# Chess vs Chess Timer

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Chess at 90% against Chess Timer's 43%. Chess also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 11 months) and rating (4.6 vs 4.3). Chess Timer's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Chess sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Chess Timer sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Chess holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chess has 1.6K ratings behind it against 55, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 90% of Chess's written reviews are positive against 43% of Chess Timer's.

Chess ships an update every 5 days, Chess Timer every 11 months. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess | Chess Timer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (1.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-learn-play-and-trainer/id378161776/reviews)** | [4.3 (55 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-timer/id1208199658/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.6K** | 55 |
| Positive reviews | **90.5% of reviews** | 42.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 days** | Every 11 months |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 277 MB | 2 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Mastersoft](https://appshunter.io/developer/994180799) | [DAVID CROOKS SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT LIMITED](https://appshunter.io/developer/1654030206) |

## What reviewers say

### Chess

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-learn-play-and-trainer/id378161776)

Master the game of chess with this comprehensive app. Learn step-by-step, play against adaptive AI across 100 difficulty levels, and sharpen your skills with thousands of puzzles. Enjoy offline play and track your progress with an ELO rating.

**Highlights:** 100 difficulty levels, Interactive learning coach, Thousands of chess puzzles, Adaptive AI opponent, ELO rating tracker, Multiple game modes, Offline play

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Chess Pro for 1 month. | $2.99 | per month |
| Buy Chess Pro. | $2.99 | one-time |
| Upgrade to Ginkgo. 10% Off. | $9.95 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great learning tool
- 🚀 Smooth gameplay
- 💡 Helpful training mode
- 👍 Challenging at higher levels
- 👍 Customizable board and pieces

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes or bugs
- 🔋 Battery drain issues
- 🔍 Unclear move suggestions
- 🤖 Computer plays too strong at times

**Reported bugs**

- Pawn disappearing issue when castling
- Ratings not updating properly after games
- Crashes on certain iOS versions

**Requested features**

- More detailed explanations for suggested moves
- Option to play against other users online
- Ability to set up custom board positions
- Slower computer move speeds for beginners


### 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 Chess free?

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

### Is Chess Timer free?

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

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

Chess is rated higher. Chess averages 4.6 out of 5 from 1.6K ratings, while Chess Timer averages 4.3 from 55 ratings.

### Do Chess or Chess Timer have ads?

Chess shows ads; Chess Timer does not.

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

Chess ships an update every 5 days, and Chess Timer every 11 months. Most recently, Chess was updated on October 14, 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.*