# Chess.com vs Reality Check Chess

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Reality Check Chess at 100% against Chess.com's 64%. Reality Check Chess also leads on ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). Chess.com's advantage is rating (4.8 vs 4.4) and ratings volume (827K vs 7). On price, update cadence, 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 Reality Check Chess sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Chess.com holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chess.com has 827K ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 64% of Chess.com's written reviews are positive against 100% of Reality Check Chess's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Chess.com ships an update weekly, Reality Check Chess every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and August 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess.com | Reality Check Chess |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (827K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chesscom-play-and-learn/id329218549/reviews)** | [4.4 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reality-check-chess/id1631142607/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **827K** | 7 |
| Positive reviews | 63.9% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Weekly | **Every 6 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#5** | — |
| Size | 445 MB | 194 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Vision Pro** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Chess.com](https://appshunter.io/developer/329218552) | [Marko Milosevic](https://appshunter.io/developer/1631142609) |

## 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, #8 Top Grossing · Board, #21 Top Grossing · Strategy, #59 Top Free · Games, #95 Top Grossing · Games (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


### Reality Check Chess

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reality-check-chess/id1631142607)

This app focuses on improving your chess game by presenting you with random, realistic game positions from top-level play. It helps you assess your overall playing strength beyond just tactical puzzles, offering various modes to challenge your consistency and strategic thinking.

**Highlights:** Random, realistic game positions, Focus on overall playing strength, Variety of playing modes, Improves consistency and strategy, Accurate evaluation of playing strength

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Month | $7.99 | per month |
| Premium Year | $59.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chess.com free?

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

### Is Reality Check Chess free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Chess.com or Reality Check Chess?

Chess.com is rated higher. Chess.com averages 4.8 out of 5 from 827K ratings, while Reality Check Chess averages 4.4 from 7 ratings.

### Do Chess.com or Reality Check Chess have ads?

Chess.com shows ads; Reality Check Chess does not.

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

Chess.com ships an update weekly, and Reality Check Chess every 6 days. Most recently, Chess.com was updated on September 26, 2026 and Reality Check Chess on August 30, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*