# SparkChess Pro vs Chess Royale

The clearest difference is price: Chess Royale at Free against SparkChess Pro's $24.99. Chess Royale also leads on ratings volume (20K vs 42) and update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 4 months). SparkChess Pro's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 13) and ads (none vs shown). On rating, review sentiment and device support there is nothing between them.

Chess Royale is free to download; SparkChess Pro costs $24.99 up front. Chess Royale sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per 7 days. SparkChess Pro asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.4 for SparkChess Pro against 4.5 for Chess Royale. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chess Royale has 20K ratings behind it against 42, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 61% of SparkChess Pro's written reviews are positive against 60% of Chess Royale's.

SparkChess Pro ships an update every 4 months, Chess Royale every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SparkChess Pro | Chess Royale |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $24.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.4 (42 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sparkchess-pro/id398133128/reviews) | **[4.5 (20K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-royale/id1434658250/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 42 | **20K** |
| Positive reviews | **60.9% of reviews** | 59.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 65 MB | 473 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Media Division SRL](https://appshunter.io/developer/398133131) | [SayGames LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/1551847165) |

## What reviewers say

### SparkChess Pro

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sparkchess-pro/id398133128)

This ancient strategy game offers a fun and accessible experience for all skill levels. Practice against the computer, challenge friends online, or learn with interactive lessons and puzzles. Features include various board styles, a virtual coach, and progress tracking.

**Highlights:** Practice against computer or friends, Interactive lessons and puzzles, Multiple board styles (2D, 3D, fantasy), Virtual Chess Coach, Multiplayer progress tracking, Save and replay games

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Chess Royale

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-royale/id1434658250)

Engage in the classic game of chess with millions worldwide. This app offers AI challenges, multiplayer matches, and extensive training tools including puzzles and post-game analysis to improve your strategic skills.

**Highlights:** Play against AI, Multiplayer matches, Chess puzzles, Post-game analysis, Beginner and advanced training, Multiple game modes

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Vip | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Vip | $19.99 | per month |
| Annual Vip | $39.99 | per year |
| Tiny Coins Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Tiny Gems Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Gold Reserve 2 | $2.99 | one-time |
| Coins Pack Offer | $3.99 | one-time |
| Disable Ads Forever | $4.99 | one-time |
| Medium Gems Pack | $6.99 | one-time |
| Large Gems Pack | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Enjoyable gameplay
- 🚀 Seamless matchmaking
- 💡 Helpful chess lessons and puzzles
- 🤩 Great for learning and improving chess skills

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤬 Excessive and disruptive advertisements
- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and freezes
- 🕰️ Long wait times between games due to ads
- 🤖 Suspicion of playing against bots instead of real players

**Reported bugs**

- Incorrect puzzle solutions being marked as wrong
- Game losses due to connection issues or app freezes
- Inconsistent trophy/ranking system
- Inability to report cheating or suspicious behavior

**Requested features**

- Ability to play longer timed games
- Option to disable ads for a one-time fee
- More advanced chess analysis and training features
- Improved matchmaking to pair players of similar skill levels


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SparkChess Pro free?

SparkChess Pro costs $24.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Chess Royale free?

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

### Which has better reviews, SparkChess Pro or Chess Royale?

Chess Royale is rated higher. SparkChess Pro averages 4.4 out of 5 from 42 ratings, while Chess Royale averages 4.5 from 20K ratings.

### Do SparkChess Pro or Chess Royale have ads?

Chess Royale shows ads; SparkChess Pro does not.

### Which is updated more often, SparkChess Pro or Chess Royale?

SparkChess Pro ships an update every 4 months, and Chess Royale every 5 weeks. Most recently, SparkChess Pro was updated on September 23, 2026 and Chess Royale on September 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.*