# Simple chess board vs Classic chess

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Classic chess at none against Simple chess board's 1. Classic chess also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 10 months). Simple chess board's advantage is review sentiment (88% vs 65%) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Simple chess board sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Classic 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 4.4 for Classic chess. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 68 and 74 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 88% of Simple chess board's written reviews are positive against 65% of Classic chess's.

Simple chess board ships an update every 10 months, Classic chess every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Simple chess board | Classic chess |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (68 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-chess-board/id531158560/reviews)** | [4.4 (74 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/classic-chess/id1223231585/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 68 | **74** |
| Positive reviews | **88.2% of reviews** | 64.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 10 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 9 MB | 146 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Luis Lopez](https://appshunter.io/developer/453216096) | [Cross Field Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/465034947) |

## 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


### Classic chess

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/classic-chess/id1223231585)

Learn chess rules intuitively with easy-to-understand explanations. Play against an AI with adjustable difficulty levels, from beginner to advanced. Choose between immersive 3D graphics or clear 2D views to suit your playstyle and mood.

**Highlights:** Intuitive rule explanations, Adjustable AI difficulty, 3D and 2D board options, Beginner-friendly, Progress tracking

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Simple chess board free?

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

### Is Classic chess free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Simple chess board or Classic chess?

Simple chess board is rated higher. Simple chess board averages 4.5 out of 5 from 68 ratings, while Classic chess averages 4.4 from 74 ratings.

### Do Simple chess board or Classic chess have ads?

Both Simple chess board and Classic chess show ads.

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

Simple chess board ships an update every 10 months, and Classic chess every 2 months. Most recently, Simple chess board was updated on October 23, 2026 and Classic chess on October 24, 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.*