# Chess vs Openings Mastermind

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Chess at 88% against Openings Mastermind's 50%. Chess also leads on rating (4.6 vs 4.3) and ratings volume (60 vs 6). Openings Mastermind's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 4 months). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Chess sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Openings Mastermind asks for nothing beyond the download.

Chess holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chess has 60 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 88% of Chess's written reviews are positive against 50% of Openings Mastermind's.

Chess ships an update every 4 months, Openings Mastermind fortnightly. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess | Openings Mastermind |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (60 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-simple-defense/id1152972555/reviews)** | [4.3 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/openings-mastermind/id6448386251/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **60** | 6 |
| Positive reviews | **87.5% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 42 MB | 88 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 18.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Chess King](https://appshunter.io/developer/1096660597) | [Christian Heise](https://appshunter.io/developer/1632898424) |

## What reviewers say

### Chess

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-simple-defense/id1152972555)

Master defensive chess skills with over 3000 interactive exercises. This app acts as a personal coach, providing hints and explanations to improve your game. It's designed for beginners to consolidate fundamental defensive tactics.

**Highlights:** Over 3000 defensive exercises, Interactive coach with hints and explanations, Improve defensive tactics, Track ELO rating changes, Offline play capability, Play positions against computer

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full course | $3.99 | one-time |


### Openings Mastermind

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/openings-mastermind/id6448386251)

Master chess openings with this app. Import studies, explore with advanced engines, and practice specific lines through repetition. Track your progress and improve your game.

**Highlights:** Import Lichess Studies or PGNs, Explore openings with Stockfish 15, Practice openings by repetition, Smart practice queue, Track learning progress

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chess free?

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

### Is Openings Mastermind free?

Openings Mastermind is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Chess or Openings Mastermind?

Chess is rated higher. Chess averages 4.6 out of 5 from 60 ratings, while Openings Mastermind averages 4.3 from 6 ratings.

### Do Chess or Openings Mastermind have ads?

Neither Chess nor Openings Mastermind shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Chess or Openings Mastermind?

Chess ships an update every 4 months, and Openings Mastermind fortnightly. Most recently, Chess was updated on October 24, 2026 and Openings Mastermind on October 24, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*