Comparison

Backgammon Coach vs Backgammon Sage Pro

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Backgammon Coach

Play backgammon against a sophisticated AI powered by a neural network. Analyze your moves with detailed winning probabilities and progress your game with coaching features. Customize game levels and rules for a personalized experience.

Highlights
  • Play against AI
  • Winning probability analysis
  • Coaching features
  • Customizable game levels
  • Multiple rule options
  • Situation analysis and saving
  • Manual dice roll option
Features
Read full description

Backgammon Coach is an application for playing backgammon against the computer at the highest level as well as obtaining all the probabilities of winning for each possible move. It is therefore an excellent partner to play, coupled with a Coach to progress in backgammon. Based on the Gnu Backgammon neural network, resulting from research in artificial intelligence and recognized for its decision-making capacities, Backgammon Coach has risen to the rank of the best players in the world. Backgammon Coach is also able to prove that she is not cheating, by offering an option to use your own manual dice rolls. If you have the opposite feeling, keep the fair play attitude of great players when it comes to bad or good sets of dice. Remember that the computer is an excellent calculator and knows how to place itself in good situations so that a high number of dice are favorable to it. Then try to do like him by taking an interest in the detailed probabilities available to you. If the game level of the computer is too high from your point of view, feel free to choose a lower level in the options. This will increase your chances of winning, however it is advisable to prefer a higher level and to use the Coach's indications to progress: "À vaincre sans péril on triomphe sans gloire"! Here is a list of the main features provided: - Very comprehensive user guide - Sessions of matches in x points, unlimited points games or analysis of situations - Coach availability in all circumstances - Detailed winning probabilities on request - Sounds and animations - Quick game option - Three standard game levels offered (Beginner, Intermediate and Expert) - Possibility to customize the parameters of a game level - Marking of possible arrows to play - Calculation of the pip count - Constant display of the dice from the previous round - Possibility to analyze a particular situation - Registration of situations - Sharing of situations via the system's sharing tools (AirDrop, Messages, Mail ...) - Options for Crawford, Jacoby and Egyptian rules - Sophisticated random dice generator - Possibility to use your own manual dice - Optional use of the doubling dice - Optional double at the start of the game - Optional management of multiple doubles ("beavers") - Game statistics for each level - Accumulation of scores acquired in points game - Possibility of resign a game with counting of drops (dishonest interruptions) - Advanced neural network parameters (plies, move filter, etc.) - Gnu Backgammon console available for advanced users Excellent games!

About

Backgammon Sage Pro

This app acts as a personal backgammon coach, offering advanced analysis and play against a strong AI engine. It helps users improve by explaining strategies, tracking progress, and drilling weaknesses. Suitable for all skill levels, from beginners to advanced players.

Highlights
  • AI-powered backgammon engine
  • Position analysis with AI justification
  • Play against a world-class bot
  • Game and match analysis
  • Progress tracking and performance rating
  • Targeted weakness drills
  • Plain-English strategy explanations
Features
Read full description

Backgammon Sage Pro is your personal backgammon coach, powered by the strongest backgammon engine on the market today. Play, analyze, and improve, calculating in the cloud so you get the strongest evaluations even when you're on the move. Whether you're learning your first prime or sharpening a tournament game, Sage shows you the best play, explains why, and tracks your progress over time. WHAT YOU CAN DO • Analyze a position: Quickly set up a checker play or cube action position and analyze it at your choice of strength, with AI justification of the best decision. • Play a world-class bot: unlimited and match games at adjustable strength, with live performance feedback and post-game analysis. • Analyze your games and matches: Every game you play, against Sage or friends, is recorded and analyzed. See where you went wrong and why. • Track your game: See Performance Rating (PR), error themes, and progress across multiple player profiles. • Drill your weaknesses: Quiz yourself on the exact positions where you went wrong, zeroing in on parts of the game where you need work. • Plain-English insight: Sage AI explains the ideas behind each position, with backgammon strategy and tactics instead of equities and probabilities. • Import your history: Bring in XG and online match files to build a complete database of your play. POWERED BY A WORLD-CLASS ENGINE Backgammon Sage Pro is powered by the open source backgammon engine, Open Sage. Open Sage is a modern standard for backgammon engines, demonstrated to outperform other commercial engines at similar evaluation strength. You can find more information on Open Sage at its github page: https://github.com/markbgsage/bgsage. FOR EVERY LEVEL New players get clear, expert guidance. Advanced players get the depth: expanded dice distribution, cloud rollouts, modern market window information for cube decisions, and the precision serious study demands. This is a strategy and analysis tool. No gambling is involved. SUBSCRIPTION Backgammon Sage Pro offers full access through a monthly or annual auto-renewing subscription. Pricing is shown in the app before you confirm. • Payment is charged to your Apple ID at confirmation of purchase. • Your subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. • Manage or cancel anytime in your App Store account settings. Terms of Use: https://sage.bgsage.ai/terms Privacy Policy: https://sage.bgsage.ai/privacy

Screenshots

Backgammon Coach4 screens
Backgammon Sage Pro4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Backgammon Sage Pro at 100% against Backgammon Coach's 39%. Backgammon Sage Pro also leads on price (Free vs $8.99) and rating (4.6 vs 1.7). Backgammon Coach's advantage is iOS requirement (12.1 vs 15.1). On ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Backgammon Sage Pro is free to download; Backgammon Coach costs $8.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Backgammon Sage Pro holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 1.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 9 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 39% of Backgammon Coach's written reviews are positive against 100% of Backgammon Sage Pro's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Backgammon Coach ships an update every 4 months, Backgammon Sage Pro every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 13, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Backgammon Coach versus Backgammon Sage Pro: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBackgammon CoachBackgammon Sage Pro
Price$8.99Free — better
Rating1.7 (3 ratings)4.6 (9 ratings) — better
Positive reviews39.4% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings39 — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaid — betterSubscription
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS12.1 — better15.1
Further details — not scored
Size48 MB58 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperLaurent PichonBackgammon Gaming Technologies LLC

Customer experience

Backgammon Coach

All ratings3 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral33.3%
Negative66.7%
Written reviews33 reviews
Positive39.4%
Neutral15.2%
Negative45.5%

Backgammon Sage Pro

All ratings9 ratings
Positive88.9%
Neutral0.0%
Negative11.1%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Backgammon Coach

No in-app purchases

None

Backgammon Sage Pro

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Backgammon Coach free?
Backgammon Coach costs $8.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Backgammon Sage Pro free?
Backgammon Sage Pro is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Backgammon Coach or Backgammon Sage Pro?
Backgammon Sage Pro is rated higher. Backgammon Coach averages 1.7 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while Backgammon Sage Pro averages 4.6 from 9 ratings.
Do Backgammon Coach or Backgammon Sage Pro have ads?
Neither Backgammon Coach nor Backgammon Sage Pro shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Backgammon Coach or Backgammon Sage Pro?
Backgammon Coach ships an update every 4 months, and Backgammon Sage Pro every 3 days. Most recently, Backgammon Coach was updated on September 24, 2026 and Backgammon Sage Pro on September 13, 2026.

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