# Chess Deluxe vs Simple Chess

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Simple Chess at 100% against Chess Deluxe's 33%. Simple Chess also leads on price (Free vs $2.99) and rating (5.0 vs 4.6). Chess Deluxe's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 20 months) and ratings volume (190 vs 1). On ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Simple Chess is free to download; Chess Deluxe costs $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Simple Chess holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chess Deluxe has 190 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 33% of Chess Deluxe's written reviews are positive against 100% of Simple Chess's.

Chess Deluxe ships an update every 2 months, Simple Chess every 20 months. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess Deluxe | Simple Chess |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $2.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.6 (190 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-deluxe/id500880061/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-chess/id1583471443/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **190** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 32.7% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 20 months |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Size | 18 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17 | **15.2** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Nicholas Cooke](https://appshunter.io/developer/363977390) | [Leon van der Linden](https://appshunter.io/developer/607860328) |

## What reviewers say

### Chess Deluxe

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-deluxe/id500880061)

Enjoy a classic chess experience with a beautiful interface and adaptive AI. Play against smart opponents, challenge friends locally or online, and track your progress with detailed game history. This app offers a distraction-free environment for pure chess enjoyment across multiple devices.

**Highlights:** Smart AI opponents (Easy, Medium, Hard), Local multiplayer (same device), Online matches via Game Center, Unlimited undo/redo, Move history in Standard Algebraic Notation, Light and dark themes, iCloud settings sync

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and clean interface
- 👍 Nice and simple to use
- 👍 Great Chess program
- 👍 Fun Chess app
- 👍 Good basic version of a chess app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Computer difficulty inconsistent
- 🐛 Computer too easy or too hard
- 🐛 App crashes or doesn't work
- 🐛 Poor computer competition
- 🐛 Game rules not implemented correctly

**Reported bugs**

- Computer won't let you win
- Computer moves king to white king
- Game says won when losing
- All pieces are black
- Cannot castle king and rook

**Requested features**

- How to record a game
- Intermediate difficulty level
- Option to turn off timer
- See board labels (g column cut off)
- Board labels visible with pieces


### Simple Chess

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-chess/id1583471443)

Master the game of chess with this intuitive application. It offers a straightforward approach to learning and playing, making it accessible for beginners. Enjoy a clean interface designed for ease of use.

**Highlights:** Easy learning method, Simple gameplay, Beginner-friendly, Intuitive interface

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chess Deluxe free?

Chess Deluxe costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Simple Chess free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Chess Deluxe or Simple Chess?

Simple Chess is rated higher. Chess Deluxe averages 4.6 out of 5 from 190 ratings, while Simple Chess averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Chess Deluxe or Simple Chess have ads?

Neither Chess Deluxe nor Simple Chess shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Chess Deluxe or Simple Chess?

Chess Deluxe ships an update every 2 months, and Simple Chess every 20 months. Most recently, Chess Deluxe was updated on October 26, 2026 and Simple Chess on October 12, 2026.

---

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