# Chess without ads vs Plain Chess

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Chess without ads at 39K against Plain Chess's 5. Chess without ads also leads on monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs paid) and device support (3 vs 1). Plain Chess's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs fortnightly) and review sentiment (100% vs 91%). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases 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 Plain Chess sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Chess without ads against 4.8 for Plain Chess. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chess without ads has 39K ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 91% of Chess without ads's written reviews are positive against 100% of Plain Chess's.

Chess without ads ships an update fortnightly, Plain Chess every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess without ads | Plain Chess |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (39K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-without-ads/id522314512/reviews) | **[4.8 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/plain-chess-play-and-learn/id6770610908/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **39K** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | 90.8% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Size | 44 MB | 115 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Christophe Théron](https://appshunter.io/developer/423198262) | [Cerebra Enterprises, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896757537) |

## 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


### Plain Chess

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/plain-chess-play-and-learn/id6770610908)

Enjoy offline chess matches on your iPhone without ads or accounts. Play against the computer, a friend, or use the AI Coach for strategic advice. Perfect for learning, practicing, or quick games.

**Highlights:** Offline chess play, Play against computer, Pass-and-play multiplayer, AI Coach explanations, Saved games, No ads or account required

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 10 AI Coach Credits | $2.99 | one-time |
| 30 AI Coach Credits | $7.99 | one-time |
| 100 AI Coach Credits | $19.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chess without ads free?

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

### Is Plain Chess free?

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

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

Plain Chess is rated higher. Chess without ads averages 4.7 out of 5 from 39K ratings, while Plain Chess averages 4.8 from 5 ratings.

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

Neither Chess without ads nor Plain Chess shows ads.

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

Chess without ads ships an update fortnightly, and Plain Chess every 4 days. Most recently, Chess without ads was updated on October 25, 2026 and Plain Chess on October 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.*