# Chess.com vs Orb Pop

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

Both are free to download. Chess.com sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Orb Pop sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Chess.com ships an update weekly, Orb Pop every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 10, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess.com | Orb Pop |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (882K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chesscom-play-and-learn/id329218549/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **882K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 64.4% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Best chart rank | **#1** | — |
| Size | 466 MB | 12 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Chess.com](https://appshunter.io/developer/329218552) | [Apex Root Solutions LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896244971) |

## What reviewers say

### Chess.com

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

**Currently charting:** #1 Top Free · Board, #1 Top Free · Strategy, #5 Top Grossing · Board, #6 Top Free · Games, #13 Top Grossing · Strategy, #55 Top Free, #55 Top Grossing · Games, #150 Top Grossing (US App Store)

Engage in chess with millions globally through online matches, tournaments, and lessons. Improve your skills with over a million puzzles, powerful bot opponents, and detailed game analysis. Explore various chess variants and track your progress with in-depth statistics.

**Highlights:** Online multiplayer chess, Over 1 million chess puzzles, Hundreds of chess lessons, Play against AI opponents, Chess variant modes, Game analysis tools, Community leaderboards

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| 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 | $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


### Orb Pop

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/orb-pop-bubble-blast/id6775609501)

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Orb Pop Premium | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chess.com free?

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

### Is Orb Pop free?

Orb Pop is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do Chess.com or Orb Pop have ads?

Chess.com shows ads; Orb Pop does not.

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

Chess.com ships an update weekly, and Orb Pop every 3 weeks. Most recently, Chess.com was updated on November 10, 2026 and Orb Pop on November 5, 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.*