# Chess.com vs Chess ◧

The clearest difference is rating: Chess.com at 4.8 against Chess ◧'s 4.3. Chess.com also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 12 months) and ratings volume (833K vs 410). Chess ◧'s advantage is ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 17.0). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model 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 and Chess ◧ sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. 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 833K ratings behind it against 410, 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 53% of Chess ◧'s.

Chess.com ships an update weekly, Chess ◧ every 12 months. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and September 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess.com | Chess ◧ |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (833K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chesscom-play-and-learn/id329218549/reviews)** | [4.3 (410 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess/id902406863/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **833K** | 410 |
| Positive reviews | **64.0% of reviews** | 52.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 12 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#6** | — |
| Size | 445 MB | 64 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **9.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Chess.com](https://appshunter.io/developer/329218552) | [TapMedia Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/359632753) |

## What reviewers say

### Chess.com

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

**Currently charting:** #6 Top Free · Board, #6 Top Free · Strategy, #8 Top Grossing · Board, #22 Top Grossing · Strategy, #46 Top Free · Games, #96 Top Grossing · Games (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


### Chess ◧

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess/id902406863)

Engage in classic chess matches on your iPhone or iPad. Play against a computer with adjustable difficulty, challenge a friend in two-player mode, or utilize helpful features like move undo and hints. Enjoy an attractive user interface for a smooth gaming experience.

**Highlights:** Play against computer, Two player mode, Adjustable computer strength, Undo moves, Hint option, Attractive UI

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| TapMedia PRO - 1 Month | $4.99 | per month |
| Remove Ads | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and easy to play
- 👍 Highly entertaining
- 👍 Strong and flexible chess engine
- 👍 Gameplay is human-like
- 👍 Great for avoiding opening traps

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Two player mode broken
- 🐛 Program is impenetrable for beginners
- 🐛 Hints lead to losing
- 🐛 Board color changed to brown
- 🐛 Too many ads

**Reported bugs**

- Two player mode doesn't work
- Choosing '2 Player' does nothing
- Many glitches
- Cannot move a piece and make a change with king and tower
- Slaughters battery life

**Requested features**

- Fix two player mode
- Option to change board color back to black and white
- Make the game easier for beginners
- Allow viewing opponent's pawns


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chess.com free?

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

### Is Chess ◧ free?

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

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

Chess.com is rated higher. Chess.com averages 4.8 out of 5 from 833K ratings, while Chess ◧ averages 4.3 from 410 ratings.

### Do Chess.com or Chess ◧ have ads?

Chess.com shows ads; Chess ◧ does not.

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

Chess.com ships an update weekly, and Chess ◧ every 12 months. Most recently, Chess.com was updated on October 3, 2026 and Chess ◧ on September 29, 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.*