# SimpleChess vs Chess Deluxe

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | SimpleChess | Chess Deluxe |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $2.99 |
| Rating | [4.0 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simplechess-chess-game/id394634657/reviews) | **[4.6 (190 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-deluxe/id500880061/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 8 | **190** |
| Positive reviews | **52.7% of reviews** | 32.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 8 days** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Size | 82 MB | 18 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 17 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Europe Echecs](https://appshunter.io/developer/394634660) | [Nicholas Cooke](https://appshunter.io/developer/363977390) |

## 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 Deluxe

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-deluxe/id500880061)

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.

**Highlights:** 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

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and clean interface
- 👍 Nice and simple to use
- 👍 Great Chess program
- 👍 Fun Chess app
- 👍 Good basic version of a chess app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Computer difficulty inconsistent
- 🐛 Computer too easy or too hard
- 🐛 App crashes or doesn't work
- 🐛 Poor computer competition
- 🐛 Game rules not implemented correctly

**Reported bugs**

- 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

**Requested features**

- 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


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SimpleChess free?

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

### Is Chess Deluxe free?

Chess Deluxe costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

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

Chess Deluxe is rated higher. SimpleChess averages 4.0 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while Chess Deluxe averages 4.6 from 190 ratings.

### Do SimpleChess or Chess Deluxe have ads?

Neither SimpleChess nor Chess Deluxe shows ads.

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

SimpleChess ships an update every 8 days, and Chess Deluxe every 2 months. Most recently, SimpleChess was updated on October 29, 2026 and Chess Deluxe on October 26, 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.*