# Simple chess board vs Chess ◧

Simple chess board and Chess ◧ both sit at 4.5 stars, but that hides the real split: 88% of Simple chess board's written reviews are positive against 53% of Chess ◧'s. Chess ◧'s advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (415 vs 68). On price, rating, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Simple chess board sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Chess ◧ sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Simple chess board holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chess ◧ has 415 ratings behind it against 68, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 88% of Simple chess board's written reviews are positive against 53% of Chess ◧'s.

Simple chess board ships an update every 10 months, Chess ◧ every 12 months. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 20, 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)** | [4.3 (415 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess/id902406863/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 68 | **415** |
| Positive reviews | **88.2% of reviews** | 52.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 10 months** | Every 12 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 9 MB | 64 MB |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 | **9.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Luis Lopez](https://appshunter.io/developer/453216096) | [TapMedia Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/359632753) |

## 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/id902406863)

Engage in classic chess matches on your iPhone or iPad. Play against a computer with adjustable difficulty, challenge a friend in two-player mode, or utilize helpful features like move undo and hints. Enjoy an attractive user interface for a smooth gaming experience.

**Highlights:** Play against computer, Two player mode, Adjustable computer strength, Undo moves, Hint option, Attractive UI

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| TapMedia PRO - 1 Month | $4.99 | per month |
| Remove Ads | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and easy to play
- 👍 Highly entertaining
- 👍 Strong and flexible chess engine
- 👍 Gameplay is human-like
- 👍 Great for avoiding opening traps

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Two player mode broken
- 🐛 Program is impenetrable for beginners
- 🐛 Hints lead to losing
- 🐛 Board color changed to brown
- 🐛 Too many ads

**Reported bugs**

- Two player mode doesn't work
- Choosing '2 Player' does nothing
- Many glitches
- Cannot move a piece and make a change with king and tower
- Slaughters battery life

**Requested features**

- Fix two player mode
- Option to change board color back to black and white
- Make the game easier for beginners
- Allow viewing opponent's pawns


## 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 in-app purchases available.

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

Simple chess board is rated higher. Simple chess board averages 4.5 out of 5 from 68 ratings, while Chess ◧ averages 4.3 from 415 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 12 months. Most recently, Simple chess board was updated on October 23, 2026 and Chess ◧ on October 20, 2026.

---

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