# Hardwood Backgammon vs Backgammon Online

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Hardwood Backgammon at 63% against Backgammon Online's 13%. Hardwood Backgammon also leads on rating (4.3 vs 3.2) and ratings volume (166 vs 17). Backgammon Online's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Hardwood Backgammon sells 16 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Backgammon Online sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Hardwood Backgammon holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 3.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Hardwood Backgammon has 166 ratings behind it against 17, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 63% of Hardwood Backgammon's written reviews are positive against 13% of Backgammon Online's.

Hardwood Backgammon ships an update every 2 months, Backgammon Online fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Hardwood Backgammon | Backgammon Online |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.3 (166 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hardwood-backgammon/id897715914/reviews)** | [3.2 (17 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backgammon-online-board-game/id1450389133/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **166** | 17 |
| Positive reviews | **62.5% of reviews** | 12.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 105 MB | 24 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **8.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Silver Creek Entertainment](https://appshunter.io/developer/493710735) | [Yaakov Salah](https://appshunter.io/developer/1450389132) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### Backgammon Online

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backgammon-online-board-game/id1450389133)

Experience the classic board game with thousands of players worldwide. Join quick matches, create custom tables with your own prize amounts, and climb the leaderboards. You can also watch live games between other players.

**Highlights:** Quick play matches, Create custom tables, Leaderboard challenges, Watch live games, Online multiplayer

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Get 5,000 Points | $0.99 | one-time |
| Get 25,000 Points | $3.99 | one-time |
| Get 40,000 Points | $4.99 | one-time |
| Get 100,000 Points | $9.99 | one-time |
| Get 1,000,000 Points | $89.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Hardwood Backgammon free?

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

### Is Backgammon Online free?

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

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

Hardwood Backgammon is rated higher. Hardwood Backgammon averages 4.3 out of 5 from 166 ratings, while Backgammon Online averages 3.2 from 17 ratings.

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

Hardwood Backgammon shows ads; Backgammon Online does not.

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

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