# Chess Duel vs Real Chess 3D

The clearest difference is rating: Real Chess 3D at 4.7 against Chess Duel's 3.3. Real Chess 3D also leads on ratings volume (162K vs 7) and chart position (#106 vs unranked). Chess Duel's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Real Chess 3D sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Chess Duel asks for nothing beyond the download.

Real Chess 3D holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Real Chess 3D has 162K ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 68% of Chess Duel's written reviews are positive against 74% of Real Chess 3D's.

Chess Duel ships an update every 5 months, Real Chess 3D every 7 months. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess Duel | Real Chess 3D |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.3 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-duel/id905259249/reviews) | **[4.7 (162K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/real-chess-3d/id1351939098/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 7 | **162K** |
| Positive reviews | 67.6% of reviews | **73.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 months** | Every 7 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#106** |
| Size | 3 MB | 87 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.3** | 12.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Lothar Heinrich](https://appshunter.io/developer/905259253) | [Sailendu Behera](https://appshunter.io/developer/705287622) |

## What reviewers say

### Chess Duel

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-duel/id905259249)

Engage in a classic game of chess with a friend using only a local WiFi connection. Each player views the board from their perspective on their own device. No internet or external servers are required for gameplay.

**Highlights:** Play chess with nearby friends, Direct peer-to-peer WiFi connection, Automatic WiFi connection, Automatic game resume, Legal move highlighting, Customizable chess clock, Request takebacks

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Real Chess 3D

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/real-chess-3d/id1351939098)

**Currently charting:** #106 Top Free · Sports (US App Store)

Experience chess in stunning 3D graphics. Play against friends or the CPU with adjustable difficulty. Learn new strategies with interactive tutorials and customize your game's appearance. Save your progress and undo moves for a seamless experience.

**Highlights:** 3D graphics, Single player vs CPU, Pass n Play with friends, 4 difficulty levels, Customizable board and pieces, Interactive tutorials, Undo last move

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 Excellent graphics and visuals
- 🎢 Smooth and responsive gameplay
- 🎮 Customizable board and pieces
- 🧠 Challenging AI opponents
- 🕹️ Offline play against CPU

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🎢 Huge difficulty spike between Easy and Normal modes
- 🐛 Occasional glitches and bugs
- 💰 Excessive ads in free version
- 🔄 Repetitive CPU moves in some situations
- 🔒 Inability to choose color (play as Black)

**Reported bugs**

- Pieces not moving as per chess rules
- Game freezes or crashes unexpectedly
- Incorrect stalemate/draw conditions

**Requested features**

- Online multiplayer mode
- More gradual difficulty curve
- Customizable time controls
- Ability to save and review past games
- Wider selection of board/piece themes


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chess Duel free?

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

### Is Real Chess 3D free?

Real Chess 3D is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Chess Duel or Real Chess 3D?

Real Chess 3D is rated higher. Chess Duel averages 3.3 out of 5 from 7 ratings, while Real Chess 3D averages 4.7 from 162K ratings.

### Do Chess Duel or Real Chess 3D have ads?

Real Chess 3D shows ads; Chess Duel does not.

### Which is updated more often, Chess Duel or Real Chess 3D?

Chess Duel ships an update every 5 months, and Real Chess 3D every 7 months. Most recently, Chess Duel was updated on October 21, 2026 and Real Chess 3D on October 28, 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.*