Comparison

Hardwood Backgammon vs Backgammon by Staple Games

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

Head to head
About

Hardwood Backgammon

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
Read full description

Pull up a chair at the Hardwood Inn. Backgammon is one of the oldest games in the world -- and Hardwood Backgammon has been bringing players together for over 20 years. Whether you're a seasoned player or just learning the board, you'll find a welcoming atmosphere, good company, and a great game. Free to play, always. If you're tired of board games dressed up as casinos, you've found your Hardwood Inn. Play online with players worldwide, challenge a friend sitting next to you, or test yourself against our world-class Neural Net AI. For the ultimate face-to-face experience, our exclusive Tablet Board Mode lets you place your device flat on the table like a real backgammon board -- the UI flips automatically between players on each turn. Why Players Keep Coming Back: • A Mature Community: Moderated and friendly -- sportsmanship comes first • World-Class AI: Neural Net engine plays like a real opponent, not a pushover • Play Anywhere: Solo, online, or local multiplayer -- no internet required for solo • Tablet Board Mode: Place your device flat and play face-to-face just like a real board • Full Match Play with doubling cube support • Competitive Edge: Online tournaments and global leaderboards • Immersive Experience: Stunning environments and high-quality audio • Total Customization: Unique boards, checkers, dice, and backgrounds -- available with tokens, purchasable anytime Sign in with your Hardwood account across all our games and your cosmetics come with you. One collection, every game. Want chat, rated games, an ad-free experience, and 200 tokens every month? Plus membership is optional and affordable. More Hardwood Games: • Hardwood Spades -- the classic trick taking game • Hardwood Euchre -- Jacks are Trump • Hardwood Hearts -- avoid the points • Video Poker Duel -- competitive video poker for two Prefer a quiet game alone? All of our games can be played solo -- but for the ultimate single player experience, check out Hardwood Solitaire IV, also available on the App Store. Questions, suggestions, or found an issue? We love hearing from our players at support@silvercrk.com ____________________ Hardwood Games Subscriptions are optional and available at a rate of 1 month for $4.99, 3 months for $14.99 or 1 year for $29.99. Payment will be charged to your iTunes account at confirmation of purchase. Subscriptions will auto-renew unless turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Your iTunes account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. Your subscriptions can be managed from your iTunes account settings. Cancellation of subscriptions is not allowed. Our privacy policy may be viewed at http://www.hardwoodgames.com/about/privacy/ Our terms of service may be viewed at http://www.hardwoodgames.com/about/terms/

About

Backgammon by Staple Games

Experience the classic game of Backgammon with a focus on simplicity and pure enjoyment. This app offers clean graphics and intuitive controls for an undistracted gameplay experience. It's designed for players who appreciate the core mechanics of the game.

Highlights
  • Pure Backgammon gameplay
  • Simple and classic design
  • Easy-to-use controls
  • Clean graphics
  • No distractions
Features
Read full description

Backgammon at its best.  Dive into the pure essence of Backgammon with our app. Celebrate the simplicity and classic nature of Backgammon. With easy-to-use controls and clean graphics, our Backgammon app offers nothing but the game you love. No distractions, no excess—just pure Backgammon enjoyment.

Screenshots

Hardwood Backgammon4 screens
Backgammon by Staple Games4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Backgammon by Staple Games at none against Hardwood Backgammon's 16. Backgammon by Staple Games also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.3) and ratings volume (2.5K vs 166). Hardwood Backgammon's advantage is review sentiment (63% vs 47%). On price, update cadence, ads and device support 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. Hardwood Backgammon sells 16 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Backgammon by Staple Games asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Backgammon by Staple Games holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Backgammon by Staple Games has 2.5K ratings behind it against 166, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 63% of Hardwood Backgammon's written reviews are positive against 47% of Backgammon by Staple Games's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Hardwood Backgammon ships an update every 2 months, Backgammon by Staple Games every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 19, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Hardwood Backgammon versus Backgammon by Staple Games: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHardwood BackgammonBackgammon by Staple Games
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.3 (166 ratings)4.7 (2.5K ratings) — better
Positive reviews62.5% of reviews — better47.3% of reviews
Number of ratings1662.5K — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 months — betterEvery 3 months
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesAd-supported — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV — betteriPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size105 MB171 MB
Age rating9+4+
DeveloperSilver Creek EntertainmentStaple Games

Customer experience

Hardwood Backgammon

All ratings166 ratings
Positive82.5%
Neutral5.4%
Negative12.0%
Written reviews80 reviews
Positive62.5%
Neutral8.8%
Negative28.7%

Backgammon by Staple Games

All ratings2,484 ratings
Positive91.9%
Neutral6.4%
Negative1.7%
Written reviews55 reviews
Positive47.3%
Neutral23.6%
Negative29.1%

User reviews

Hardwood Backgammon

From 166 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🎨 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

Room to improve

  • 🎲 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

Backgammon by Staple Games

From 2.5K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Fast gameplay
  • 👍 Simple and good design
  • 🎨 Great art style

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Dice rolls seem unfair
  • 👎 User-unfriendly interface
  • 🎨 Hard to see game pieces
  • 💰 Too many ads

Bugs and requests

Hardwood Backgammon

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • 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

8 requests
  • 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
Show 3 more
  • Ability to select teammates in multiplayer
  • Penalty system for players who quit mid-game
  • Improved Apple TV compatibility and local multiplayer

Backgammon by Staple Games

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Incorrect move counting
  • Game gets stuck on ads

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add doubling cube feature
  • Improve AI difficulty settings
  • Add undo/cancel button
  • Provide rules and procedures

In-app purchases

16 purchases

Hardwood Backgammon

Subscriptions6
  • Plus Membership$4.991 Month
  • 1 Month Plus Membership$4.991 Month
  • Plus Membership$14.993 Months
Show 3 more
  • 3 Month Plus Membership$14.993 Months
  • Plus Membership$29.991 Year
  • 12 Month Plus Membership$29.991 Year
One-time10
  • Pack of 80 Tokens$0.99
  • Pack of 165 Tokens$1.99
  • Plus Membership$2.99
Show 7 more
  • Pack of 425 Tokens$4.99
  • 1 Month Plus Membership$4.99
  • Plus Membership$4.99
  • Pack of 865 Tokens$9.99
  • Plus Membership$14.99
  • Plus Membership$19.99
  • Pack of 1800 Tokens$19.99
None

Backgammon by Staple Games

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Hardwood Backgammon free?
Hardwood Backgammon is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Backgammon by Staple Games free?
Backgammon by Staple Games is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Hardwood Backgammon or Backgammon by Staple Games?
Backgammon by Staple Games is rated higher. Hardwood Backgammon averages 4.3 out of 5 from 166 ratings, while Backgammon by Staple Games averages 4.7 from 2.5K ratings.
Do Hardwood Backgammon or Backgammon by Staple Games have ads?
Both Hardwood Backgammon and Backgammon by Staple Games show ads.
Which is updated more often, Hardwood Backgammon or Backgammon by Staple Games?
Hardwood Backgammon ships an update every 2 months, and Backgammon by Staple Games every 3 months. Most recently, Hardwood Backgammon was updated on September 19, 2026 and Backgammon by Staple Games on September 26, 2026.

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