# Chess.com vs Chess Puzzles

The clearest difference is price: Chess.com at Free against Chess Puzzles's $0.99. Chess.com also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 17 months) and ratings volume (882K vs 57). Chess Puzzles's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10) and ads (none vs shown). On rating and device support there is nothing between them.

Chess.com is free to download; Chess Puzzles costs $0.99 up front. Chess.com sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Chess Puzzles asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Chess.com against 4.7 for Chess Puzzles. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chess.com has 882K ratings behind it against 57, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 64% of Chess.com's written reviews are positive against 97% of Chess Puzzles's.

Chess.com ships an update weekly, Chess Puzzles every 17 months. The most recent releases landed on November 10, 2026 and November 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess.com | Chess Puzzles |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $0.99 |
| Rating | **[4.8 (882K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chesscom-play-and-learn/id329218549/reviews)** | [4.7 (57 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-puzzles-classic-modern/id805166033/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **882K** | 57 |
| Positive reviews | 64.4% of reviews | **96.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 17 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#1** | — |
| Size | 456 MB | 18 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) | [Gano Technologies LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/333237652) |

## 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, #6 Top Free · Games, #6 Top Grossing · Board, #15 Top Grossing · Strategy, #50 Top Free, #64 Top Grossing · Games, #166 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


### Chess Puzzles

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-puzzles-classic-modern/id805166033)

Engage with a vast collection of chess puzzles spanning from historical compositions to modern games. Challenge yourself with over a thousand interactive puzzles designed to improve your tactical skills and strategic thinking. Enjoy customizable themes and compare your progress with friends on leaderboards.

**Highlights:** 1177 interactive chess puzzles, Mate in 2, 3, and 4 move puzzles, Timing clock, Customizable piece sets and color schemes, Leaderboards for social comparison, Facebook integration for sharing progress

**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 Chess Puzzles free?

Chess Puzzles costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

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

Chess.com is rated higher. Chess.com averages 4.8 out of 5 from 882K ratings, while Chess Puzzles averages 4.7 from 57 ratings.

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

Chess.com shows ads; Chess Puzzles does not.

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

Chess.com ships an update weekly, and Chess Puzzles every 17 months. Most recently, Chess.com was updated on November 10, 2026 and Chess Puzzles on November 1, 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.*