# Chess.com vs Safari Chess

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Safari Chess at none against Chess.com's 10. Safari Chess also leads on review sentiment (77% vs 64%) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.0). Chess.com's advantage is rating (4.8 vs 4.4) and ratings volume (872K vs 88). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Chess.com sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Safari Chess asks for nothing beyond the download.

Chess.com holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chess.com has 872K ratings behind it against 88, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 64% of Chess.com's written reviews are positive against 77% of Safari Chess's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Chess.com ships an update weekly, Safari Chess monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess.com | Safari Chess |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (872K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chesscom-play-and-learn/id329218549/reviews)** | [4.4 (88 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/safari-chess/id993624269/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **872K** | 88 |
| Positive reviews | 64.4% of reviews | **76.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Best chart rank | **#1** | — |
| Size | 456 MB | 59 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Chess.com](https://appshunter.io/developer/329218552) | [Windigig](https://appshunter.io/developer/993624268) |

## 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 Free · Games, #7 Top Grossing · Board, #16 Top Grossing · Strategy, #49 Top Free, #72 Top Grossing · Games, #173 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


### Safari Chess

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/safari-chess/id993624269)

Engage in a strategic board game with animal-themed pieces. Challenge friends online or test your skills against AI opponents of varying difficulty. Enjoy smooth graphics, engaging animations, and a polished gameplay experience suitable for all ages.

**Highlights:** Single player AI challenges, Online multiplayer with friends, Local 2-player mode, Customizable emotes, Collectible achievements, Cross-platform online play, Game log and replay

**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 Safari Chess free?

Safari Chess is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

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

Chess.com is rated higher. Chess.com averages 4.8 out of 5 from 872K ratings, while Safari Chess averages 4.4 from 88 ratings.

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

Both Chess.com and Safari Chess show ads.

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

Chess.com ships an update weekly, and Safari Chess monthly. Most recently, Chess.com was updated on November 6, 2026 and Safari Chess 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.*