# Chess.com vs Blindfold Chess

The clearest difference is rating: Chess.com at 4.8 against Blindfold Chess's 4.3. Chess.com also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (827K vs 28). On price, review sentiment, 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 Blindfold Chess sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Chess.com holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chess.com has 827K ratings behind it against 28, 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 57% of Blindfold Chess's.

Chess.com ships an update weekly, Blindfold Chess every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess.com | Blindfold Chess |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (827K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chesscom-play-and-learn/id329218549/reviews)** | [4.3 (28 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blindfold-chess/id6605933514/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **827K** | 28 |
| Positive reviews | **63.9% of reviews** | 57.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#5** | — |
| Size | 445 MB | 140 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Chess.com](https://appshunter.io/developer/329218552) | [Romir Patney](https://appshunter.io/developer/1662297678) |

## 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 Grossing · Board, #7 Top Free · Strategy, #15 Top Grossing · Strategy, #58 Top Free · Games, #63 Top Grossing · Games, #182 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


### Blindfold Chess

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blindfold-chess/id6605933514)

Sharpen your chess visualization and strategy skills with this app. It offers structured lessons, challenges against an engine, and helps you master chess notation without seeing the board.

**Highlights:** Boost visualization skills, Play against a chess engine, Structured step-by-step lessons, Maintain learning streaks, Refine notation skills, Visualize the board without seeing pieces

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $2.99 | one-time |
| Lessons 4, 5, 6 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Lessons 2 & 3 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Lesson 7 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Everything Bundle | $6.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chess.com free?

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

### Is Blindfold Chess free?

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

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

Chess.com is rated higher. Chess.com averages 4.8 out of 5 from 827K ratings, while Blindfold Chess averages 4.3 from 28 ratings.

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

Both Chess.com and Blindfold Chess show ads.

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

Chess.com ships an update weekly, and Blindfold Chess every 2 months. Most recently, Chess.com was updated on September 24, 2026 and Blindfold Chess on September 18, 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.*