Chess vs World Chess
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Chess
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.
- 100 difficulty levels
- Interactive learning coach
- Thousands of chess puzzles
- Adaptive AI opponent
- ELO rating tracker
- Multiple game modes
- Offline play
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Play Chess – Learn, Train & Challenge with the Ultimate Chess App Take your chess to the next level with the ultimate chess app for iPhone and iPad. Whether you’re a beginner learning chess, an intermediate player looking to improve, or an advanced competitor training like a grandmaster, our app has everything you need. Powered by an award-winning chess engine, it feels like you’re playing against a real opponent – not just a computer. With 100 skill levels, automatic ELO rating tracking, and personalized difficulty that adapts to your style, you’ll always find the perfect challenge. No accounts. No fuss. Just download and start playing chess instantly. Key Features World Chess Champion Software 2026 Award Winner using Ginkgo 150 difficulty levels – from beginner to grandmaster strength Adaptive chess engine – plays like a human and adjusts to your skill ELO rating calculator – track your progress and growth Powerful AI – ranked 4th in the World Microcomputer Chess Championship Learn chess with a built-in coach – highlights best moves and alternatives Solve 1000s of chess puzzles – improve tactics, strategy, and endgame skills Huge book of chess openings Database of famous chess games – study, replay, and analyze the masters Multiple modes – Classic, Blitz, Training, Two-Player, and Analysis Mode Custom boards and sets – from traditional chess book style to modern themes Full chess rules supported – castling, en passant, pawn promotion, and more Minimal ads, no login required – play chess instantly without interruptions Whether you enjoy casual games, serious training, or fast-paced blitz chess, this app has you covered. Always challenging, sometimes aggressive, and never boring – just like real chess should be. Perfect for: Beginners who want to learn chess step by step Casual players who enjoy fun, relaxing games Competitive players who want to train like a grandmaster Puzzle lovers who want to sharpen their tactics End User License Agreement ("Agreement") (EULA) https://www.mastersoft.biz/eula.htm Privacy policy https://www.mastersoft.biz/privacy.htm
World Chess
Play rated chess games online with official FIDE recognition. Challenge friends, practice against adaptive AI, solve puzzles offline, and earn official FIDE titles. Offers casual games without sign-up.
- Official FIDE rated games
- Earn FIDE titles
- Play against AI bots
- Offline play for bots and puzzles
- Challenge friends
- Solve chess puzzles
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Play chess online in one tap — and make every rated game count. World Chess is the only chess app whose online ratings and titles are officially recognized by FIDE, the International Chess Federation. PLAY NOW, FREE — Bullet, blitz and rapid against real players from 150+ countries. — No sign-up needed for casual games. — Challenge a friend with a personal link. — Practice against AI bots that adapt to your level. — Solve puzzles and climb your own puzzle rating. — No connection? Play bots and solve puzzles offline. EARN AN OFFICIAL TITLE — Rated games build your FIDE Online Arena rating, shown on your FIDE profile. — Titles you can earn: Arena Candidate Master (ACM) — 1100 Arena FIDE Master (AFM) — 1400 Arena International Master (AIM) — 1700 Arena Grandmaster (AGM) — 2000 — Meet titled players, including international masters and grandmasters. — Run several games at once to find opponents faster. WORLD CHESS PRO Your FIDE ID, advanced game analysis and members-only tournaments. Monthly and annual plans. Privacy Policy: https://support.chessarena.com/en/articles/6902938-privacy-policy Terms & Conditions: https://support.chessarena.com/en/articles/6740851-terms-and-conditions
Screenshots
Verdict
Chess and World Chess both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 90% of Chess's written reviews are positive against 34% of World Chess's. Chess also leads on ratings volume (1.6K vs 117) and device support (4 vs 2). On price, rating, update cadence and ads 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
Both are free to download. Chess sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and World Chess sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Chess against 4.6 for World Chess. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chess has 1.6K ratings behind it against 117, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 90% of Chess's written reviews are positive against 34% of World Chess's.
Chess ships an update every 5 days, World Chess weekly. Both last shipped on November 12, 2026.
| Parameter | Chess | World Chess |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (1.6K ratings) — better | 4.6 (117 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 90.5% of reviews — better | 33.5% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 1.6K — better | 117 |
| Update frequency | Every 5 days — better | Weekly |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 276 MB | 293 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Mastersoft | World Chess Events Limited |
Customer experience
Chess
World Chess
User reviews
Chess
From 1.6K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Great learning tool
- 🚀 Smooth gameplay
- 💡 Helpful training mode
- 👍 Challenging at higher levels
- 👍 Customizable board and pieces
Room to improve
- 🐛 Occasional crashes or bugs
- 🔋 Battery drain issues
- 🔍 Unclear move suggestions
- 🤖 Computer plays too strong at times
World Chess
From 117 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Smooth gameplay
- 🚀 Fast matchmaking
- 🎨 Nice UI aesthetics
- 💡 Opportunity to earn FIDE titles
- 🎮 Ability to play against bots
Room to improve
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🔍 Lack of anti-cheat measures
- ⏱️ Slow responsiveness and lag
- 📊 Confusing rating system
- 🔌 Battery draining issues
Bugs and requests
Chess
Reported bugs
3 issues- Pawn disappearing issue when castling
- Ratings not updating properly after games
- Crashes on certain iOS versions
Requested features
4 requests- 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
World Chess
Reported bugs
5 issues- Unable to make moves during games
- Incorrect time tracking and game results
- Crashes on login and during gameplay
- Corrupted PGN file downloads
- Inconsistent rating updates
Requested features
5 requests- Add chat functionality
- Implement game analysis tools
- Improve opponent matching filters
- Allow customization of board/pieces
- Provide more detailed player profiles
In-app purchases
Chess
- Buy Chess Pro.$2.99
- Upgrade to Ginkgo. 10% Off.$9.95
World Chess
- Ad-Free$0.991 Month
- Gold monthly7 Days trial$3.991 Month
- Pro account monthly7 Days trial$4.991 Month
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- Pro account monthly$4.991 Month
- Black monthly7 Days trial$9.991 Month
- Gold annual7 Days trial$29.991 Year
- Pro account annual7 Days trial$44.991 Year
- Pro account annual$49.991 Year
- Black annual7 Days trial$79.991 Year









