# Bughouse Chess Online vs Chess Timer

The clearest difference is rating: Chess Timer at 5.0 against Bughouse Chess Online's 2.6. Bughouse Chess Online's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 4 months). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Chess Timer sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Bughouse Chess Online asks for nothing beyond the download.

Chess Timer holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 2.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Bughouse Chess Online has 5 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Bughouse Chess Online ships an update every 2 months, Chess Timer every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bughouse Chess Online | Chess Timer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.6 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bughouse-chess-online/id6482105703/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-timer-chess-clock/id6756490544/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **5** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 23 MB | 49 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Alexander Guo](https://appshunter.io/developer/1653005801) | [Andrii Kulchytskyi](https://appshunter.io/developer/1759867572) |

## What reviewers say

### Bughouse Chess Online

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bughouse-chess-online/id6482105703)

Play bughouse chess online with this mobile application. Move pieces on a digital board to compete against others. A web version is also available.

**Highlights:** Online multiplayer bughouse chess, Digital chess board interface, Play via iOS app, Web version available

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Chess Timer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-timer-chess-clock/id6756490544)

This app provides a fast and reliable clock for chess games, offering instant turn switching and customizable time controls. It features sound cues, clean themes, and offline functionality, making it ideal for various chess formats.

**Highlights:** One-tap turn switching, Customizable time controls, Sound cues, Clean themes, Offline functionality, Pause and adjust on the fly

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Chess Timer Weekly with 3 days free | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Chess Timer Yearly | $19.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Bughouse Chess Online free?

Bughouse Chess Online is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Chess Timer free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Bughouse Chess Online or Chess Timer?

Chess Timer is rated higher. Bughouse Chess Online averages 2.6 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while Chess Timer averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Bughouse Chess Online or Chess Timer have ads?

Neither Bughouse Chess Online nor Chess Timer shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Bughouse Chess Online or Chess Timer?

Bughouse Chess Online ships an update every 2 months, and Chess Timer every 4 months. Most recently, Bughouse Chess Online was updated on October 30, 2026 and Chess Timer on November 5, 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.*