# Magnus Trainer vs Chessify

The clearest difference is ads: Chessify at none against Magnus Trainer's shown. Magnus Trainer's advantage is review sentiment (81% vs 46%) and rating (4.8 vs 4.4). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Magnus Trainer sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $4.49 per month and Chessify sells 19 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Magnus Trainer holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Magnus Trainer has 13K ratings behind it against 398, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 81% of Magnus Trainer's written reviews are positive against 46% of Chessify's.

Magnus Trainer ships an update every 5 weeks, Chessify monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Magnus Trainer | Chessify |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (13K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magnus-trainer-train-chess/id1097863089/reviews)** | [4.4 (398 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chessify-magic-chess-tools/id1397066775/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **13K** | 398 |
| Positive reviews | **80.8% of reviews** | 45.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 187 MB | 140 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Chess.com](https://appshunter.io/developer/329218552) | [Chessify Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1397066774) |

## What reviewers say

### Magnus Trainer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magnus-trainer-train-chess/id1097863089)

Master chess with engaging games and interactive lessons created by Grand Masters and the World Chess Champion. Learn fundamentals, openings, and endgames through bite-sized challenges and puzzles for all skill levels.

**Highlights:** 250+ unique lessons, Bite-sized chess games, Thousands of puzzles, Beginner to advanced levels, Expert-crafted courses, Interactive learning

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Premium Membership | $4.49 | per month |
| Monthly Premium Membership | $6.99 | per month |
| Monthly Premium Membership | $6.99 | per month |
| Monthly Premium Membership | $7.99 | per month |
| Yearly Premium Membership | $37.99 | per year |
| Yearly Premium Membership | $55.99 | per year |
| Yearly Premium Membership | $74.99 | per year |
| Refill All Lives | $1.99 | one-time |
| Premium Membership | $149.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Premium Membership | $299.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Well-structured lessons
- 👍 Clear and informative
- 👍 Helpful for beginners to masters
- 🚀 Improves chess skills quickly
- 👍 Engaging and entertaining

**What reviewers complain about**

- ⏱️ Strict time limits on exercises
- 🐛 Puzzle engine only accepts one solution
- 🐛 Occasional bugs and crashes
- 🔀 Inability to skip lessons and progress at own pace
- 🔀 Lack of option to practice without time pressure

**Reported bugs**

- Pieces disappearing during games
- Moves not recognized by the engine
- Crashes on loading lessons

**Requested features**

- Option to view solution when failing puzzles
- Ability to customize chess board and piece design
- More organized and structured content
- Integrated chess game mode to apply learned skills
- Progress sync across multiple devices


### Chessify

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chessify-magic-chess-tools/id1397066775)

This app offers advanced chess analysis tools, including a real-time chessboard scanner, powerful cloud-based engines, and a unique video finder. Analyze games, puzzles, and learn chess theory with comprehensive features for players of all levels.

**Highlights:** Real chessboard scanner, Superfast cloud chess engine analysis, Video finder for chess positions, Offline play against Stockfish, Opening Explorer with Lichess database, Import/export FEN/PGN, Online real-time Blitz

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (19)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Bronze 1 Month | $0.99 | per month |
| Silver 1 month | $2.49 | per month |
| Gold 1 Month | $7.99 | per month |
| Bronze 12 months | $7.99 | per year |
| Amateur | $12.99 | per month |
| Silver 12 months | $14.99 | per year |
| Gold 12 months | $49.99 | per year |
| Master | $59.99 | per month |
| Amateur Yearly | $129.99 | per year |
| Master | $559.99 | per year |
| SuperFast analysis - 1000 sec. | $0.99 | one-time |
| SuperFast analysis - 10000sec. | $3.99 | one-time |
| SuperFast analysis - 30000sec. | $5.99 | one-time |
| Starter Pack | $5.99 | one-time |
| Standard Pack | $11.49 | one-time |
| SuperFast analysis - 100000sec | $13.99 | one-time |
| Popular Pack | $29.49 | one-time |
| SuperFast analysis - unlimited | $34.99 | one-time |
| Ultimate Pack | $117.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 📸 Accurate chess board scanning from photos
- 🚀 Fast and efficient position analysis
- ☁️ Cloud-based powerful chess engine (Stockfish)
- 💾 Easy PGN export and saving functionality
- 📚 Perfect for studying chess books

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and freezes
- 📸 Inconsistent scanning accuracy
- ❌ App doesn't work on iOS 18 and older versions
- 💰 Expensive paywall with limited free features
- 🔥 Device overheating issues reported

**Reported bugs**

- Black screen in camera view during scanning
- Scanning omits first or last rank of board
- App crashes when loading images
- Buttons not clickable on certain iOS versions
- Position not recognized from screenshots

**Requested features**

- Add move comments and annotations capability
- Board flip option during gameplay
- Auto-save functionality to prevent position loss
- Ability to edit and extend saved games
- Tactics puzzle mode with move verification


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Magnus Trainer free?

Magnus Trainer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Chessify free?

Chessify is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Magnus Trainer or Chessify?

Magnus Trainer is rated higher. Magnus Trainer averages 4.8 out of 5 from 13K ratings, while Chessify averages 4.4 from 398 ratings.

### Do Magnus Trainer or Chessify have ads?

Magnus Trainer shows ads; Chessify does not.

### Which is updated more often, Magnus Trainer or Chessify?

Magnus Trainer ships an update every 5 weeks, and Chessify monthly. Most recently, Magnus Trainer was updated on October 30, 2026 and Chessify on October 29, 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.*