# Chess ⁺ vs Encyclopedia 1 by Informant

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Chess ⁺ at 2.9K against Encyclopedia 1 by Informant's 49. Chess ⁺ also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 3 months). Encyclopedia 1 by Informant's advantage is rating (4.9 vs 4.7) and review sentiment (100% vs 85%). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Chess ⁺ sells 7 one-off in-app purchases and Encyclopedia 1 by Informant sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Encyclopedia 1 by Informant holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chess ⁺ has 2.9K ratings behind it against 49, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 85% of Chess ⁺'s written reviews are positive against 100% of Encyclopedia 1 by Informant's.

Chess ⁺ ships an update every 2 months, Encyclopedia 1 by Informant every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess ⁺ | Encyclopedia 1 by Informant |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (2.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess/id1217007613/reviews) | **[4.9 (49 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/encyclopedia-1-by-informant/id1256484830/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **2.9K** | 49 |
| Positive reviews | 85.3% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 57 MB | 44 MB |
| Requires iOS | 11.0 | **8.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Entertainment 4Media AG](https://appshunter.io/developer/1438411916) | [Chess King](https://appshunter.io/developer/1096660597) |

## What reviewers say

### Chess ⁺

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess/id1217007613)

Enhance your chess abilities with this comprehensive training application. It offers a vast array of puzzles, tactical exercises, and learning modes for players of all levels. Track your progress with live statistics and enjoy a visually engaging experience.

**Highlights:** 2D & 3D chess pieces, Hundreds of levels, Thousands of exercises, Tactics training, Opening and endgame practice, Checkmate puzzles, Learning mode with hints

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

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 10 Gem Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Starter Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| 50 Gem Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| 100 Gem Pack | $9.99 | one-time |
| 250 Gem Pack | $19.99 | one-time |
| 500 Gem Pack | $36.99 | one-time |
| 1000 Gem Pack | $69.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great gameplay
- 👍 Visually appealing
- 💡 Helpful for learning chess
- 🎓 Effective teaching of tactics and strategies

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches
- 💰 Limited free content, requires in-app purchases
- ⏱️ AI can take too long to make moves

**Reported bugs**

- AI freezing and not making moves
- Game progress and achievements being reset
- Connectivity issues with login and cloud sync

**Requested features**

- Ability to analyze and save past games
- Option to play against other users online
- More advanced training modes and challenges


### Encyclopedia 1 by Informant

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/encyclopedia-1-by-informant/id1256484830)

This educational tool offers systematic chess combinations for players around ELO 2000. It provides interactive lessons, hints, and explanations to improve tactical skills and game knowledge. The app includes a free section for testing before unlocking more advanced topics.

**Highlights:** Systematic chess combinations, Interactive lessons and explanations, Hints and mistake refutations, Theoretical sections with interactive play, Progress monitoring (ELO rating), Offline play, Tablet optimized

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Course | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chess ⁺ free?

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

### Is Encyclopedia 1 by Informant free?

Encyclopedia 1 by Informant is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Chess ⁺ or Encyclopedia 1 by Informant?

Encyclopedia 1 by Informant is rated higher. Chess ⁺ averages 4.7 out of 5 from 2.9K ratings, while Encyclopedia 1 by Informant averages 4.9 from 49 ratings.

### Do Chess ⁺ or Encyclopedia 1 by Informant have ads?

Neither Chess ⁺ nor Encyclopedia 1 by Informant shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Chess ⁺ or Encyclopedia 1 by Informant?

Chess ⁺ ships an update every 2 months, and Encyclopedia 1 by Informant every 3 months. Most recently, Chess ⁺ was updated on October 29, 2026 and Encyclopedia 1 by Informant on October 21, 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.*