# Chess Clock by Chess.com vs Chess Royale

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Chess Clock by Chess.com at none against Chess Royale's 13. Chess Clock by Chess.com also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (91% vs 60%). Chess Royale's advantage is ratings volume (20K vs 338) and update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 3 months). On price, rating, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Chess Royale sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per 7 days. Chess Clock by Chess.com asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Chess Clock by Chess.com against 4.5 for Chess Royale. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chess Royale has 20K ratings behind it against 338, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 91% of Chess Clock by Chess.com's written reviews are positive against 60% of Chess Royale's.

Chess Clock by Chess.com ships an update every 3 months, Chess Royale every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess Clock by Chess.com | Chess Royale |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (338 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-clock-by-chesscom/id858039162/reviews)** | [4.5 (20K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-royale/id1434658250/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 338 | **20K** |
| Positive reviews | **90.6% of reviews** | 59.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#146** | — |
| Size | 3 MB | 473 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Chess.com](https://appshunter.io/developer/329218552) | [SayGames LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/1551847165) |

## What reviewers say

### Chess Clock by Chess.com

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-clock-by-chesscom/id858039162)

**Currently charting:** #146 Top Free · Strategy, #173 Top Free · Board (US App Store)

This free app functions as a digital chess clock, offering customizable time controls for any game. It supports various increment and delay types, multiple stages, and handicapping, making it ideal for casual play and tournaments. Adjust time on the fly and enjoy clear displays and audio alerts.

**Highlights:** Customizable time controls, Fischer and Bronstein increments, Multiple-stage time controls, Handicapping support, On-the-fly time adjustments, Pause and interruption support, Audio alerts

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- ⏱️ Simple and easy to use
- 🔒 No ads or data collection
- 🎨 Intuitive and clean interface
- 🔊 Satisfying click sound effects
- 🕰️ Customizable time controls

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Sound issues (no sound in silent mode, changed sound)
- 🔍 Difficulty reading in bright outdoor settings
- 🤖 Limited functionality (can't set different times for players)

**Reported bugs**

- Time not always reduced when pressing the clock quickly
- Custom time settings not always saved properly

**Requested features**

- Add warning/countdown alerts for time running out
- Allow setting different times for each player
- Provide more theme/color options
- Add vibration feedback when pressing the clock


### Chess Royale

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-royale/id1434658250)

Engage in the classic game of chess with millions worldwide. This app offers AI challenges, multiplayer matches, and extensive training tools including puzzles and post-game analysis to improve your strategic skills.

**Highlights:** Play against AI, Multiplayer matches, Chess puzzles, Post-game analysis, Beginner and advanced training, Multiple game modes

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Vip | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Vip | $19.99 | per month |
| Annual Vip | $39.99 | per year |
| Tiny Coins Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Tiny Gems Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Gold Reserve 2 | $2.99 | one-time |
| Coins Pack Offer | $3.99 | one-time |
| Disable Ads Forever | $4.99 | one-time |
| Medium Gems Pack | $6.99 | one-time |
| Large Gems Pack | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Enjoyable gameplay
- 🚀 Seamless matchmaking
- 💡 Helpful chess lessons and puzzles
- 🤩 Great for learning and improving chess skills

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤬 Excessive and disruptive advertisements
- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and freezes
- 🕰️ Long wait times between games due to ads
- 🤖 Suspicion of playing against bots instead of real players

**Reported bugs**

- Incorrect puzzle solutions being marked as wrong
- Game losses due to connection issues or app freezes
- Inconsistent trophy/ranking system
- Inability to report cheating or suspicious behavior

**Requested features**

- Ability to play longer timed games
- Option to disable ads for a one-time fee
- More advanced chess analysis and training features
- Improved matchmaking to pair players of similar skill levels


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chess Clock by Chess.com free?

Chess Clock by Chess.com is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Chess Royale free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Chess Clock by Chess.com or Chess Royale?

Chess Clock by Chess.com is rated higher. Chess Clock by Chess.com averages 4.6 out of 5 from 338 ratings, while Chess Royale averages 4.5 from 20K ratings.

### Do Chess Clock by Chess.com or Chess Royale have ads?

Chess Royale shows ads; Chess Clock by Chess.com does not.

### Which is updated more often, Chess Clock by Chess.com or Chess Royale?

Chess Clock by Chess.com ships an update every 3 months, and Chess Royale every 5 weeks. Most recently, Chess Clock by Chess.com was updated on October 16, 2026 and Chess Royale on October 17, 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.*