Comparison

Shelem vs Backgammon Online

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

Head to head
About

Shelem

Test your strategic thinking and memory in this challenging card game. Compete with friends online or join a league to face skilled players. Prove your worthiness for the Shelem title and enjoy hours of fun.

Highlights
  • Strategic card gameplay
  • Memory and reasoning skill improvement
  • Online multiplayer with friends
  • League competition
  • Challenging gameplay
Features
Read full description

Do you have what it takes to be a ruler? Are you smart enough to win against all the odds? Are you worthy of the Shelem title? Bring it on! Boost up your memory and improve your reasoning skills by playing the most strategical card game known to man. Play with your online friends or compete in a league against top-notch players. Either way, Shelem is going to take you on a journey of fun. Be ready to play all night long!

About

Backgammon Online

Experience classic backgammon with a modern twist. Play against real players online, practice against AI, or challenge friends locally. Explore unique boards, climb leaderboards, and customize your gameplay.

Highlights
  • Online multiplayer matches
  • Offline AI practice mode
  • Local play with friends
  • 12 unique board designs
  • Rankings and competitions
  • Customizable avatars and checkers
  • Random dice rolls
Features
Read full description

Play Backgammon Online instantly — challenge real players, unlock new boards, collect daily rewards, and enjoy classic backgammon in a modern mobile format. Backgammon Online brings the timeless board game to your iPhone and iPad with quick online matches, smooth gameplay, beautiful boards, and simple controls. Play when you have a few minutes, compete with players worldwide, or practice offline against AI. Key features: • Online multiplayer Play backgammon in real-time matches and test your strategy against other players. • Play with friends Enjoy a local game on one device or invite a friend for a match. • Offline mode Practice your moves and improve your skills against AI anytime. • New boards to unlock Progress through the game and open beautifully designed boards with different styles and themes. • Daily rewards Collect coins, bonuses, and special rewards every day. • Mini games and prizes Try the wheel of fortune and get extra rewards for your next match. • Rankings and competition Climb daily, weekly, and all-time leaderboards and prove your skill. • Avatars and customization Choose avatars and checker styles to make the game feel yours. • Fair dice rolls Every roll is random, so each match depends on strategy, timing, and a bit of luck. Whether you are new to backgammon or already know the game well, Backgammon Online gives you a fast and easy way to play classic backgammon anywhere. Download Backgammon Online and start your next match today.

Screenshots

Shelem4 screens
Backgammon Online4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Shelem at 4.8 against Backgammon Online's 4.1. Shelem also leads on ratings volume (27K vs 142) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.6). Backgammon Online's advantage is review sentiment (73% vs 59%). On price, update cadence, 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. Shelem sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Backgammon Online sells 27 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Shelem holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Shelem has 27K ratings behind it against 142, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 59% of Shelem's written reviews are positive against 73% of Backgammon Online's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Shelem ships an update every 2 weeks, Backgammon Online weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Shelem versus Backgammon Online: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterShelemBackgammon Online
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (27K ratings) — better4.1 (142 ratings)
Positive reviews59.2% of reviews73.5% of reviews — better
Number of ratings27K — better142
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksWeekly — better
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS9.0 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size68 MB152 MB
Age rating4++4
DeveloperBabak BostanAnton Iliukhin

Customer experience

Shelem

All ratings26,953 ratings
Positive94.2%
Neutral2.9%
Negative2.9%
Written reviews130 reviews
Positive59.2%
Neutral13.8%
Negative26.9%

Backgammon Online

All ratings141 ratings
Positive73.8%
Neutral9.9%
Negative16.3%
Written reviews132 reviews
Positive73.5%
Neutral6.8%
Negative19.7%

User reviews

Shelem

From 27K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Fantastic game
  • 🤔 Challenging brain game
  • 🎨 Great graphics and design
  • 🎶 Soothing background music

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Bugs and glitches
  • 🤖 Dumb AI/computer players
  • ⏱️ Short timer/time issues
  • 🔌 Server/connectivity problems
  • 🤯 Frustrating gameplay issues

Backgammon Online

From 142 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🎮 Engaging gameplay
  • 🌟 Pleasing graphics
  • 🌐 Convenient online play
  • 🤝 Challenging opponents
  • 🕹️ Smooth controls

Room to improve

  • 🎲 Questionable dice rolls
  • 🔒 Pay-to-win mechanics
  • 🕰️ Slow matchmaking
  • 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches
  • 🔄 Repeated opponent moves

Bugs and requests

Shelem

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Game progress not saved
  • Unexpected card discarding
  • Incorrect point calculations
  • Unresponsive controls
  • Frequent crashes and freezes

Requested features

6 requests
  • Online multiplayer mode
  • Customizable timer/time settings
  • Improved AI/computer player logic
  • Save/resume game progress
  • Detailed game rules/tutorial
Show 1 more
  • Leaderboard/ranking system improvements

Backgammon Online

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Game freezes or crashes during play
  • Pieces not moving as expected
  • Incorrect dice rolls or move validation
  • Opponent timeouts and connection issues
  • Inconsistent performance across devices

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add doubling cube functionality
  • Implement a scorecard feature
  • Improve customization options for boards, pieces, and avatars
  • Enhance the online matchmaking system
  • Introduce a friends/social feature to play with contacts

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Shelem

One-time1
  • Remove Ads$0.99
27 purchases

Backgammon Online

One-time27
  • Donat$0.29
  • 3K Backgammon Empire Coins$0.99
  • Donat$1.99
Show 24 more
  • 5 Backgammon Empire Gems$2.99
  • 10K Backgammon Empire Coins$2.99
  • Seasonal Avatar Pack$3.99
  • Backgammon Empire Set 1 Discount$4.99
  • 10 Backgammon Empire Gems Pack$5.49
  • 25K Backgammon Empire Coins$5.99
  • Reaction Unlock Pack$6.99
  • 15 Backgammon Empire Gems Pack$7.99
  • Donat$7.99
  • Unique avatars pack$9.99
  • Backgammon Empire Set 1$9.99
  • Ad-Free Upgrade Pack$9.99
  • 50K Backgammon Empire Coins$10.99
  • 30 Backgammon Empire Gems Pack$14.99
  • 50 Backgammon Empire Gems Pack$23.99
  • Backgammon Empire Set 2$23.99
  • 150K Backgammon Empire Coins$27.99
  • 100 Backgammon Empire Gems$45.99
  • Backgammon Empire Set 3$47.99
  • 150 Backgammon Empire Gems$64.99
  • 500K Backgammon Empire Coins$69.99
  • 300 Backgammon Empire Gems$119.99
  • 2.5M Backgammon Empire Coins$129.99
  • Backgammon Empire Set 4$139.99

Questions

Is Shelem free?
Shelem 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, Shelem or Backgammon Online?
Shelem is rated higher. Shelem averages 4.8 out of 5 from 27K ratings, while Backgammon Online averages 4.1 from 142 ratings.
Do Shelem or Backgammon Online have ads?
Both Shelem and Backgammon Online show ads.
Which is updated more often, Shelem or Backgammon Online?
Shelem ships an update every 2 weeks, and Backgammon Online weekly. Most recently, Shelem was updated on November 1, 2026 and Backgammon Online on October 30, 2026.

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