# Chess.com vs Chess Tactics and Lessons

The clearest difference is update cadence: Chess.com at weekly against Chess Tactics and Lessons's every 5 weeks. Chess.com also leads on ratings volume (827K vs 5K) and chart position (#5 vs unranked). Chess Tactics and Lessons's advantage is review sentiment (84% vs 64%) and iOS requirement (13.0 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 Chess Tactics and Lessons sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 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 4.8 for Chess Tactics and Lessons. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chess.com has 827K ratings behind it against 5K, 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 84% of Chess Tactics and Lessons's.

Chess.com ships an update weekly, Chess Tactics and Lessons every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess.com | Chess Tactics and Lessons |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (827K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chesscom-play-and-learn/id329218549/reviews) | [4.8 (5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-tactics-and-lessons/id531275673/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **827K** | 5K |
| Positive reviews | 63.9% of reviews | **83.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#5** | — |
| Size | 445 MB | 37 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) | [Lockwood Productions, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/466891332) |

## 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, #91 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


### Chess Tactics and Lessons

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-tactics-and-lessons/id531275673)

Master chess strategy and openings with this app. Practice unlimited tactics, follow detailed lessons, and save your favorite openings. Create your own content and learn from a supportive community.

**Highlights:** Unlimited tactics practice, Detailed chess lessons, Opening practice and saving, Create custom tactics and lessons, Learn from mistakes with explanations, Community comments and discussion, Customizable board design

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

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly PRO Subscription | $3.99 | per month |
| Annual Pro Subscription | $29.99 | per year |
| Marble Chess Board | $0.99 | one-time |
| Orange Chess Board | $0.99 | one-time |
| Remove ads | $0.99 | one-time |
| Green Chess Board | $0.99 | one-time |
| Enable Saved Puzzles | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 😃 Great for learning tactics
- 👍 Enjoyable and addictive
- 🚀 Excellent training tool
- 🤗 Helpful for improving chess skills
- 💯 Best tactics app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy after updates
- 💰 Subscription model too expensive
- 🤔 Some tactics are questionable
- 🙄 Too many queen sacrifices
- 😣 Difficult to navigate

**Reported bugs**

- Server connection issues
- White screen after updates
- Inability to delete account
- Incorrect move explanations

**Requested features**

- Ability to save tactics
- Offline mode
- Difficulty filtering
- Improved user interface
- More comprehensive lessons


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chess.com free?

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

### Is Chess Tactics and Lessons free?

Chess Tactics and Lessons is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Chess.com or Chess Tactics and Lessons?

Chess.com and Chess Tactics and Lessons are both rated 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store, from 827K and 5K ratings respectively.

### Do Chess.com or Chess Tactics and Lessons have ads?

Both Chess.com and Chess Tactics and Lessons show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Chess.com or Chess Tactics and Lessons?

Chess.com ships an update weekly, and Chess Tactics and Lessons every 5 weeks. Most recently, Chess.com was updated on September 25, 2026 and Chess Tactics and Lessons 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.*