# Simple chess board vs ! Chess !

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: ! Chess ! at none against Simple chess board's 1. ! Chess ! also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 10 months). On price, rating, review sentiment and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Simple chess board sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. ! Chess ! asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for Simple chess board against 4.6 for ! Chess !. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 68 and 212 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 88% of Simple chess board's written reviews are positive against 85% of ! Chess !'s.

Simple chess board ships an update every 10 months, ! Chess ! every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Simple chess board | ! Chess ! |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (68 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-chess-board/id531158560/reviews) | **[4.6 (212 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess/id1185371208/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 68 | **212** |
| Positive reviews | **88.2% of reviews** | 85.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 10 months | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 9 MB | 48 MB |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 | **7.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Luis Lopez](https://appshunter.io/developer/453216096) | [肖见 陈](https://appshunter.io/developer/1160262972) |

## What reviewers say

### Simple chess board

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-chess-board/id531158560)

This app provides a digital chessboard with unrestricted piece movement and a configurable chess clock. Save and load board positions, undo/redo moves, and even use checker pieces. It's ideal for analyzing games or setting up custom scenarios.

**Highlights:** Free piece movement, Undo/Redo functionality, Board rotation, Checker piece option, Save/load positions, Configurable chess clock, Tweet current position

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove ads | $0.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and straightforward
- 👍 Great for study and practice
- 👍 No restrictions or 'help' functions
- 👍 Allows setting up custom positions
- 👍 Useful for playing through games

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤔 Pieces not bound by rules
- 🤔 Graphics can be distracting/ugly
- 🤔 Aggressive board colors
- 🤔 Clocks take up screen space
- 🤔 Pieces can shift unexpectedly

**Reported bugs**

- Keyboard not appearing to enter text/save
- Cannot figure out how to save position
- Pieces shift on their own
- Kings and queens on wrong squares initially
- Save position fails with 'You must insert text' error

**Requested features**

- Add scoresheet functionality
- Export game for analysis
- Move counter
- Portrait view on iPad
- Board expansion to fill screen


### ! Chess !

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess/id1185371208)

Engage in a classic game of strategy with a powerful AI engine and a comprehensive tutor to enhance your skills. Enjoy daily challenges, various difficulty levels, and customizable themes for an immersive experience.

**Highlights:** Powerful Chess AI engine, Chess Tutor for skill improvement, 6 difficulty levels, Daily challenges, Various 3D themes, Intelligence hints

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 User-friendly interface and easy to learn
- 🧠 Great for chess skill development and practice
- 🤖 Strong and challenging AI opponent
- 💡 Helpful hints and suggestions system
- 📊 Multiple difficulty levels with smooth progression

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Game freezes or crashes frequently
- ⏱️ Rapid window closing after game completion
- 🚪 Immediate exit without reviewing final moves
- 🐢 Slow gameplay and piece animation
- 📍 Difficult piece placement accuracy

**Reported bugs**

- Game freezes after ads play
- Freezing at end of game
- Rapid board window closing preventing move analysis
- Game exits immediately upon loss
- Daily Endings Challenge feature doesn't open

**Requested features**

- Custom starting position option
- Keep board window open after game completion for analysis
- Explain reasoning behind suggested moves
- Game move history and replay functionality
- Adjustable animation speed


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Simple chess board free?

Simple chess board is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is ! Chess ! free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Simple chess board or ! Chess !?

! Chess ! is rated higher. Simple chess board averages 4.5 out of 5 from 68 ratings, while ! Chess ! averages 4.6 from 212 ratings.

### Do Simple chess board or ! Chess ! have ads?

Simple chess board shows ads; ! Chess ! does not.

### Which is updated more often, Simple chess board or ! Chess !?

Simple chess board ships an update every 10 months, and ! Chess ! every 5 weeks. Most recently, Simple chess board was updated on October 16, 2026 and ! Chess ! on October 4, 2026.

---

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