Comparison

Backgammon by Staple Games vs Better Backgammon

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Backgammon by Staple Games

Experience the classic game of Backgammon with a focus on simplicity and pure enjoyment. This app offers clean graphics and intuitive controls for an undistracted gameplay experience. It's designed for players who appreciate the core mechanics of the game.

Highlights
  • Pure Backgammon gameplay
  • Simple and classic design
  • Easy-to-use controls
  • Clean graphics
  • No distractions
Features
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Backgammon at its best.  Dive into the pure essence of Backgammon with our app. Celebrate the simplicity and classic nature of Backgammon. With easy-to-use controls and clean graphics, our Backgammon app offers nothing but the game you love. No distractions, no excess—just pure Backgammon enjoyment.

About

Better Backgammon

Features
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Stop losing to players you know you should beat. Better Backgammon is the daily training app for serious players who want to feel themselves getting measurably better. Not a game. Not a tutorial. A focused drill engine that sharpens the instincts that win real matches. EVERY DRILL IS POWERED BY TOURNAMENT EQUITY The same equity analysis used by top tournament players is built right in. Cube decisions, opening rolls, pip counting, positional play - you train against the math, not someone's opinion. Ground truth, every time. BUILT FOR DAILY HABIT Beautiful board. Smooth animations. Fast drill flow. The cube animation you have always wanted. Better Backgammon feels like part of your morning routine - not a chore you avoid. Five minutes a day builds the instincts that take years to develop any other way. TRACK YOUR PROGRESS Watch your accuracy sharpen across drill categories over time. Bring what you practice straight to your next live game or online match on Backgammon Galaxy, Play65, or Backgammon NJ. SERIOUS TRAINING, BEAUTIFUL DESIGN Built native for iOS by someone who actually loves this game - and was tired of tools that felt like homework. Serious enough for tournament prep. Beautiful enough to open every single day. Perfect for club players, online competitors, and anyone who has used GNU or hired a coach but wants something they will actually practice with daily. Download Better Backgammon and start training like the player you want to be. BETTER BACKGAMMON PREMIUM Drills require a Better Backgammon Premium subscription. Choose Monthly at $3.99/month (US) or Annual at $39.99/year (US). Annual includes a 7-day free trial for eligible subscribers; annual billing begins after the trial. Monthly has no free trial and billing begins immediately. Subscription auto-renews unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel anytime in your App Store account settings. Browsing the curriculum and lessons is free. Terms of Use: https://www.betterbackgammon.com/terms.html Privacy Policy: https://www.betterbackgammon.com/privacy.html

Screenshots

Backgammon by Staple Games4 screens
Better Backgammon4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Backgammon by Staple Games at none against Better Backgammon's 2. Backgammon by Staple Games also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 26.0). Better Backgammon's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Better Backgammon sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Backgammon by Staple Games asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Backgammon by Staple Games ships an update every 2 months, Better Backgammon every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Backgammon by Staple Games versus Better Backgammon: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBackgammon by Staple GamesBetter Backgammon
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (2.5K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews47.4% of reviews—
Number of ratings2.5K — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 5 weeks — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationAd-supported—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size170 MB40 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperStaple GamesBetter Backgammon Inc.

Bugs and requests

Backgammon by Staple Games

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Incorrect move counting
  • Game gets stuck on ads

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add doubling cube feature
  • Improve AI difficulty settings
  • Add undo/cancel button
  • Provide rules and procedures

Better Backgammon

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Backgammon by Staple Games

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Better Backgammon

Subscriptions2
  • Premium Monthly$3.991 Month
  • Better Backgammon Annual7 Days trial$39.991 Year

Questions

Is Backgammon by Staple Games free?
Backgammon by Staple Games is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Better Backgammon free?
Better Backgammon is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Backgammon by Staple Games or Better Backgammon have ads?
Backgammon by Staple Games shows ads; Better Backgammon does not.
Which is updated more often, Backgammon by Staple Games or Better Backgammon?
Backgammon by Staple Games ships an update every 2 months, and Better Backgammon every 5 weeks. Most recently, Backgammon by Staple Games was updated on November 2, 2026 and Better Backgammon on October 28, 2026.

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