# Backgammon Classic Board Live vs Shelem

The clearest difference is rating: Shelem at 4.8 against Backgammon Classic Board Live's 4.2. Shelem also leads on review sentiment (59% vs 24%) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 18). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Backgammon Classic Board Live sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Shelem sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Shelem holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 53K and 27K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 24% of Backgammon Classic Board Live's written reviews are positive against 59% of Shelem's.

Backgammon Classic Board Live ships an update every 11 days, Shelem every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Backgammon Classic Board Live | Shelem |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.2 (53K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backgammon-classic-board-live/id544018782/reviews) | **[4.8 (27K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shelem/id930740608/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **53K** | 27K |
| Positive reviews | 24.4% of reviews | **59.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 11 days** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 106 MB | 68 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18 | **9.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Adikus](https://appshunter.io/developer/293841475) | [Babak Bostan](https://appshunter.io/developer/930740607) |

## What reviewers say

### Backgammon Classic Board Live

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backgammon-classic-board-live/id544018782)

Experience the classic board game with progressive skill levels and competitive online play. Master the game through solo challenges or compete against players worldwide with an ELO ranking system. Enjoy fair play with random dice rolls and customizable graphics.

**Highlights:** 10 progressive skill levels, Competitive online play with ELO rankings, Solo mode for skill mastery, Pass & Play for local multiplayer, One-tap checker movement, Fair play with random dice rolls, Customizable board skins and themes

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast-paced gameplay
- 👍 Clean and intuitive interface
- ✨ Enjoyable for backgammon enthusiasts

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🎲 Questionable dice roll algorithms
- 🤖 Suspected use of bots or rigged AI
- 🤯 Frustrating and unbalanced gameplay
- 💰 Excessive advertisements and monetization

**Reported bugs**

- Incorrect piece movement tracking
- Freezing or crashing during gameplay
- Inconsistent behavior when resigning a game

**Requested features**

- True random dice rolls
- Ability to play longer matches
- Option to disable doubling cube
- Chat functionality for online play


### Shelem

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shelem/id930740608)

Test your strategic thinking and memory in this challenging card game. Compete with friends online or join a league to face skilled players. Prove your worthiness for the Shelem title and enjoy hours of fun.

**Highlights:** Strategic card gameplay, Memory and reasoning skill improvement, Online multiplayer with friends, League competition, Challenging gameplay

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

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

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Fantastic game
- 🤔 Challenging brain game
- 🎨 Great graphics and design
- 🎶 Soothing background music

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs and glitches
- 🤖 Dumb AI/computer players
- ⏱️ Short timer/time issues
- 🔌 Server/connectivity problems
- 🤯 Frustrating gameplay issues

**Reported bugs**

- Game progress not saved
- Unexpected card discarding
- Incorrect point calculations
- Unresponsive controls
- Frequent crashes and freezes

**Requested features**

- Online multiplayer mode
- Customizable timer/time settings
- Improved AI/computer player logic
- Save/resume game progress
- Detailed game rules/tutorial


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Backgammon Classic Board Live free?

Backgammon Classic Board Live is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Shelem free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Backgammon Classic Board Live or Shelem?

Shelem is rated higher. Backgammon Classic Board Live averages 4.2 out of 5 from 53K ratings, while Shelem averages 4.8 from 27K ratings.

### Do Backgammon Classic Board Live or Shelem have ads?

Both Backgammon Classic Board Live and Shelem show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Backgammon Classic Board Live or Shelem?

Backgammon Classic Board Live ships an update every 11 days, and Shelem every 2 weeks. Most recently, Backgammon Classic Board Live was updated on September 25, 2026 and Shelem on September 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.*