# Chess Hotel vs Lichess

The clearest difference is rating: Chess Hotel at 5.0 against Lichess's 4.1. Chess Hotel also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.6). Lichess's advantage is review sentiment (52% vs 17%) and in-app purchases (none vs 2). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Chess Hotel sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Lichess asks for nothing beyond the download.

Chess Hotel holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Lichess has 662 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 17% of Chess Hotel's written reviews are positive against 52% of Lichess's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Chess Hotel ships an update every 4 months, Lichess fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess Hotel | Lichess |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-hotel/id874852415/reviews)** | [4.1 (662 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lichess/id1662361230/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **662** |
| Positive reviews | 16.7% of reviews | **51.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | — | **#54** |
| Size | 28 MB | 86 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Foggy Media](https://appshunter.io/developer/874852418) | [LICHESS.ORG](https://appshunter.io/developer/968371783) |

## What reviewers say

### Chess Hotel

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-hotel/id874852415)

Engage in live chess matches with players globally. Track your progress with a personal account, rating, and game statistics. Features include timed games, a chat function, and league play for competitive engagement.

**Highlights:** Live games with time controls, Personal account with rating and statistics, In-game chat function, Fast opponent matching, League games

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium | $2.99 | one-time |
| Premium Membership - 1 Year | $6.99 | one-time |


### Lichess

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lichess/id1662361230)

**Currently charting:** #54 Top Free · Strategy (US App Store)

Play chess online with millions of users, participate in tournaments, solve puzzles, and analyze games. This free and open-source application offers a comprehensive chess experience for players of all levels, with features for learning and casual play.

**Highlights:** Real-time and correspondence chess, Arena tournaments, Chess puzzles, Game analysis with Stockfish, Interactive study feature, Chess clock

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great interface
- 🚀 Smooth performance
- 💡 Useful resources for learning and analysis

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional UI issues
- 💡 Room for more customization options

**Reported bugs**

- Swipe-to-go-back gesture interferes with piece placement

**Requested features**

- Name of opening in opening explorer
- Ability to add and subtract additional things on the homepage
- Reset/replay button on puzzles


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chess Hotel free?

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

### Is Lichess free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Chess Hotel or Lichess?

Chess Hotel is rated higher. Chess Hotel averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Lichess averages 4.1 from 662 ratings.

### Do Chess Hotel or Lichess have ads?

Chess Hotel shows ads; Lichess does not.

### Which is updated more often, Chess Hotel or Lichess?

Chess Hotel ships an update every 4 months, and Lichess fortnightly. Most recently, Chess Hotel was updated on October 5, 2026 and Lichess on October 18, 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.*