# Play Chess vs Chess Board app

The clearest difference is ads: Chess Board app at none against Play Chess's shown. Chess Board app also leads on review sentiment (38% vs 25%) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). Play Chess's advantage is rating (4.0 vs 3.7) and update cadence (every 6 months vs every 12 months). On price, ratings volume, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Play Chess holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 3.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 3 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 25% of Play Chess's written reviews are positive against 38% of Chess Board app's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Play Chess ships an update every 6 months, Chess Board app every 12 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Play Chess | Chess Board app |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/play-chess-single-play/id454646618/reviews)** | [3.7 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-board-app/id1116473992/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 3 | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 25.0% of reviews | **37.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 months** | Every 12 months |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | **Free** |
| Size | 144 MB | 13 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [FREEON](https://appshunter.io/developer/335300377) | [Kazuya Maeda](https://appshunter.io/developer/789154894) |

## What reviewers say

### Play Chess

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/play-chess-single-play/id454646618)

Engage in a classic board game with a sophisticated AI opponent. Offers multiple difficulty levels and the ability to review past games. Compete globally and enjoy offline matches.

**Highlights:** Accurate chess rules, Self-learning advanced intelligence, Multiple difficulty levels, World Ranking Center via Game Center, Learn from last game, Dual offline match

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Chess Board app

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-board-app/id1116473992)

A straightforward application for playing chess. It allows users to freely move pieces on a digital board, offering a simple and direct chess experience.

**Highlights:** Free chess board, Free piece movement, Simple interface, Digital chess board

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Play Chess free?

Play Chess is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Chess Board app free?

Chess Board app is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Play Chess or Chess Board app?

Play Chess is rated higher. Play Chess averages 4.0 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while Chess Board app averages 3.7 from 3 ratings.

### Do Play Chess or Chess Board app have ads?

Play Chess shows ads; Chess Board app does not.

### Which is updated more often, Play Chess or Chess Board app?

Play Chess ships an update every 6 months, and Chess Board app every 12 months. Most recently, Play Chess was updated on November 6, 2026 and Chess Board app on November 2, 2026.

---

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