# Backgammon Masters vs Hardwood Backgammon

The clearest difference is rating: Hardwood Backgammon at 4.3 against Backgammon Masters's 3.8. Hardwood Backgammon also leads on review sentiment (63% vs 34%). Backgammon Masters's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (1.1K vs 166). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Backgammon Masters sells 12 one-off in-app purchases and Hardwood Backgammon sells 16 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Hardwood Backgammon holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Backgammon Masters has 1.1K ratings behind it against 166, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 34% of Backgammon Masters's written reviews are positive against 63% of Hardwood Backgammon's.

Backgammon Masters ships an update fortnightly, Hardwood Backgammon every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Backgammon Masters | Hardwood Backgammon |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.8 (1.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backgammon-masters/id466854342/reviews) | **[4.3 (166 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hardwood-backgammon/id897715914/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.1K** | 166 |
| Positive reviews | 33.6% of reviews | **62.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 329 MB | 105 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.5** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [2KB LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/447008232) | [Silver Creek Entertainment](https://appshunter.io/developer/493710735) |

## What reviewers say

### Backgammon Masters

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backgammon-masters/id466854342)

Experience the classic board game with modern graphics and multiple variations. Play against AI, friends, or online opponents in tournaments, with customizable profiles and live chat. Enjoy fair dice rolls and track your progress with extensive statistics.

**Highlights:** Multiple backgammon styles (Narde, Tavla, Nackgammon), Online multiplayer and AI opponent modes, Daily tournaments, Hotseat mode for local play, Customizable profiles and global chat, Fair and verifiable dice rolls, Extensive game statistics

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| "No ads package GIFT" | Free | one-time |
| "No ads package" | $1.99 | one-time |
| Gold coins | $1.99 | one-time |
| 20 Spins for Wheel of Fortune | $1.99 | one-time |
| Bag of gold | $4.99 | one-time |
| Sack of gold - FIRE SALE! | $4.99 | one-time |
| Sack of gold - SALE! | $7.99 | one-time |
| Sack of gold | $9.99 | one-time |
| Chest of gold - SALE! | $9.99 | one-time |
| Chest of gold | $19.99 | one-time |
| Pile of gold - FIRE SALE! | $24.99 | one-time |
| Pile of gold | $49.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fair dice rolls
- 🎨 Excellent graphics and visuals
- 💬 Good communication options with opponents
- 🕹️ Smooth gameplay and intuitive controls

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🎲 Unfair dice rolls favoring opponents
- 🤖 Rigged algorithm to force losses
- 💰 Monetization tactics to force in-app purchases
- 🛑 Inability to block or avoid certain players

**Reported bugs**

- Game crashes or freezes after updates
- Incorrect move registrations or inability to make legal moves
- Coins disappearing from user accounts

**Requested features**

- Resign button to avoid waiting for game to end
- Option to play against AI without connecting to internet
- Ability to choose opponents based on skill level or location


### Hardwood Backgammon

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hardwood-backgammon/id897715914)

Experience the classic board game with this digital adaptation. Play against a strong AI, challenge friends locally, or compete with players worldwide. Features include full match play, a doubling cube, and engaging achievements.

**Highlights:** Single player vs AI, Online multiplayer, 2 player local mode, Full match play, Doubling cube, Achievements

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

**In-app purchases (16)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Plus Membership | $4.99 | per month |
| 1 Month Plus Membership | $4.99 | per month |
| Plus Membership | $14.99 | per 3 months |
| 3 Month Plus Membership | $14.99 | per 3 months |
| Plus Membership | $29.99 | per year |
| 12 Month Plus Membership | $29.99 | per year |
| Pack of 80 Tokens | $0.99 | one-time |
| Pack of 165 Tokens | $1.99 | one-time |
| Plus Membership | $2.99 | one-time |
| Pack of 425 Tokens | $4.99 | one-time |
| 1 Month Plus Membership | $4.99 | one-time |
| Plus Membership | $4.99 | one-time |
| Pack of 865 Tokens | $9.99 | one-time |
| Plus Membership | $14.99 | one-time |
| Plus Membership | $19.99 | one-time |
| Pack of 1800 Tokens | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 High-quality graphics and visual design
- 🎵 Relaxing sound effects and audio
- 👍 Clean, intuitive interface
- 🎮 Multiple game modes (single and multiplayer)
- ⚡ Minimal ads and non-intrusive monetization

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🎲 Perceived unfair/rigged dice rolls favoring AI
- 😤 Computer gets excessive doubles and perfect rolls
- 🔒 Paywall features and token-based progression
- 📱 Game board too small on large screens
- 🐢 Game performance issues and slowness

**Reported bugs**

- App fails to load on some devices
- Apple TV version blocks legal moves
- Controls unresponsive on Apple TV
- Unclear how to enable local multiplayer between devices
- Game becomes unresponsive during gameplay

**Requested features**

- Acey-Deucey game variant
- Larger, scalable game board for tablets
- Better difficulty settings based on strategy, not just dice manipulation
- More multiplayer players available
- Customizable game rules and settings


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Backgammon Masters free?

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

### Is Hardwood Backgammon free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Backgammon Masters or Hardwood Backgammon?

Hardwood Backgammon is rated higher. Backgammon Masters averages 3.8 out of 5 from 1.1K ratings, while Hardwood Backgammon averages 4.3 from 166 ratings.

### Do Backgammon Masters or Hardwood Backgammon have ads?

Both Backgammon Masters and Hardwood Backgammon show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Backgammon Masters or Hardwood Backgammon?

Backgammon Masters ships an update fortnightly, and Hardwood Backgammon every 2 months. Most recently, Backgammon Masters was updated on September 27, 2026 and Hardwood Backgammon on September 19, 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.*