Comparison

iTavli vs Backgammon

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

iTavli

This app offers a vast collection of 15 backgammon variations, allowing you to play against AI opponents or friends worldwide. Enjoy features like realistic dice, customizable boards, and live game watching.

Highlights
  • 15 backgammon game variants
  • Play against AI or global players
  • Online multiplayer with chat
  • Bluetooth local play
  • Realistic 3D dice and checkers
  • Unlimited undo function
  • Tournament mode
Features
Read full description

Why play just one backgammon game when you can play them ALL? Why play only against the computer when you can play your FRIENDS from all over the world? iTavli brings together 15 backgammon games in one app. Play against a friend, or challenge the computer at four levels of difficulty, including the new Expert level. THE GAMES • Modern Backgammon (with the Doubling Cube) • Portes (Backgammon) • LongGammon • Plakoto (Blockgammon): land on your opponent's single checker to pin it • Plakoto Express • Fevga (Narde): you can't hit, so you have to block your opponent's way • Russian Narde • Khacapuri • Gul Bara • Acey Deucey (American) • Acey Deucey (European) • Nackgammon • Tawla 31 • Gioul • Moultezim TOURNAMENTS • Set a winning score and play a tournament against your opponent: Portes, Plakoto and Fevga, in that order PLAY ONLINE • Play with friends and players from all over the world • Choose your opponent and the game you want to play • Chat during the game • Watch other players' games live • Create or join a Private Room • Get notified when your opponent goes offline or comes back online • Online statistics Visit www.itavli.com for instructions. PLAY NEARBY • Connect over Bluetooth and play with friends next to you FEATURES • Realistic 3D rolling dice • Three ways to roll: auto-roll, tap to roll, or shake to roll • Move checkers with a tap • Unlimited undo for each turn • Realistic sound • Statistics for every game • Save player names • Choose your checker colors and your opponent's • Left or right board layout

About

Backgammon

Experience a vast collection of backgammon variants, playable offline against AI or online with friends. Track your progress with detailed statistics and compete in tournaments. Offers customizable gameplay and daily challenges for endless entertainment.

Highlights
  • 18+ Backgammon Variants
  • Offline AI Play
  • Online Multiplayer
  • Backgammon Tournaments
  • ELO Rating System
  • Daily Challenges
  • Customizable Gameplay
Features
Read full description

Play Backgammon on your iOS device with our game, which includes 18 Free Backgammon Games ! Play against the phone with our advanced Backgammon AI, challenge your friends to a game of online multiplayer, or test your skills in a backgammon tournament.(Online & Offline) The Best Features of our Game. ◆ 18 Free Backgammon Variants are included : - Backgammon Game - which is also called Табла, Tawla, Nərd, Portes, Tavli, Короткие нарды, Gamão, 十五子棋 ,Gammon ,Mahbusa, バックギャモン. It is an international version of the game - Turkish Tavla played in Turkey - Tawla Game - Plakoto game also called (Тапа, Mahbusa ) - It is popular in Bulgaria and Greece - Gulbara game ( Гюлбара in bulgarian) - Long Backgammon with other names like (Narde, Длинные нарды) It is very popular in Russia - Nackgammon is like regular game but with different positions - Trik Trak - Backgammon to lose - You have to lose - Race Gammon - Takhteh Backgammon - American Acey-Deucey Backgammon - Fevga Game - Moultezim - Gioul - Tawla 31 Game - The pin Game - Plakoto express - Plakoto / Tapa 2 - Shesh besh - Old English Backgammon Game - Hyper Backgammon - Dutch Backgammon - Narde Game 6-1 also very popular in Russia - Snake Backgammon Game - popular in Scandinavia ◆ Online & Offline Play & Bluetooth Multiplayer: Match with players worldwide or hone your skills offline against AI opponents. ◆ ELO Rating System: Test your skills and climb the global leaderboard with fair and competitive rankings. ◆ Daily Challenges: Keep the game exciting with fresh tasks and earn rewards every day. ◆ Customizable Gameplay: Tailor your experience with adjustable rules and settings for each variant. ◆ Multiplayer Options: Play with friends on the same device, bluetooth or connect online for real-time competition. ◆ In-Depth Statistics: Track your wins, losses, and progress to improve your gameplay strategy. Why Choose Us? Largest collection of backgammon variants in a single app. Smooth, intuitive design for an exceptional playing experience. Regular updates to keep gameplay fresh and exciting. Download now and experience the ultimate backgammon collection! Perfect for players of all levels. Ready to Roll the Dice? Challenge yourself and the world in the most complete backgammon app available. For Questions, Concerns, Problems and Help: Email us at bobibp@gmail.com

Screenshots

iTavli4 screens
Backgammon4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Backgammon at 4.1 against iTavli's 3.7. Backgammon also leads on ratings volume (709 vs 56) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.6). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. iTavli sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per year and Backgammon sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Backgammon holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Backgammon has 709 ratings behind it against 56, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 43% of iTavli's written reviews are positive against 36% of Backgammon's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

iTavli ships an update monthly, Backgammon every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
iTavli versus Backgammon: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameteriTavliBackgammon
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.7 (56 ratings)4.1 (709 ratings) — better
Positive reviews43.2% of reviews — better35.8% of reviews
Number of ratings56709 — better
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.615.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size73 MB91 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developeri-SmartSolutionsBoyan Paskalev

Customer experience

iTavli

All ratings56 ratings
Positive64.3%
Neutral14.3%
Negative21.4%
Written reviews206 reviews
Positive43.2%
Neutral17.0%
Negative39.8%

Backgammon

All ratings709 ratings
Positive79.1%
Neutral8.9%
Negative12.0%
Written reviews274 reviews
Positive35.8%
Neutral10.2%
Negative54.0%

User reviews

iTavli

From 56 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🎮 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

Room to improve

  • 🐛 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)

Backgammon

From 709 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Fast and smooth gameplay
  • 👍 Variety of game modes
  • 🎨 Visually appealing
  • 🕹️ Responsive controls

Room to improve

  • 🤖 Suspected AI manipulation of dice rolls
  • 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezes
  • 🕰️ Slow performance after updates
  • 💰 Ads even after paid purchase

Bugs and requests

iTavli

Reported bugs

18 issues
  • 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
Show 13 more
  • Undo function only works for first move
  • Game selection doesn't match what loads (Plakoto/Fevga confusion)
  • Checker stuck in place for extended periods
  • Board state inconsistency between players
  • App won't respond to play button
  • Game hangs waiting for online player acceptance
  • Crashes when finishing online games
  • Sluggish performance after multiple games
  • Dice rolls appear biased or unfair
  • In-app purchases not registering properly
  • Game becomes unresponsive mid-game
  • Pieces move illegally in Acey-Deucey variant
  • Tournament mode freezes at Fevga (third game)

Requested features

17 requests
  • 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
Show 12 more
  • Authentic kafenio background ambiance
  • Player rating and statistics system
  • Move timer for online games
  • Bluetooth connectivity between devices
  • Customizable board colors and checker colors
  • Better online player discovery and filtering
  • In-game contact/support option
  • Auto-finish when neither player can capture
  • Faster online game responsiveness
  • Right-aligned default board setup option
  • Headphone compatibility
  • Improved graphics and animation speed

Backgammon

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Dice disappearing during gameplay
  • Scoring and game progression issues
  • Multiplayer functionality not working
  • Orientation lock problems on mobile

Requested features

4 requests
  • Online multiplayer mode
  • Undo/rollback move option
  • Detailed game statistics tracking
  • Customizable AI difficulty settings

In-app purchases

10 purchases

iTavli

Subscriptions1
  • Annual Subscription3 Days trial$4.991 Year
One-time9
  • Get 1000 coins for $1.99$1.99
  • Get 3000 coins for $2.99$2.99
  • Get 10000 coins for $4.99$4.99
Show 6 more
  • The Plakoto (or Blockgammon) game$5.99
  • The Fevga (or Narde) game$5.99
  • Purchase the Acey Deucey (Amercan) game$5.99
  • Purchase the Gulbara game$5.99
  • Purchase the Acey Deucey (European) game$5.99
  • Purchase the Tawla 31 game$5.99
1 purchases

Backgammon

One-time1
  • No adds$4.99

Questions

Is iTavli free?
iTavli is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Backgammon free?
Backgammon is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, iTavli or Backgammon?
Backgammon is rated higher. iTavli averages 3.7 out of 5 from 56 ratings, while Backgammon averages 4.1 from 709 ratings.
Do iTavli or Backgammon have ads?
Both iTavli and Backgammon show ads.
Which is updated more often, iTavli or Backgammon?
iTavli ships an update monthly, and Backgammon every 3 weeks. Most recently, iTavli was updated on November 8, 2026 and Backgammon on November 6, 2026.

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