# Chess without ads vs Lichess

The clearest difference is rating: Chess without ads at 4.7 against Lichess's 4.0. Chess without ads also leads on review sentiment (90% vs 51%) and ratings volume (38K vs 604). Lichess's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 7) and chart position (#80 vs unranked). On price, update cadence, ads and device support 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. Lichess asks for nothing beyond the download.

Chess without ads holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chess without ads has 38K ratings behind it against 604, 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 51% of Lichess's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly fortnightly. Both last shipped on September 25, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess without ads | Lichess |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (38K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-without-ads/id522314512/reviews)** | [4.0 (604 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lichess/id1662361230/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **38K** | 604 |
| Positive reviews | **90.4% of reviews** | 51.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | — | **#80** |
| Size | 44 MB | 83 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Christophe Théron](https://appshunter.io/developer/423198262) | [LICHESS.ORG](https://appshunter.io/developer/968371783) |

## 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


### Lichess

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lichess/id1662361230)

**Currently charting:** #80 Top Free · Strategy (US App Store)

Play chess online with millions of users, participate in tournaments, solve puzzles, and analyze games. This free and open-source application offers a comprehensive chess experience for players of all levels, with features for learning and casual play.

**Highlights:** Real-time and correspondence chess, Arena tournaments, Chess puzzles, Game analysis with Stockfish, Interactive study feature, Chess clock

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great interface
- 🚀 Smooth performance
- 💡 Useful resources for learning and analysis

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional UI issues
- 💡 Room for more customization options

**Reported bugs**

- Swipe-to-go-back gesture interferes with piece placement

**Requested features**

- Name of opening in opening explorer
- Ability to add and subtract additional things on the homepage
- Reset/replay button on puzzles


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chess without ads free?

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

### Is Lichess free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Chess without ads or Lichess?

Chess without ads is rated higher. Chess without ads averages 4.7 out of 5 from 38K ratings, while Lichess averages 4.0 from 604 ratings.

### Do Chess without ads or Lichess have ads?

Neither Chess without ads nor Lichess shows ads.

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

Chess without ads ships an update fortnightly, and Lichess fortnightly. Most recently, Chess without ads was updated on September 25, 2026 and Lichess on September 25, 2026.

---

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