# Chess without ads vs Really Bad Chess

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Chess without ads at 90% against Really Bad Chess's 46%. Chess without ads also leads on rating (4.7 vs 3.8) and ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Chess without ads sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $0.49 per 7 days and Really Bad Chess sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Chess without ads holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chess without ads has 38K ratings behind it against 1.6K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 90% of Chess without ads's written reviews are positive against 46% of Really Bad Chess's.

Chess without ads ships an update fortnightly, Really Bad Chess every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess without ads | Really Bad Chess |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (38K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-without-ads/id522314512/reviews)** | [3.8 (1.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/really-bad-chess/id1109751921/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **38K** | 1.6K |
| Positive reviews | **90.4% of reviews** | 46.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 44 MB | 125 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Christophe Théron](https://appshunter.io/developer/423198262) | [Zach Gage](https://appshunter.io/developer/294263418) |

## What reviewers say

### Chess without ads

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-without-ads/id522314512)

Learn and play chess without distractions. This app offers guided lessons for beginners and advanced analysis for experts, helping you improve your game with intelligent suggestions and post-game reviews. Play offline and enjoy a seamless, ad-free experience.

**Highlights:** Ad-free learning and play, Introductory lessons for beginners, Grandmaster move suggestions, Game analysis with good/bad moves, Supports USCF and FIDE rating scales, Strong mobile chess engine, Offline play

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

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PRO, 1 week | $0.49 | per 7 days |
| PRO, 1 month | $0.99 | per month |
| PRO, 3 months | $1.99 | per 3 months |
| Learn chess | $4.99 | one-time |
| PRO, for life (SALE!) | $9.99 | one-time |
| PRO, for life (regular price) | $12.99 | one-time |
| PRO FOR LIFE - TODAY ONLY | $14.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Excellent chess training tool
- 🚀 Customizable difficulty levels
- 💡 Helpful move suggestions
- 👍 Clean and intuitive interface
- 🚀 No ads or distractions

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Limited free version with paid upgrade
- 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches
- 💡 Desire for more chess variants and modes
- 🔒 Aggressive prompts to upgrade to paid version

**Reported bugs**

- Freezing on the login screen
- Incompatibility with older devices
- Inconsistent behavior when running out of free credits

**Requested features**

- Add more chess variants (3-check, king of the hill, etc.)
- Provide more detailed game analysis and feedback
- Improve the en passant move functionality
- Add online/multiplayer capabilities


### Really Bad Chess

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/really-bad-chess/id1109751921)

This app reimagines chess with completely randomized pieces, offering a fresh strategic challenge. It's perfect for both seasoned players seeking a new puzzle and beginners looking to learn the fundamentals in a fun, accessible way.

**Highlights:** Randomized chess piece sets, AI opponent challenges, Ranked, Daily, and Weekly modes, Freeplay practice mode, Local multiplayer (with IAP), Alternate color palettes (with IAP)

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 100 Undos | $0.99 | one-time |
| Full Game Unlock | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Addictive and fun gameplay
- 🤔 Unique and innovative concept
- 👍 Challenging and engaging
- ⭐ Great way to learn chess

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs and crashes
- 🕰️ Slow AI response times
- 💰 Paywalls for essential features
- 📺 Intrusive and excessive ads
- 🔁 Repetitive AI moves leading to stalemates

**Reported bugs**

- Pieces unable to move as per chess rules
- Game freezes and crashes
- Incorrect checkmate detection

**Requested features**

- Add draw conditions and stalemate rules
- Implement online/multiplayer mode
- Provide more difficulty settings
- Allow custom piece arrangements
- Sync progress across devices


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chess without ads free?

Chess without ads is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Really Bad Chess free?

Really Bad Chess is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Chess without ads or Really Bad Chess?

Chess without ads is rated higher. Chess without ads averages 4.7 out of 5 from 38K ratings, while Really Bad Chess averages 3.8 from 1.6K ratings.

### Do Chess without ads or Really Bad Chess have ads?

Really Bad Chess shows ads; Chess without ads does not.

### Which is updated more often, Chess without ads or Really Bad Chess?

Chess without ads ships an update fortnightly, and Really Bad Chess every 3 weeks. Most recently, Chess without ads was updated on September 25, 2026 and Really Bad Chess on September 23, 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.*