# Chess.com vs POP Boba

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: POP Boba at none against Chess.com's 12. Chess.com's advantage is chart position (#1 vs unranked) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, update cadence, ads and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Chess.com sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. POP Boba asks for nothing beyond the download.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess.com | POP Boba |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (856K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chesscom-play-and-learn/id329218549/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **856K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 64.4% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Weekly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Best chart rank | **#1** | — |
| Size | 464 MB | 38 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **16.4** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Chess.com](https://appshunter.io/developer/329218552) | [Founders(KR)](https://appshunter.io/developer/1875180607) |

## What reviewers say

### Chess.com

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

**Currently charting:** #1 Top Free · Strategy, #2 Top Free · Board, #6 Top Grossing · Board, #14 Top Grossing · Strategy, #16 Top Free · Games, #57 Top Grossing · Games, #116 Top Free, #160 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


### POP Boba

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pop-boba/id6774828221)

**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 POP Boba free?

POP Boba is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Chess.com or POP Boba have ads?

Both Chess.com and POP Boba show ads.

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

Chess.com ships an update weekly, and POP Boba weekly. Most recently, Chess.com was updated on October 27, 2026 and POP Boba on October 15, 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.*