# Encyclopedia 1 by Informant vs Chess Notation Lab

The clearest difference is update cadence: Chess Notation Lab at every 3 days against Encyclopedia 1 by Informant's every 3 months. Encyclopedia 1 by Informant's advantage is ratings volume (49 vs 6) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 18.6). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Encyclopedia 1 by Informant against 5.0 for Chess Notation Lab. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Encyclopedia 1 by Informant has 49 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

Encyclopedia 1 by Informant ships an update every 3 months, Chess Notation Lab every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Encyclopedia 1 by Informant | Chess Notation Lab |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.9 (49 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/encyclopedia-1-by-informant/id1256484830/reviews) | **[5.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-notation-lab/id6480255515/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **49** | 6 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 44 MB | 26 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) | [Nishat Majid](https://appshunter.io/developer/1727207034) |

## What reviewers say

### 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 |


### Chess Notation Lab

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-notation-lab/id6480255515)

Master chess board coordinates and piece movement with this training app. Improve your ability to visualize moves, read notation, and understand square colors. Designed to enhance your chess calculations and potentially boost your rating.

**Highlights:** Identify squares by coordinate, Fluid piece movement visualization, Translate moves to notation, Identify square color, Orient on the board, Speed up calculation, Blind chess practice

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

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


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Encyclopedia 1 by Informant free?

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

### Is Chess Notation Lab free?

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

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

Chess Notation Lab is rated higher. Encyclopedia 1 by Informant averages 4.9 out of 5 from 49 ratings, while Chess Notation Lab averages 5.0 from 6 ratings.

### Do Encyclopedia 1 by Informant or Chess Notation Lab have ads?

Neither Encyclopedia 1 by Informant nor Chess Notation Lab shows ads.

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

Encyclopedia 1 by Informant ships an update every 3 months, and Chess Notation Lab every 3 days. Most recently, Encyclopedia 1 by Informant was updated on October 12, 2026 and Chess Notation Lab on October 14, 2026.

---

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