Primus Chess Lite vs Chess Log
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Primus Chess Lite
This chess engine is designed for intermediate players, mimicking human play with strategic depth and occasional blunders. It offers local multiplayer options and practice modes.
- Human-like chess engine
- Intermediate player focus (up to 2000 Elo)
- Local multiplayer (Bluetooth/LAN)
- Tabletop virtual chessboard mode
- Five skill levels
- Selected puzzles and practice levels
- Mini-tournament mode
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NOTE: This is the 'lite' version of Primus. The full version contains a mate puzzle generator, many more difficulty levels, puzzles, pieces and boards. A more human chess engine. Primus is an entirely original, modern chess engine specifically designed for the intermediate player (up to 2000 Elo). It has been carefully tuned to play less like a machine and more like a human. At lower levels, it makes blunders of a straightforward kind that are easy to spot, but at higher levels more careful play is required to take advantage of more subtle tactical and even strategic errors. At its highest levels, Primus plays at around 2000 Elo, but even at the very highest levels, it still has occasional simulated lapses of concentration. The engine was conceived out of frustration with the overwhelming tactical strength of modern chess engines. Most modern chess engines are so tactically strong that extremely careful defensive and anti-computer play is required to make any progress; in other words, it's nothing like playing a human. We wanted to create an engine that allows for a more human, strategic style of play where there's room to take advantage of the occasional blunder. We've included multiplayer modes that allow you to use your device as a virtual chessboard, or play via bluetooth or wireless with a local opponent. Features in this "lite" version include: - Two player mode over Bluetooth / Lan. - Tabletop mode so you can use your device as a virtual chessboard. - Five different skill levels from total novice to expert (21 in the full version) - Supports all orientations, so you can make full use of your iPad Smart Case or stand. - Supports multitasking, so you can follow along with videos/ebooks. - Focus mode, to hide the UI so you can focus on the board. - Five selected puzzles and practice levels (30 in the full version), so you can practice your endgames or play some interesting challenge levels. - Mini-tournament mode - a six-game mini tournament mode for the more serious player. - Elo rating estimation from your game results.
Chess Log
Catalog, organize, and analyze your chess games with a clean interface. Save and annotate moves, explore openings, and get move suggestions to improve your play. Elevate your chess strategy with powerful analytical tools.
- Game catalog and organization
- Detailed move annotation
- Opening explorer
- Move suggestions
- PGN editor
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The ultimate chess game tracker, analyzer, and PGN editor. Easily catalog, organize, and analyze your chess games with a clean, intuitive interface. Save every game, tag key moments and revisit your moves to track improvement. Whether studying openings, mastering endgames or refining tactics, Chess Log provides powerful tools to elevate your game. Key features: - Game Catalog: Store and organize all your games in one place. - Detailed Annotation: Tag and annotate moves. - Opening Explorer: Compare your moves to peers and masters alike. - Move Suggestions: See top moves and find out where you or your opponent went wrong.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Chess Log at every 6 weeks against Primus Chess Lite's every 9 months. Chess Log also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 79%). Primus Chess Lite's advantage is rating (4.3 vs 4.0) and ratings volume (23 vs 1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Primus Chess Lite holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Primus Chess Lite has 23 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 79% of Primus Chess Lite's written reviews are positive against 100% of Chess Log's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Primus Chess Lite ships an update every 9 months, Chess Log every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Primus Chess Lite | Chess Log |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.3 (23 ratings) — better | 4.0 (1 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 78.9% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 23 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | Every 6 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 8.0 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 78 MB | 198 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | DBRG Ltd. | Luis De Zutter |
Customer experience
Primus Chess Lite
Chess Log
In-app purchases
Primus Chess Lite
No in-app purchases
Chess Log
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Primus Chess Lite free?
Is Chess Log free?
Which has better reviews, Primus Chess Lite or Chess Log?
Do Primus Chess Lite or Chess Log have ads?
Which is updated more often, Primus Chess Lite or Chess Log?
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