# Chess.com vs Shogi Wars

The clearest difference is ads: Shogi Wars at none against Chess.com's shown. Shogi Wars also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). Chess.com's advantage is ratings volume (864K vs 136) and update cadence (weekly vs every 4 weeks). 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 Shogi Wars sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $5.49 per month. 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 Shogi Wars. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chess.com has 864K ratings behind it against 136, 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 47% of Shogi Wars's.

Chess.com ships an update weekly, Shogi Wars every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess.com | Shogi Wars |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (864K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chesscom-play-and-learn/id329218549/reviews)** | [4.7 (136 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shogi-wars/id496801169/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **864K** | 136 |
| Positive reviews | **64.4% of reviews** | 46.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 4 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#1** | — |
| Size | 447 MB | 318 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Chess.com](https://appshunter.io/developer/329218552) | [HEROZ](https://appshunter.io/developer/463257939) |

## What reviewers say

### Chess.com

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

**Currently charting:** #1 Top Free · Board, #1 Top Free · Strategy, #6 Top Free · Games, #7 Top Grossing · Board, #16 Top Grossing · Strategy, #51 Top Free, #71 Top Grossing · Games, #172 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


### Shogi Wars

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shogi-wars/id496801169)

Experience the strategic depth of Japanese chess with this app, offering fast-paced online and offline matches for all skill levels. Earn official diplomas and enjoy a realistic Shogi experience with advanced AI and customizable game modes.

**Highlights:** Online and offline Shogi matches, World-class AI opponent, Multiple time controls (10MIN, 3MIN, 10SEC), Official rank system (dan/kyu), Apply for official dan diplomas, Fancy graphics and performance

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium (Subscription) | $5.49 | per month |
| Kishin Learning (Subscription) | $7.99 | per month |
| Super Premium (Subscription) | $8.49 | per month |
| Kishin×1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Pawn toss ticket×1 | $2.99 | one-time |
| Premium (30 days) | $4.99 | one-time |
| Kishin×13 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Kishin analysis ticket x 26 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Kishin×27 | $19.99 | one-time |
| Kishin×166 | $99.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chess.com free?

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

### Is Shogi Wars free?

Shogi Wars is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Chess.com or Shogi Wars?

Chess.com is rated higher. Chess.com averages 4.8 out of 5 from 864K ratings, while Shogi Wars averages 4.7 from 136 ratings.

### Do Chess.com or Shogi Wars have ads?

Chess.com shows ads; Shogi Wars does not.

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

Chess.com ships an update weekly, and Shogi Wars every 4 weeks. Most recently, Chess.com was updated on October 31, 2026 and Shogi Wars on October 30, 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.*