# SimpleChess vs Chess Hotel

The clearest difference is rating: Chess Hotel at 5.0 against SimpleChess's 4.0. SimpleChess's advantage is review sentiment (53% vs 13%) and update cadence (every 8 days vs every 7 months). 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 Hotel sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Chess Hotel holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SimpleChess has 8 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 53% of SimpleChess's written reviews are positive against 13% of Chess Hotel'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 Hotel every 7 months. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SimpleChess | Chess Hotel |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simplechess-chess-game/id394634657/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-hotel/id874852415/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **8** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | **52.7% of reviews** | 12.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 8 days** | Every 7 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 82 MB | 21 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Europe Echecs](https://appshunter.io/developer/394634660) | [Foggy Media](https://appshunter.io/developer/874852418) |

## 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 Hotel

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-hotel/id874852415)

Engage in live chess matches with players globally. Track your progress with a personal account, rating, and game statistics. Features include timed games, a chat function, and league play for competitive engagement.

**Highlights:** Live games with time controls, Personal account with rating and statistics, In-game chat function, Fast opponent matching, League games

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Chess Hotel Basic | $2.99 | per month |
| Chess Hotel Regular | $3.99 | per month |
| Chess Hotel Unlimited | $7.99 | per month |
| Premium | $2.99 | one-time |
| Premium Membership - 1 Year | $6.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SimpleChess free?

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

### Is Chess Hotel free?

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

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

Chess Hotel is rated higher. SimpleChess averages 4.0 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while Chess Hotel averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do SimpleChess or Chess Hotel have ads?

Neither SimpleChess nor Chess Hotel shows ads.

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

SimpleChess ships an update every 8 days, and Chess Hotel every 7 months. Most recently, SimpleChess was updated on October 17, 2026 and Chess Hotel on October 20, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*