Comparison

Chess Clock by Chess.com vs Chessmate

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

Head to head
About

Chess Clock by Chess.com

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
Read full description

Replace your chess clock with this free game timer! It's easy to use, yet fully featured to handle any time control. 100% free: no in-app purchases, no ads! Choose your time control and you're ready to play. The 2nd player presses her button to start the 1st player's clock - and the game is on! FEATURES - Large, easy-to-read buttons - Works in landscape and portrait on all devices - Quickly customize the app for one-tap access to all your favorite time controls - Time controls include base minutes per player and optional per-move delays or bonus time. The app supports both Fischer and Bronstein increments, as well as simple delays. The duration is up to you! - Supports multiple-stage time controls commonly seen in tournaments, such as "40 moves in 2 hours + game in 60 minutes." A glance at the clock shows your current stage! - Support for handicapping lets you set different time controls for each player! - You can adjust the time remaining on the fly, in the middle of your game, for either or both players! - Clock pauses automatically if the app is interrupted; manually pause the clock at any time - Pleasant sounds for buttons and "time's up" alert At Chess.com, we really do love chess, and *sometimes* we even play it offline! For times like that, we created this clock - and we hope you love it as much as we do.

About

Chessmate

Analyze chess positions with multiple top-tier engines, including Stockfish. Customize engine settings, compare results, and explore any chess position with full FEN support. Ideal for serious players looking to sharpen their tactics and prepare for tournaments.

Highlights
  • Next Best Move Analyser
  • Multi-Engine Support (Stockfish)
  • Local & Remote Engines
  • Custom Engine Profiles
  • Time Travel Through Moves
  • Full FEN Support
  • Deep Engine Customisation
Features
Read full description

Chessmate is the ultimate companion for serious chess players and enthusiasts who want to go beyond the board. Analyse positions with unmatched precision, compare results from multiple top-tier chess engines (including Stockfish 16.1, 17 and 17.1), and dive deep into engine configuration - all in one sleek, powerful app. Whether you're prepping for a tournament or just want to sharpen your tactics, Chessmate lets you load, tweak, compare, and explore any chess position like never before. Local or remote engines, flexible setups, full FEN support - your next best move is always within reach. Key Features: > Next Best Move Analyser Instantly evaluate and visualise the optimal next move from any position using powerful chess engines. > Multi-Engine Support Run multiple engines side-by-side, including Stockfish 16.1, 17, and experimental builds — with more on the way! > Local & Remote Engines Use engines installed on your device or connect to remote ones for advanced cloud-based analysis. > Custom Engine Profiles Per Board Save multiple boards, each with their own engine configurations for tailored analysis. > Time Travel Through Moves Navigate backward and forward through board changes to revisit and reanalyse past positions. > Full FEN Support Easily load or export boards using the FEN format for seamless sharing and documentation. > Deep Engine Customisation Fine-tune engine options and search depth to match your strategy or test different scenarios.

Screenshots

Chess Clock by Chess.com4 screens
Chessmate4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Chess Clock by Chess.com at 338 against Chessmate's 2. Chess Clock by Chess.com also leads on review sentiment (91% vs 67%) and chart position (#155 vs unranked). Chessmate's advantage is update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 3 months). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Chess Clock by Chess.com against 4.5 for Chessmate. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chess Clock by Chess.com has 338 ratings behind it against 2, 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 67% of Chessmate's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Chess Clock by Chess.com ships an update every 3 months, Chessmate every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and June 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 7 level
Chess Clock by Chess.com versus Chessmate: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterChess Clock by Chess.comChessmate
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (338 ratings) — better4.5 (2 ratings)
Positive reviews90.6% of reviews — better66.7% of reviews
Number of ratings338 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 5 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
Best chart rank#155 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS14.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size3 MB0 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperChess.comEdward Mann

Customer experience

Chess Clock by Chess.com

All ratings338 ratings
Positive90.2%
Neutral3.0%
Negative6.8%
Written reviews212 reviews
Positive90.6%
Neutral5.7%
Negative3.8%

Chessmate

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews6 reviews
Positive66.7%
Neutral16.7%
Negative16.7%

Bugs and requests

Chess Clock by Chess.com

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Time not always reduced when pressing the clock quickly
  • Custom time settings not always saved properly

Requested features

4 requests
  • 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

Chessmate

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Chess Clock by Chess.com

No in-app purchases

None

Chessmate

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Chess Clock by Chess.com free?
Chess Clock by Chess.com is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Chessmate free?
Chessmate is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Chess Clock by Chess.com or Chessmate?
Chess Clock by Chess.com is rated higher. Chess Clock by Chess.com averages 4.6 out of 5 from 338 ratings, while Chessmate averages 4.5 from 2 ratings.
Do Chess Clock by Chess.com or Chessmate have ads?
Neither Chess Clock by Chess.com nor Chessmate shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Chess Clock by Chess.com or Chessmate?
Chess Clock by Chess.com ships an update every 3 months, and Chessmate every 5 weeks. Most recently, Chess Clock by Chess.com was updated on September 26, 2026 and Chessmate on June 6, 2026.

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