# Backgammon Arena vs Hardwood Backgammon

Backgammon Arena and Hardwood Backgammon both sit at 4.3 stars, but that hides the real split: 63% of Hardwood Backgammon's written reviews are positive against 26% of Backgammon Arena's. On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Backgammon Arena sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and Hardwood Backgammon sells 16 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.3 for Backgammon Arena against 4.3 for Hardwood Backgammon. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 72 and 166 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 26% of Backgammon Arena's written reviews are positive against 63% of Hardwood Backgammon's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Backgammon Arena | Hardwood Backgammon |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (72 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backgammon-arena-dice-tavla/id731900735/reviews) | **[4.3 (166 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hardwood-backgammon/id897715914/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 72 | **166** |
| Positive reviews | 25.7% of reviews | **62.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 128 MB | 105 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [LazyLand LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/481654138) | [Silver Creek Entertainment](https://appshunter.io/developer/493710735) |

## What reviewers say

### Backgammon Arena

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backgammon-arena-dice-tavla/id731900735)

Compete against real players worldwide in this classic dice board game. Master strategy and luck across multiple game modes, from beginner to expert levels. Enjoy fair dice rolls, HD graphics, and social features like chat and gifting.

**Highlights:** Compete with real players, Fair dice roll with secure RNG, Multiple live game modes, Daily coin bonuses, Global tournaments, In-game chat, Play with friends

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 500 Chips | $0.99 | one-time |
| 2000 Chips | $2.99 | one-time |
| 2000 Backgammon Chips | $2.99 | one-time |
| 30 Diamonds | $3.99 | one-time |
| 5000 Chips | $4.99 | one-time |
| 400 Diamonds | $10.99 | one-time |
| 15000 Chips | $10.99 | one-time |
| 150 Diamonds | $13.99 | one-time |
| 40000 Chips | $21.99 | one-time |
| 40000 Chips | $23.99 | one-time |


### Hardwood Backgammon

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hardwood-backgammon/id897715914)

Experience the classic board game with this digital adaptation. Play against a strong AI, challenge friends locally, or compete with players worldwide. Features include full match play, a doubling cube, and engaging achievements.

**Highlights:** Single player vs AI, Online multiplayer, 2 player local mode, Full match play, Doubling cube, Achievements

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

**In-app purchases (16)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Plus Membership | $4.99 | per month |
| 1 Month Plus Membership | $4.99 | per month |
| Plus Membership | $14.99 | per 3 months |
| 3 Month Plus Membership | $14.99 | per 3 months |
| Plus Membership | $29.99 | per year |
| 12 Month Plus Membership | $29.99 | per year |
| Pack of 80 Tokens | $0.99 | one-time |
| Pack of 165 Tokens | $1.99 | one-time |
| Plus Membership | $2.99 | one-time |
| Pack of 425 Tokens | $4.99 | one-time |
| 1 Month Plus Membership | $4.99 | one-time |
| Plus Membership | $4.99 | one-time |
| Pack of 865 Tokens | $9.99 | one-time |
| Plus Membership | $14.99 | one-time |
| Plus Membership | $19.99 | one-time |
| Pack of 1800 Tokens | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 High-quality graphics and visual design
- 🎵 Relaxing sound effects and audio
- 👍 Clean, intuitive interface
- 🎮 Multiple game modes (single and multiplayer)
- ⚡ Minimal ads and non-intrusive monetization

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🎲 Perceived unfair/rigged dice rolls favoring AI
- 😤 Computer gets excessive doubles and perfect rolls
- 🔒 Paywall features and token-based progression
- 📱 Game board too small on large screens
- 🐢 Game performance issues and slowness

**Reported bugs**

- App fails to load on some devices
- Apple TV version blocks legal moves
- Controls unresponsive on Apple TV
- Unclear how to enable local multiplayer between devices
- Game becomes unresponsive during gameplay

**Requested features**

- Acey-Deucey game variant
- Larger, scalable game board for tablets
- Better difficulty settings based on strategy, not just dice manipulation
- More multiplayer players available
- Customizable game rules and settings


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Backgammon Arena free?

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

### Is Hardwood Backgammon free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Backgammon Arena or Hardwood Backgammon?

Hardwood Backgammon is rated higher. Backgammon Arena averages 4.3 out of 5 from 72 ratings, while Hardwood Backgammon averages 4.3 from 166 ratings.

### Do Backgammon Arena or Hardwood Backgammon have ads?

Both Backgammon Arena and Hardwood Backgammon show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Backgammon Arena or Hardwood Backgammon?

Backgammon Arena ships an update every 2 months, and Hardwood Backgammon every 2 months. Most recently, Backgammon Arena was updated on October 29, 2026 and Hardwood Backgammon on October 23, 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.*