Comparison

SimpleChess vs Chessplode

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

Head to head
About

SimpleChess

Engage in a straightforward and rapid chess experience. Compete globally, customize your board and pieces, and track your ELO ranking. Enhance your skills with tactical training and puzzle battles.

Highlights
  • Online multiplayer chess
  • Customizable chessboards and pieces
  • Tactical training modules
  • Puzzle battles
  • ELO ranking tracking
  • Chess960 variant
Features
Read full description

Play chess online - it's that simple! Simple, practical and fast, SimpleChess makes playing chess as easy as child's play! • It's free! • Compete against opponents from all over the world • Customize your chessboard, with 20 piece types and 40 chessboard designs • 10 different themes (5 dark, 5 light) • Choose your game rating: fast, blitz, bullet, or create the rating of your choice • Track your progress with your ELO ranking • Make progress with our tactical training modules • Challenge other players to a puzzle battle • Play Chess960, a variant of the chess game • Earn XP experience points with every game Become a member and enjoy additional features: • Analyze your games by computer • Find your friends easily • And enjoy full access to our training modules!

About

Chessplode

This app offers a unique twist on chess where capturing a piece causes others in the same line and column to explode. It's designed to be fun and accessible, even for those who aren't skilled at traditional chess, offering both single-player and multiplayer modes.

Highlights
  • Exploding pieces on capture
  • Real-time multiplayer battles
  • User-created levels
  • Local multiplayer mode
  • AI opponent practice
  • Customizable color themes
Features
Read full description

Chessplode is modern chess for everyone, it makes chess fun even if you're bad ¯\_(ツ)_/¯, one simply move... can change all game. -- THE MODERN RULE -- Chessplode is pretty much like chess with a really BIG twist... - CAPTURE a piece and everything in the same LINE and COLUMN will EXPLODE... - But if a KING is in that LINE or COLUMN it will be a really *boring* chess capture (no explosions) -- THINK DIFF... *DISTINCT* -- This rule is pretty tricky, in regular chess you need to defend your KING, but in Chessplode it can save your pieces. Remember, you can't capture some pieces because you could get check. Sometimes you will checkmate capturing a piece that explodes. And other you will be afraid of having several pieces in the same line or column...(POP!) -- FRIENDS (Who love chess) REVIEW -- They find Chessplode a great challenge and love how they need to change the old way of thinking even if they are winning... a bad move and they will run out of pieces. -- FRIENDS (Who *meh* chess) REVIEW -- Chess + Explosions... you got my attention. Some of these friends were casual chess players and others didn't really feel the attraction for chess. Both find Chessplode a really fun game. When they were playing regular chess they were not good, now they are the kings of the hill. -- FEATURES -- * FREE TO PLAY * Realtime chess battles multiplayer with people around the world. * In multiplayer you can send an emoji (to express your feelings) with every move you submit. Instant fun! * Play Levels created for other players, you can find really madness here, but you can undo your move... everyone can make a mistake. * Create your own custom Level and submit it to everyone can play it. Challenge the world! * Try local multiplayer battles with friends in the same device. Head to head! * Practice playing versus Ziri. * A lot of different color themes, play day and night with your favourite colors. Thank you for playing "Chessplode"! I really hope you enjoy it as much as I did making it ;) Support: Are you having problems? http://twitter.com/juaxma http://twitter.com/chessplode hello@juan.ma Privacy Policy: http://juan.ma/chessplode/privacypolicy/ AppPreview Music: https://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music/track/jazzy-frenchy © Juan Manuel Altamirano Argudo / juan.ma

Screenshots

SimpleChess4 screens
Chessplode4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Chessplode at 4.5 against SimpleChess's 4.0. Chessplode also leads on ratings volume (573 vs 8) and review sentiment (61% vs 53%). SimpleChess's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

Both are free to download. SimpleChess sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Chessplode sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Chessplode holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chessplode has 573 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 53% of SimpleChess's written reviews are positive against 61% of Chessplode's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SimpleChess ships an update every 8 days, Chessplode every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
SimpleChess versus Chessplode: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSimpleChessChessplode
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.0 (8 ratings)4.5 (573 ratings) — better
Positive reviews52.7% of reviews61.2% of reviews — better
Number of ratings8573 — better
Update frequencyEvery 8 days — betterEvery 2 weeks
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.012.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size82 MB86 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperEurope EchecsJuan Manuel Altamirano Argudo

Customer experience

SimpleChess

All ratings8 ratings
Positive75.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative25.0%
Written reviews55 reviews
Positive52.7%
Neutral10.9%
Negative36.4%

Chessplode

All ratings573 ratings
Positive88.5%
Neutral3.8%
Negative7.7%
Written reviews67 reviews
Positive61.2%
Neutral9.0%
Negative29.9%

Bugs and requests

SimpleChess

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Chessplode

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Won't open or get stuck on certain screens
  • Issues with king movement and checkmate detection
  • Crashes and freezes, especially when AI is thinking
  • AI issues with thinking and repeating moves

Requested features

9 requests
  • Add local multiplayer mode
  • Add classic chess mode
  • Add more basic puzzles
  • Add ability to go back to previous levels
  • Add option to remove explosions
Show 4 more
  • Add Repetition end-condition
  • Add Resign button
  • Add themed boards
  • Add online levels and multiplayer

In-app purchases

8 purchases

SimpleChess

Subscriptions4
  • Essential Pack (Monthly plan)$2.991 Month
  • Premium Pack (Monthly plan)$3.991 Month
  • Essential Pack (Annual Plan)$24.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Premium Pack (Annual Plan)$34.991 Year
One-time4
  • 1 month extend$0.99
  • 3 months extend$1.99
  • 6 month extend$3.99
Show 1 more
  • 1 year extend$5.99
5 purchases

Chessplode

One-time5
  • +100 Undos$0.99
  • Generous Tip$0.99
  • Massive Tip$1.99
Show 2 more
  • INFINITE UNDOS$1.99
  • Amazing Tip$2.99

Questions

Is SimpleChess free?
SimpleChess is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Chessplode free?
Chessplode is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, SimpleChess or Chessplode?
Chessplode is rated higher. SimpleChess averages 4.0 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while Chessplode averages 4.5 from 573 ratings.
Do SimpleChess or Chessplode have ads?
Chessplode shows ads; SimpleChess does not.
Which is updated more often, SimpleChess or Chessplode?
SimpleChess ships an update every 8 days, and Chessplode every 2 weeks. Most recently, SimpleChess was updated on October 12, 2026 and Chessplode on October 7, 2026.

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