# Chess.com vs SparkChess Pro

The clearest difference is price: Chess.com at Free against SparkChess Pro's $24.99. Chess.com also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 4 months) and rating (4.8 vs 4.4). SparkChess Pro's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 12) and ads (none vs shown). On review sentiment and device support there is nothing between them.

Chess.com is free to download; SparkChess Pro costs $24.99 up front. Chess.com sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. SparkChess Pro asks for nothing beyond the download.

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 42, 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 61% of SparkChess Pro's.

Chess.com ships an update weekly, SparkChess Pro every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess.com | SparkChess Pro |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $24.99 |
| Rating | **[4.8 (827K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chesscom-play-and-learn/id329218549/reviews)** | [4.4 (42 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sparkchess-pro/id398133128/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **827K** | 42 |
| Positive reviews | **63.9% of reviews** | 60.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | **#5** | — |
| Size | 445 MB | 65 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Chess.com](https://appshunter.io/developer/329218552) | [Media Division SRL](https://appshunter.io/developer/398133131) |

## What reviewers say

### Chess.com

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

**Currently charting:** #5 Top Free · Board, #7 Top Free · Strategy, #7 Top Grossing · Board, #16 Top Grossing · Strategy, #60 Top Free · Games, #69 Top Grossing · Games, #193 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


### SparkChess Pro

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sparkchess-pro/id398133128)

This ancient strategy game offers a fun and accessible experience for all skill levels. Practice against the computer, challenge friends online, or learn with interactive lessons and puzzles. Features include various board styles, a virtual coach, and progress tracking.

**Highlights:** Practice against computer or friends, Interactive lessons and puzzles, Multiple board styles (2D, 3D, fantasy), Virtual Chess Coach, Multiplayer progress tracking, Save and replay games

**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 SparkChess Pro free?

SparkChess Pro costs $24.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Chess.com or SparkChess Pro?

Chess.com is rated higher. Chess.com averages 4.8 out of 5 from 827K ratings, while SparkChess Pro averages 4.4 from 42 ratings.

### Do Chess.com or SparkChess Pro have ads?

Chess.com shows ads; SparkChess Pro does not.

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

Chess.com ships an update weekly, and SparkChess Pro every 4 months. Most recently, Chess.com was updated on September 25, 2026 and SparkChess Pro 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.*