# Chess without ads vs Nearby Chess

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Nearby Chess at none against Chess without ads's 6. Chess without ads's advantage is ratings volume (39K vs 9). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Chess without ads sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $0.49 per 7 days. Nearby Chess asks for nothing beyond the download.

Chess without ads holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chess without ads has 39K ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Chess without ads ships an update fortnightly, Nearby Chess monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess without ads | Nearby Chess |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (39K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-without-ads/id522314512/reviews)** | [4.6 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nearby-chess-bluetooth/id6760141389/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **39K** | 9 |
| Positive reviews | 90.8% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 44 MB | 22 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Christophe Théron](https://appshunter.io/developer/423198262) | [Onder Ilke Sever](https://appshunter.io/developer/1882843215) |

## 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 (6)**

| 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 |

**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


### Nearby Chess

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nearby-chess-bluetooth/id6760141389)

Engage in classic chess matches with individuals in your vicinity using Bluetooth. This application facilitates quick and easy connections for face-to-face gameplay without the need for an internet connection.

**Highlights:** Play chess via Bluetooth, No internet required, Fast matchmaking, Classic chess rules, Play anywhere

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chess without ads free?

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

### Is Nearby Chess free?

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

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

Chess without ads is rated higher. Chess without ads averages 4.7 out of 5 from 39K ratings, while Nearby Chess averages 4.6 from 9 ratings.

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

Neither Chess without ads nor Nearby Chess shows ads.

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

Chess without ads ships an update fortnightly, and Nearby Chess monthly. Most recently, Chess without ads was updated on November 8, 2026 and Nearby Chess on October 31, 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.*