ChessClock+ is a free chess timer utility for iOS and Android that provides customizable time controls for physical board games.
Product velocity
Dormant
Daily rank 🇺🇸
—
Utilities
Sentiment
4.9
102 reviews
Nemesis
Chess Clock by Chess.com
The App DNA
What makes this app unique?
Users hire this app for a distraction-free, ad-free timing experience that avoids the social-gaming bloat of larger platforms.
For Chess players who require a digital timekeeping solution for physical board games.
What does it look like?
Key features
Configurable time increments added after a specific number of moves.
Expended time is automatically added to the opponent's clock.
User-defined configurations saved for repeated use.
How much does it cost?
The app operates as a free utility with no observable in-app purchases or subscription tiers.
Velocity
Dormant developmentopaqueperformanceShow more...
The development of ChessClock+ has effectively ceased, with no updates released in the last 15 months. The last recorded release was a minor update in January 2025, following a period of sporadic activity in 2023. Given the lack of any feature updates or maintenance patches for over a year, the app is classified as a zombie project.
Who built it?
User Sentiment
What do users think recently?
Review voice lately leans thrilled. Users appreciate extensive customization options for time controls allow users to tailor matches to their specific needs and absence of advertisements and paywalls creates a clean and focused experience for all users.
How are ratings & reviews evolving?
What users say, by theme
- Extensive customization options for time controls allow users to tailor matches to their specific needs
- Absence of advertisements and paywalls creates a clean and focused experience for all users
- Minimalist and responsive interface design ensures the clock remains readable and easy to use during play
- Lack of an overtime or count-up mode limits the utility for specific game variants like Go
49 of 49 recent reviews analyzed · high confidence · Thrilled overall
Read the full review analysisUnlock 1 more frustration theme and 1 user request, each backed by review evidence.
Access the full report for freeCompetition
Competitive landscape for ChessClock+
How's the Utilities market?
ChessClock+ maintains a 4.89-star rating across 102 total ratings. Its lack of monetization and ad-free focus differentiates it from the Chess.com Chess Clock, which dominates the category through platform integration.
Read the market outlookThe rivals identified
By Chess.com
This is the primary market leader that dominates the chess utility space by leveraging the massive Chess.com ecosystem and brand recognition.
- Deep integration with the global Chess.com platform provides an unmatched user base and cross-promotion potential.
- Tournament-grade time controls offer professional-level reliability that casual chess clock emulators often fail to replicate.
- Massive review volume and brand authority create a significant barrier to entry for independent developers.
Unlock the head-to-head verdict: where this rival wins, and where it loses.
Access the full report for freeThe Analyst's Read
Key takeaways for ChessClock+
Where is it heading?
The chess utility market is consolidating around platforms that offer both timing and tournament management. ChessClock+ remains stable due to its clean design, but the lack of updates will eventually erode its lead as competitors add more versatile timing modes.
- The 15-month development silence signals a shift to maintenance mode, which leaves the app vulnerable to feature-rich entrants in the utility space.
- High user satisfaction with the ad-free experience creates a strong defensive foundation, provided the developer addresses niche requests for overtime modes.
The SWOT
- Ad-free, minimalist interface sustains high user satisfaction
- Deep customization of time controls outperforms category norms
- Expansion into Go or other board game timers to capture niche utility share
Next best moves
Ship overtime mode because it is the top-requested feature for non-chess games → broaden user base
The counter-intuitive read
The lack of monetization is not just a…
Read the full takeFeature gaps
Overtime/count-up modes (available in specialized Go timers but missing here) +1
Since the last report: The app remains in a maintenance-mode state with no functional updates, but sentiment data now highlights specific UX friction in the configuration menu.
Bottom line
ChessClock+ retains a loyal user base through a clean, ad-free experience, but its stagnant development cycle leaves it exposed to feature-rich competitors, so the developer must prioritize a roadmap for overtime modes to prevent churn to more versatile timers.
Unlock 2 critical frictions, 1 market threat and the analyst’s take.
Access the full report for freeFAQ
Is ChessClock+ free to use?
How does ChessClock+ compare to the Chess.com clock?
Does ChessClock+ work for games other than chess?
Sources
Report last updated