# Catan Classic vs Chess Timer

The clearest difference is price: Chess Timer at Free against Catan Classic's $4.99. Chess Timer also leads on rating (4.3 vs 3.7) and review sentiment (43% vs 25%). Catan Classic's advantage is ratings volume (11K vs 55) and chart position (#6 vs unranked). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Chess Timer is free to download; Catan Classic costs $4.99 up front. Catan Classic sells 5 one-off in-app purchases and Chess Timer sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Chess Timer holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Catan Classic has 11K ratings behind it against 55, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 25% of Catan Classic's written reviews are positive against 43% of Chess Timer's.

Catan Classic ships an update every 5 months, Chess Timer every 11 months. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Catan Classic | Chess Timer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $4.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [3.7 (11K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/catan-classic/id335029050/reviews) | **[4.3 (55 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-timer/id1208199658/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **11K** | 55 |
| Positive reviews | 24.6% of reviews | **42.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 months** | Every 11 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#6** | — |
| Size | 840 MB | 2 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [USM](https://appshunter.io/developer/330111789) | [DAVID CROOKS SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT LIMITED](https://appshunter.io/developer/1654030206) |

## What reviewers say

### Catan Classic

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/catan-classic/id335029050)

**Currently charting:** #6 Top Paid · Board, #33 Top Paid · Strategy, #70 Top Paid · Games, #114 Top Paid (US App Store)

Engage in a classic board game of trading, building, and settling. Compete with up to four players online or against AI opponents. Expand your gameplay with purchasable expansions offering new scenarios and mechanics.

**Highlights:** Online multiplayer, AI opponents with unique strategies, Trading and resource management, Expandable gameplay with DLC, Original rule set, Game statistics, Comprehensive tutorial

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| The new scenarios | $1.99 | one-time |
| Catan - The Islands | $1.99 | one-time |
| The Seafarers | $4.99 | one-time |
| Cities & Knights | $4.99 | one-time |
| All-expansions Bundle | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast gameplay
- 👍 Faithful to the board game
- 🎮 Enjoyable AI opponents
- 🕹️ Customizable settings

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes
- 🧠 Unfair AI behavior
- 🎲 Questionable dice rolls
- 💰 Expensive expansions
- 🔍 Difficult to see the full board

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to reconnect to online games
- Freezing when placing the robber
- Disappearing resources and progress
- Inconsistent login and account management

**Requested features**

- Online multiplayer improvements
- More game modes and scenarios
- Better UI optimization for newer devices
- Ability to save and resume games


### Chess Timer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-timer/id1208199658)

A straightforward dual timer designed for over-the-board chess and other two-player competitive games. It allows for customizable time increments, delays, and overtime limits, functioning as a simple chess clock or for games like Scrabble and Go.

**Highlights:** Dual timer for two-player games, Fischer, Bronstein, and simple delay increments, Overtime limits with penalties, Supports games like Scrabble and Go, Intuitive tap-to-switch interface

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Chess Timer Pro | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Catan Classic free?

Catan Classic costs $4.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is Chess Timer free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Catan Classic or Chess Timer?

Chess Timer is rated higher. Catan Classic averages 3.7 out of 5 from 11K ratings, while Chess Timer averages 4.3 from 55 ratings.

### Do Catan Classic or Chess Timer have ads?

Neither Catan Classic nor Chess Timer shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Catan Classic or Chess Timer?

Catan Classic ships an update every 5 months, and Chess Timer every 11 months. Most recently, Catan Classic was updated on October 13, 2026 and Chess Timer on September 30, 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.*