## What reviewers say

### Chess.com

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

**Currently charting:** #1 Top Free · Strategy, #3 Top Free · Board, #8 Top Grossing · Board, #17 Top Grossing · Strategy, #21 Top Free · Games, #76 Top Grossing · Games, #144 Top Free, #186 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 Master

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-master-ultimate-guide/id1260988707)

Master chess strategy and tactics with a vast collection of over 4600 unique puzzles, problems, and studies. Perfect for players of all levels looking to improve their game through instructive positions from grandmaster matches.

**Highlights:** 4600+ unique chess problems, Train chess strategy, Improve theoretical positions, Study instructive gaming positions, Endgame practice, Grandmaster game analysis

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chess.com free?

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

### Is Chess Master free?

Chess Master costs $19.99, with no in-app purchases.

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

Chess.com is rated higher. Chess.com averages 4.8 out of 5 from 840K ratings, while Chess Master averages 1.0 from 1 ratings.

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

Chess.com shows ads; Chess Master does not.

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

Chess.com ships an update weekly, and Chess Master every 11 months. Most recently, Chess.com was updated on October 18, 2026 and Chess Master on October 11, 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.*