# iTavli vs Original Backgammon

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Original Backgammon at none against iTavli's 12. iTavli's advantage is rating (3.7 vs 3.3) and update cadence (monthly vs every 5 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. iTavli sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per year. Original Backgammon asks for nothing beyond the download.

iTavli holds the better App Store score, 3.7 against 3.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: iTavli has 55 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 43% of iTavli's written reviews are positive against 33% of Original Backgammon's.

iTavli ships an update monthly, Original Backgammon every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | iTavli | Original Backgammon |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.7 (55 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/itavli-best-backgammon-game/id427813048/reviews)** | [3.3 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/original-backgammon/id1340594129/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **55** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | **42.9% of reviews** | 33.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 72 MB | 123 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [i-SmartSolutions](https://appshunter.io/developer/391390898) | [MOBILEFUSION APPS LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/517591945) |

## What reviewers say

### iTavli

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/itavli-best-backgammon-game/id427813048)

This app offers a vast collection of backgammon variations, allowing you to play against friends online or the computer. Enjoy features like chat, statistics, and customizable game settings for an enhanced backgammon experience.

**Highlights:** 15 backgammon variations, Online multiplayer with friends, Play against AI (3 difficulty levels), Chat functionality, Tournament mode, Detailed statistics, Customizable chip colors and board layout

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

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Annual Subscription | $4.99 | per year |
| Get 1000 coins for $1.99 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Get 3000 coins for $2.99 | $2.99 | one-time |
| Get 10000 coins for $4.99 | $4.99 | one-time |
| The Plakoto (or Blockgammon) game | $5.99 | one-time |
| The Fevga (or Narde) game | $5.99 | one-time |
| Purchase the Acey Deucey (Amercan) game | $5.99 | one-time |
| Purchase the Gulbara game | $5.99 | one-time |
| Purchase the Acey Deucey (European) game | $5.99 | one-time |
| Purchase the Tawla 31 game | $5.99 | one-time |
| Purchase Russian Narde game | $5.99 | one-time |
| Purchase Plakoto Express game | $5.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎮 Comprehensive game variants (Portes, Plakoto, Fevga, Acey-Deucey)
- 🌐 Online multiplayer functionality with global players
- 🎯 Good for learning multiple backgammon variations
- 🎨 Stylish and attractive user interface design
- 👥 Ability to play tournaments with all three games in sequence

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezes during gameplay
- 🐛 Game-breaking bugs affecting piece placement and movement
- 🤖 Weak AI opponent at all difficulty levels
- 🐛 Illegal moves allowed (extra moves on doubles, pieces moving backwards)
- 📊 Unfair difficulty scaling (relies on dice luck rather than strategy)

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes during gameplay, especially in tournament mode
- Pieces disappear or become invisible when stacked
- Opponent's pieces land on player's pieces and stall game
- Illegal moves allowed (extra moves on doubles, moving backwards)
- Game freezes when online opponent disconnects

**Requested features**

- Improved AI difficulty with better strategic gameplay
- Resign button for early game exit
- Reliable undo/confirm button for moves
- Tournament save/resume functionality
- Sound effects and dice rolling audio


### Original Backgammon

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/original-backgammon/id1340594129)

Experience the classic board game of backgammon. Compete against AI, a local opponent, or players online. Be the first to move all your pieces off the board to win.

**Highlights:** Play against computer AI, Local multiplayer mode, Online multiplayer matches, Traditional backgammon rules, Checkers movement and removal

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is iTavli free?

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

### Is Original Backgammon free?

Original Backgammon is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, iTavli or Original Backgammon?

iTavli is rated higher. iTavli averages 3.7 out of 5 from 55 ratings, while Original Backgammon averages 3.3 from 3 ratings.

### Do iTavli or Original Backgammon have ads?

Both iTavli and Original Backgammon show ads.

### Which is updated more often, iTavli or Original Backgammon?

iTavli ships an update monthly, and Original Backgammon every 5 months. Most recently, iTavli was updated on October 17, 2026 and Original Backgammon on October 6, 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.*