# SimpleChess vs Chess

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Chess at 83% against SimpleChess's 53%. Chess also leads on rating (4.2 vs 4.0) and ratings volume (33 vs 8). SimpleChess's advantage is update cadence (every 8 days vs monthly) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SimpleChess sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Chess sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Chess holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 8 and 33 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 53% of SimpleChess's written reviews are positive against 83% of Chess's.

SimpleChess ships an update every 8 days, Chess monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SimpleChess | Chess |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simplechess-chess-game/id394634657/reviews) | **[4.2 (33 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-play-vs-computer/id1527039027/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 8 | **33** |
| Positive reviews | 52.7% of reviews | **83.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 8 days** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 82 MB | 178 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Europe Echecs](https://appshunter.io/developer/394634660) | [Van Kien Bui](https://appshunter.io/developer/1328384575) |

## What reviewers say

### SimpleChess

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simplechess-chess-game/id394634657)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Essential Pack (Monthly plan) | $2.99 | per month |
| Premium Pack (Monthly plan) | $3.99 | per month |
| Essential Pack (Annual Plan) | $24.99 | per year |
| Premium Pack (Annual Plan) | $34.99 | per year |
| 1 month extend | $0.99 | one-time |
| 3 months extend | $1.99 | one-time |
| 6 month extend | $3.99 | one-time |
| 1 year extend | $5.99 | one-time |


### Chess

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-play-vs-computer/id1527039027)

Practice chess and enhance your strategic thinking with this classic board game app. It offers multiple difficulty levels to play against the computer, a two-player offline mode, and over 1,000 tactical puzzles to solve. Review your games to learn from mistakes and improve your skills.

**Highlights:** Play against computer with 10 difficulty levels, Two-player offline mode, Over 1,000 chess puzzles, Create custom puzzles, Game review and analysis, 2D and 3D board styles

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 10 Hints Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads | $1.99 | one-time |
| 50 Hints Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| 150 Hints Pack | $6.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SimpleChess free?

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

### Is Chess free?

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

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

Chess is rated higher. SimpleChess averages 4.0 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while Chess averages 4.2 from 33 ratings.

### Do SimpleChess or Chess have ads?

Neither SimpleChess nor Chess shows ads.

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

SimpleChess ships an update every 8 days, and Chess monthly. Most recently, SimpleChess was updated on October 17, 2026 and Chess on October 16, 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.*