# Chess.com vs Chess Prime

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Chess Prime at none against Chess.com's 12. Chess Prime also leads on ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 17.0). Chess.com's advantage is rating (4.8 vs 4.4) and ratings volume (840K vs 71). On price, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Chess.com sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Chess Prime 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 840K ratings behind it against 71, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Chess.com ships an update weekly, Chess Prime every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess.com | Chess Prime |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (840K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chesscom-play-and-learn/id329218549/reviews)** | [4.4 (71 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-prime/id632959906/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **840K** | 71 |
| Positive reviews | — | 83.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#1** | — |
| Size | 457 MB | 44 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **8.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Chess.com](https://appshunter.io/developer/329218552) | [Vinta Games](https://appshunter.io/developer/505409005) |

## What reviewers say

### Chess.com

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

**Currently charting:** #1 Top Free · Strategy, #3 Top Free · Board, #7 Top Grossing · Board, #11 Top Grossing · Strategy, #20 Top Free · Games, #61 Top Grossing · Games, #129 Top Free, #171 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


### Chess Prime

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-prime/id632959906)

This app offers a challenging chess experience for players of all levels. It features a versatile AI engine, customizable game modes, and helpful tools for beginners. Save your progress and replay games to improve your skills.

**Highlights:** One player and two player modes, Challenging AI with flexible difficulty, Start from any position, Save and load games, Show legal moves for beginners, Undo and redo moves

**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 Chess Prime free?

Chess Prime is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

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

Chess.com is rated higher. Chess.com averages 4.8 out of 5 from 840K ratings, while Chess Prime averages 4.4 from 71 ratings.

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

Chess.com shows ads; Chess Prime does not.

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

Chess.com ships an update weekly, and Chess Prime every 2 weeks. Most recently, Chess.com was updated on October 18, 2026 and Chess Prime on October 14, 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.*