SimpleChess vs Chess Deluxe
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- Online multiplayer chess
- Customizable chessboards and pieces
- Tactical training modules
- Puzzle battles
- ELO ranking tracking
- Chess960 variant
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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!
Chess Deluxe
Enjoy a classic chess experience with a beautiful interface and adaptive AI. Play against smart opponents, challenge friends locally or online, and track your progress with detailed game history. This app offers a distraction-free environment for pure chess enjoyment across multiple devices.
- Smart AI opponents (Easy, Medium, Hard)
- Local multiplayer (same device)
- Online matches via Game Center
- Unlimited undo/redo
- Move history in Standard Algebraic Notation
- Light and dark themes
- iCloud settings sync
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Experience the timeless game of chess with beautiful design and intelligent gameplay. Chess Deluxe brings the classic strategy game to life with a modern, elegant interface and responsive AI that adapts to your skill level. Whether you're learning your first moves or honing your tactics, enjoy chess exactly how you want to play it - with no ads, no distractions, just pure chess. Play Your Way: - Smart AI opponents with Easy, Medium, and Hard difficulties that provide quick, challenging gameplay - Local multiplayer for face-to-face games on the same device - Game Center integration for online matches with friends anywhere - Flexible move controls with unlimited undo/redo and move highlighting - Complete game tracking with move history in Standard Algebraic Notation Beautiful & Intuitive: - Clean, distraction-free interface designed for pure chess enjoyment - Smooth animations and satisfying piece movement - Board rotation for comfortable two-player games - Captured pieces display and game timer with customisable durations - Light and dark themes to match your preference - Crisp sounds that enhance gameplay without interruption Seamlessly Connected: - Settings sync across all your devices with iCloud - Navigate through your game history by selecting any completed move - No advertisements to interrupt your focus - Universal purchase includes iOS, iPadOS, and macOS versions Chess Deluxe is crafted for chess lovers who appreciate thoughtful design and straightforward gameplay. From quick casual games to focused strategy sessions, experience chess the way it should be - simple, beautiful, and always ready when you are.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: SimpleChess at Free against Chess Deluxe's $2.99. SimpleChess also leads on update cadence (every 8 days vs every 2 months) and review sentiment (53% vs 33%). Chess Deluxe's advantage is rating (4.6 vs 4.0) and in-app purchases (none vs 8). On ads 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
SimpleChess is free to download; Chess Deluxe costs $2.99 up front. SimpleChess sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Chess Deluxe asks for nothing beyond the download.
Chess Deluxe holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chess Deluxe has 190 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 53% of SimpleChess's written reviews are positive against 33% of Chess Deluxe's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
SimpleChess ships an update every 8 days, Chess Deluxe every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | SimpleChess | Chess Deluxe |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — better | $2.99 |
| Rating | 4.0 (8 ratings) | 4.6 (190 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 52.7% of reviews — better | 32.7% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 8 | 190 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 8 days — better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases — better | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 17 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 82 MB | 18 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Europe Echecs | Nicholas Cooke |
Customer experience
SimpleChess
Chess Deluxe
Bugs and requests
SimpleChess
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Chess Deluxe
Reported bugs
28 issues- Computer won't let you win
- Computer moves king to white king
- Game says won when losing
- All pieces are black
- Cannot castle king and rook
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- Hard version is easy to beat
- Movements don't feel good
- Sound isn't good
- Cannot play online without crashing
- No way to start a game
- No play button
- Unable to use program
- Doesn't work on iPad
- Doesn't seem to work on IOS 9
- Unable to go past add player name screen
- Game ends with incorrect checkmate
- Rook unable to move to corner piece
- Check counted as checkmate
- Stalemate called incorrectly
- Computer castles illegally
- Computer throws pieces away
- Internet mode doesn't work
- Cannot find users online
- King turns into opponent's queen
- Valid moves blocked
- Cannot play online without redoing moves
- Castling doesn't work
- Cannot resign or remove game
Requested features
8 requests- How to record a game
- Intermediate difficulty level
- Option to turn off timer
- See board labels (g column cut off)
- Board labels visible with pieces
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- Cross-platform compatibility (iPhone/Mac)
- Sound effects for piece movements
- Online play beyond Wi-Fi proximity
In-app purchases
SimpleChess
- Essential Pack (Monthly plan)$2.991 Month
- Premium Pack (Monthly plan)$3.991 Month
- Essential Pack (Annual Plan)$24.991 Year
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- Premium Pack (Annual Plan)$34.991 Year
- 1 month extend$0.99
- 3 months extend$1.99
- 6 month extend$3.99
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- 1 year extend$5.99
Chess Deluxe
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is SimpleChess free?
Is Chess Deluxe free?
Which has better reviews, SimpleChess or Chess Deluxe?
Do SimpleChess or Chess Deluxe have ads?
Which is updated more often, SimpleChess or Chess Deluxe?
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