# Chess.com vs Chess960 ™

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Chess.com at 64% against Chess960 ™'s 0%. Chess.com also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 10 months) and rating (4.8 vs 4.4). Chess960 ™'s advantage is ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model 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 and Chess960 ™ sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. 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 61, 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 0% of Chess960 ™'s.

Chess.com ships an update weekly, Chess960 ™ every 10 months. Both last shipped on September 25, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess.com | Chess960 ™ |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (827K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chesscom-play-and-learn/id329218549/reviews)** | [4.4 (61 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess960/id6478382405/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **827K** | 61 |
| Positive reviews | **63.9% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 10 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#5** | — |
| Size | 445 MB | 69 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) | [VM Mobile Team](https://appshunter.io/developer/646128457) |

## 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, #8 Top Grossing · Board, #19 Top Grossing · Strategy, #61 Top Free · Games, #78 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


### Chess960 ™

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess960/id6478382405)

Experience a unique chess variant where the starting position of pieces changes with each game. Test your strategic thinking with fresh challenges and play against AI or friends. Customize your game with different themes and join a growing community.

**Highlights:** Randomized starting positions, Play against AI or friends, Progress from beginner to pro, Customizable pieces and boards, Community sharing and leaderboards

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium | $3.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chess.com free?

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

### Is Chess960 ™ free?

Chess960 ™ is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Chess.com or Chess960 ™?

Chess.com is rated higher. Chess.com averages 4.8 out of 5 from 827K ratings, while Chess960 ™ averages 4.4 from 61 ratings.

### Do Chess.com or Chess960 ™ have ads?

Chess.com shows ads; Chess960 ™ does not.

### Which is updated more often, Chess.com or Chess960 ™?

Chess.com ships an update weekly, and Chess960 ™ every 10 months. Most recently, Chess.com was updated on September 25, 2026 and Chess960 ™ on September 25, 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.*