# Chess.com vs Shogi Lite

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Shogi Lite at none against Chess.com's 12. Shogi Lite also leads on ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 17.0). Chess.com's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 6 weeks) and ratings volume (859K vs 12). On price 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. Shogi Lite asks for nothing beyond the download.

Chess.com holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chess.com has 859K ratings behind it against 12, 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 55% of Shogi Lite's.

Chess.com ships an update weekly, Shogi Lite every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess.com | Shogi Lite |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (859K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chesscom-play-and-learn/id329218549/reviews)** | [4.6 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shogi-lite-chess/id737135884/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **859K** | 12 |
| Positive reviews | **64.4% of reviews** | 55.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#1** | — |
| Size | 447 MB | 11 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Chess.com](https://appshunter.io/developer/329218552) | [Shigeo Mimura](https://appshunter.io/developer/704921892) |

## 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, #60 Top Grossing · Games, #96 Top Free, #167 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


### Shogi Lite

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shogi-lite-chess/id737135884)

A digital adaptation of the ancient Japanese board game, offering a strategic challenge similar to chess. Players can capture opponent pieces and redeploy them on the board, adding a unique tactical layer to gameplay.

**Highlights:** Classic Shogi gameplay, Piece capture and redeployment, Two-player strategy, Similar to Chess and Xiangqi, Digital board game adaptation

**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 Shogi Lite free?

Shogi Lite is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Chess.com or Shogi Lite?

Chess.com is rated higher. Chess.com averages 4.8 out of 5 from 859K ratings, while Shogi Lite averages 4.6 from 12 ratings.

### Do Chess.com or Shogi Lite have ads?

Chess.com shows ads; Shogi Lite does not.

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

Chess.com ships an update weekly, and Shogi Lite every 6 weeks. Most recently, Chess.com was updated on October 28, 2026 and Shogi Lite on October 22, 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.*