Best apps like Chess Max Academy

10+ similar apps compared and reviewed

3.9 avg rating
10 free apps
Updated September 2026

Chess Max Academy is great, but it's not the only option. Explore 10+ similar apps for iPhone and iPad, each reviewed and rated by real users. Find free alternatives, premium upgrades, and hidden gems.

Top Alternatives to Chess Max Academy

Aimchess - Learn Chess Online#1

Aimchess - Learn Chess Online by Chess.com

Chess Tactics and Analysis
Editor's Choice
📚 Education
3.9😐(195 ratings)
FreeIn-App Purchases
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Enhance your chess skills with advanced analytics and personalized training. Connect your existing chess accounts to receive tailored study plans based on your game history. Master tactics, openings, and endgames with adaptive exercises and expert-prepared content.

What We Love

  • 💡 Personalized training based on actual game mistakes
  • 📊 Detailed game analysis and statistics insights
  • 🎯 Unique training exercises (opening trainer, intuition trainer, 360 trainer)
  • 📈 Effective for chess improvement when working properly
  • 💰 Affordable pricing compared to alternatives
  • 🎮 Engaging daily training plans and challenges
  • 🔗 Seamless integration with chess.com and lichess games

Room to Improve

  • 🐛 Frequent app crashes and freezing issues
  • 🔐 Persistent login and authentication problems
  • 💳 Billing and subscription management issues
  • 🎨 Poor UI/UX design and confusing interface
  • ⚡ Significant lag and performance issues
  • 🔒 Premium features locked behind paywall with limited free version
  • 📱 Mobile app less polished than desktop version
  • 🌓 Dark mode implementation with blinding white bars
  • ❌ Incorrect puzzle solutions and feedback
  • 📞 Unresponsive customer support
Chess - Learn Chess#2

Chess - Learn Chess by Tom Kerrigan

Learn to play in minutes!
Strong Contender
📚 Education
4.7(200 ratings)
Free
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Discover the world of chess with this interactive e-book. Learn the rules, terminology, and essential strategies through engaging content and practice moves with interactive diagrams. Improve your game, whether you're a beginner or looking to refine your skills.

Chess Tempo: Chess tactics#3

Chess Tempo: Chess tactics by Chess Tempo

Chess tactics and play online
Worth Considering
📚 Education
4.0😐(112 ratings)
FreeIn-App Purchases
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Enhance your chess skills with tactical training, online play, and opening/endgame practice. Solve over 100,000 puzzles, play against others, and analyze your games with powerful engines. Premium features offer personalized training and advanced analysis.

What We Love

  • 👍 Excellent tactics training
  • 👍 Great for serious chess improvement
  • 👍 Wide variety of tactics
  • 👍 Useful comments on puzzles
  • 👍 Good value for money (for subscribers)
  • 👍 Free version offers good functionality
  • 👍 Opening training is effective
  • 👍 Spaced repetition for openings is praised
  • 👍 Endgame practice is helpful
  • 👍 Developer is responsive
  • 👍 Clean and well-defined menus (recent)
  • 👍 Strict and non-distracting design
  • 👍 Thoughtful and creative content
  • 👍 Works well for beginners
  • 👍 Great for memorizing opening lines
  • 👍 Puzzles are high quality
  • 👍 Unlimited free tactics available
  • 👍 App works seamlessly for some users
  • 👍 Great service for years
  • 👍 Good start for a training app
  • 👍 Addicted to rating improvement
  • 👍 Highly recommended for tactics
  • 👍 Flawless problem solving (for some)
  • 👍 Innovative developer

Room to Improve

  • 👎 Expensive subscription ($20/month)
  • 👎 No free limited play option
  • 👎 Bait and switch pricing
  • 👎 UI is confusing and abysmal
  • 👎 Difficult to navigate
  • 👎 Not user-friendly
  • 👎 Clunky, congested, unpolished interface
  • 👎 Feels like a website, not native app
  • 👎 Small board/pieces on iPhone, too big on iPad
  • 👎 Does not accept alternate right moves
  • 👎 No abort option for games
  • 👎 No takeback option for misclicks
  • 👎 Engine usage not included with book purchases
  • 👎 Puzzles can be too difficult/computer-like
  • 👎 Difficulty levels are inconsistent
  • 👎 Data loss reported
  • 👎 Registration issues
  • 👎 No clear explanation of icons/functions
  • 👎 Interface not intuitive for beginners
  • 👎 Problems with endgame training
  • 👎 No way to close account
  • 👎 Tactics difficulty is confusing
  • 👎 Engine takes too long to make moves
  • 👎 App quits when opening tactics page
  • 👎 Puzzles sometimes have multiple correct answers
  • 👎 Misclicks are hard to correct
  • 👎 UI could be more bullet-friendly
  • 👎 Tapping opponent's pieces is problematic
  • 👎 Buttons are too close together (skip/retry)
  • 👎 Tactics page crashes
  • 👎 Engine move takes too long
  • 👎 Misclicks are not correctable
  • 👎 No way to skip to next move in repertoire training
  • 👎 UI is a mess
  • 👎 No clear instructions
  • 👎 Difficulty levels are the same after a while
  • 👎 Loading times are very long
  • 👎 Tactics are too computer-like
  • 👎 Puzzles are overrated/underrated
  • 👎 UI is horrible and alien-like
  • 👎 Puzzles are too difficult for average person
  • 👎 Rating of puzzles is questionable
  • 👎 Punished for solving correctly but too slowly
  • 👎 UI is awkward and slow
  • 👎 Not as user-friendly as others
  • 👎 Game aborted/resigned frequently
  • 👎 Missing endgame feature in app
  • 👎 Doesn't show number of problems done
  • 👎 Board and pieces too small/large
  • 👎 Does not accept alternate right moves

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