# dotChess vs Play Chess & Master Games

The clearest difference is rating: dotChess at 5.0 against Play Chess & Master Games's 4.0. dotChess also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Play Chess & Master Games sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. dotChess asks for nothing beyond the download.

dotChess holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 1 respectively.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | dotChess | Play Chess & Master Games |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dotchess/id6758965852/reviews)** | [4.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/play-chess-and-master-games/id6782240853/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2** | 1 |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 days | Every 5 days |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 193 MB | 59 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Thomas Baric](https://appshunter.io/developer/1872894014) | [Michael Adams](https://appshunter.io/developer/743520896) |

## What reviewers say

### dotChess

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dotchess/id6758965852)

Engage in classic chess matches with friends, AI opponents, or players globally. This modern application allows you to track your statistics, communicate during games, and resume play across multiple devices.

**Highlights:** Play live games with friends, Challenge AI bots, Global matchmaking, Account creation and stat tracking, In-game chat, Cross-device play

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Play Chess & Master Games

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/play-chess-and-master-games/id6782240853)

Play chess against a customizable engine or study the games of chess legends. Features include engine analysis, an opening explorer, and offline play. Unlock unlimited access with a one-time purchase.

**Highlights:** Play against 8 skill levels of Pulsar engine, Study games of 20 chess masters, Over 800 World Championship games, Engine analysis and opening explorer, Offline play, no sign-up required, Searchable game lists

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Play-Watch-Unlimited | $3.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is dotChess free?

dotChess is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Play Chess & Master Games free?

Play Chess & Master Games is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, dotChess or Play Chess & Master Games?

dotChess is rated higher. dotChess averages 5.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Play Chess & Master Games averages 4.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do dotChess or Play Chess & Master Games have ads?

Neither dotChess nor Play Chess & Master Games shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, dotChess or Play Chess & Master Games?

dotChess ships an update every 5 days, and Play Chess & Master Games every 5 days. Most recently, dotChess was updated on October 24, 2026 and Play Chess & Master Games on October 12, 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.*