Turing’s Machine Lite vs Chessferatu
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Turing’s Machine Lite
Experience the original chess computer program conceived by Alan Turing. Play against a classic engine or a modern, stronger version. Includes puzzles, practice levels, and two-player modes for a virtual chessboard experience.
- Original TuroChamp implementation
- Modern engine up to 2000 Elo
- Puzzles and practice levels
- Two-player modes (Bluetooth/LAN)
- Virtual chessboard (Tabletop mode)
- Mini-tournament mode
- Elo rating estimation
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Can you beat Turing’s Machine? NOTE: This is the ‘lite’ version of Turing’s Machine. The full version contains many more difficulty levels, puzzles, pieces and boards. In 1947, Alan Turing and David Champernowne created the world’s first chess playing computer program, which they named “TuroChamp”. The program was devised with pencil and paper, the calculations being performed manually by Turing and Champernowne themselves - each move would take them half an hour or more to calculate. This app includes an implementation of the original “TuroChamp”, so you can play the original version, as conceived in 1947, without having to carry out all those tedious pencil and paper calculations. We’ve also added deeper search and a more modern version of the engine, so you can play a stronger version of Turing’s machine - up to around 2000 Elo. Finally, we’ve added puzzles, practice levels and various two-player modes, so that you can use your device as a virtual chessboard. TuroChamp was the very first chess computer program and it still holds up well despite its idiosynchratic playing style - a style entirely appropriate to the incisive, determined and eccentrically humorous character of its creators. Perhaps more significantly, it represents the only A.I. left to us by the father of Artificial Intelligence. Other features include: - Support for all skill levels from total novice to expert (2000 Elo). - Supports all orientations, so you can make full use of your iPad Smart Case or stand. - Supports iOS multitasking, so you can follow along with videos/ebooks. - Focus mode, to hide the UI so you can focus on the board. - Two player mode over BlueTooth / Lan. - Tabletop mode so you can use your device as a virtual chessboard. - Puzzles and practice levels, 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. - Various different boards, pieces and graphical options. - Elo rating estimation from your game results.
Chessferatu
Learn and practice chess openings through a gamified experience with eerie rivals and high-stakes decisions. Study, battle, and improve with focused play modes, detailed move analysis, and lifetime stats. Features a distinctive horror-inspired presentation for a unique training approach.
- Gamified chess learning
- Offline capability
- Study opening lines
- Battle mode for openings
- Detailed move analysis
- Lifetime stats tracking
- Horror-inspired presentation
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Chessferatu is chess learning gamified. Have fun while you learn chess openings and move selections all with no subscriptions and offline capability. Instead of feeling like a dry lesson or a generic engine board, Chessferatu turns practice into a world of eerie rivals and high-stakes decisions where every move counts. Study, battle, and improve through focused play modes designed to help you get stronger while keeping the experience fast, engaging, and memorable. Whether you want to sharpen your opening knowledge, test yourself against themed opponents, or simply play and review your decisions, Chessferatu is built to make improvement feel rewarding. Battle a cast of distinct chess opponents with their own visual style and progression Study opening lines in a guided mode built for repetition and learning Follow in the footsteps of Grandmasters in our unique dynamic Grandmasters mode Practice openings in battle mode to test whether you can actually apply what you studied (Over one billion human games analyzed for real offbook mistakes) Review your move quality with detailed feedback including top moves, excellent moves, great moves, good moves, inaccuracies, errors, and blunders Track your accuracy and performance after each completed game View lifetime stats to measure long-term progress Monitor streaks and push for cleaner, more consistent play Explore a wide range of openings and lines through a streamlined menu system Train in a distinctive horror-inspired presentation that gives the game its own identity Chessferatu is designed for players who want more than a plain chess board. It is for learners who want structure, for competitors who want feedback, and for chess fans who want practice to feel alive. The result is a training-focused chess app with personality, atmosphere, and real depth. If you enjoy chess improvement, opening practice, move analysis, and a darker visual style, Chessferatu offers a fresh way to train. Step into the world, face the roster, learn the lines, and see how far your game can go.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Chessferatu at 5.0 against Turing’s Machine Lite's 4.5. Chessferatu also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 9 months). Turing’s Machine Lite's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and ads (none vs shown). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and device support 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. Chessferatu sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Turing’s Machine Lite asks for nothing beyond the download.
Chessferatu holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 4 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.
Turing’s Machine Lite ships an update every 9 months, Chessferatu every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Turing’s Machine Lite | Chessferatu |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.5 (4 ratings) | 5.0 (4 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 4 | 4 |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | Every 2 weeks — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better |
| Requires iOS | 8.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 78 MB | 354 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | DBRG Ltd. | Half-Cocked Studios |
Customer experience
Turing’s Machine Lite
Chessferatu
In-app purchases
Turing’s Machine Lite
No in-app purchases
Chessferatu
- Unlock All Opponents$4.99
- Remove Ads$4.99
- Magic Keyring$9.99
Questions
Is Turing’s Machine Lite free?
Is Chessferatu free?
Which has better reviews, Turing’s Machine Lite or Chessferatu?
Do Turing’s Machine Lite or Chessferatu have ads?
Which is updated more often, Turing’s Machine Lite or Chessferatu?
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