# Simple chess board vs Chess Challenge Elite

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Chess Challenge Elite at none against Simple chess board's 1. Simple chess board's advantage is update cadence (every 10 months vs every 98 months) and rating (4.5 vs 4.2). On price, ads, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

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

Simple chess board holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 68 and 17 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 88% of Simple chess board's written reviews are positive against 79% of Chess Challenge Elite's.

Simple chess board ships an update every 10 months, Chess Challenge Elite every 98 months. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Simple chess board | Chess Challenge Elite |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (68 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-chess-board/id531158560/reviews)** | [4.2 (17 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-challenge-elite/id1263787245/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **68** | 17 |
| Positive reviews | **88.2% of reviews** | 78.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 10 months** | Every 98 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 9 MB | 78 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) | [Linda Mottley](https://appshunter.io/developer/764900884) |

## 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 Challenge Elite

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-challenge-elite/id1263787245)

Engage in classic board game strategy against AI or a friend. Offers multiple difficulty levels, game modes, and customization options for pieces and boards. Track your progress with statistics and hints.

**Highlights:** 12 AI play levels, Casual and Pro modes, 2 player hot-seat, Chess stats and hints, Customizable boards and pieces, Sound effects

**Features:** 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 Chess Challenge Elite free?

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

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

Simple chess board is rated higher. Simple chess board averages 4.5 out of 5 from 68 ratings, while Chess Challenge Elite averages 4.2 from 17 ratings.

### Do Simple chess board or Chess Challenge Elite have ads?

Both Simple chess board and Chess Challenge Elite show ads.

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

Simple chess board ships an update every 10 months, and Chess Challenge Elite every 98 months. Most recently, Simple chess board was updated on October 23, 2026 and Chess Challenge Elite 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.*