# Chess.com vs Glow Chess

The clearest difference is update cadence: Chess.com at weekly against Glow Chess's every 6 months. Chess.com also leads on ratings volume (827K vs 39) and chart position (#5 vs unranked). Glow Chess's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 17.0). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Chess.com sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Glow Chess sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. 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 4.8 for Glow Chess. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chess.com has 827K ratings behind it against 39, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Chess.com ships an update weekly, Glow Chess every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and August 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess.com | Glow Chess |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (827K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chesscom-play-and-learn/id329218549/reviews)** | [4.8 (39 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/glow-chess/id1615039615/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **827K** | 39 |
| Positive reviews | 63.9% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 6 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#5** | — |
| Size | 445 MB | 78 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) | [Phuong Ta](https://appshunter.io/developer/1466076556) |

## 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


### Glow Chess

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/glow-chess/id1615039615)

Engage in the classic strategy game with adjustable difficulty levels and helpful features. Practice tactics and strategy to become a Chess Master. Offers puzzles and a two-player mode for interactive play.

**Highlights:** 5 difficulty levels, Chess Puzzles, Game Assistant, Undo move, Hints, 2 player mode

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| No Ads | $3.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chess.com free?

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

### Is Glow Chess free?

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

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

Chess.com is rated higher. Chess.com averages 4.8 out of 5 from 827K ratings, while Glow Chess averages 4.8 from 39 ratings.

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

Both Chess.com and Glow Chess show ads.

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

Chess.com ships an update weekly, and Glow Chess every 6 months. Most recently, Chess.com was updated on September 24, 2026 and Glow Chess on August 22, 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.*