# Learn Cryptic Crosswords vs Chessable

Learn Cryptic Crosswords and Chessable both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 95% of Learn Cryptic Crosswords's written reviews are positive against 50% of Chessable's. Chessable's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 9 months) and ratings volume (5.9K vs 448). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Learn Cryptic Crosswords sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and Chessable sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $11.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Learn Cryptic Crosswords against 4.8 for Chessable. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chessable has 5.9K ratings behind it against 448, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 95% of Learn Cryptic Crosswords's written reviews are positive against 50% of Chessable's.

Learn Cryptic Crosswords ships an update every 9 months, Chessable every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Learn Cryptic Crosswords | Chessable |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (448 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/learn-cryptic-crosswords/id1281120570/reviews) | [4.8 (5.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chessable-study-chess-smarter/id1523279049/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 448 | **5.9K** |
| Positive reviews | **95.0% of reviews** | 49.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 9 MB | 55 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | +4 | 4+ |
| Developer | [Teazel](https://appshunter.io/developer/576525182) | [Chess.com](https://appshunter.io/developer/329218552) |

## What reviewers say

### Learn Cryptic Crosswords

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/learn-cryptic-crosswords/id1281120570)

Master the art of cryptic crosswords with this interactive guide. It breaks down clue types, offers step-by-step learning through six chapters, and includes practice exercises and puzzles to build your solving skills.

**Highlights:** Step-by-step clue explanations, Interactive exercises, Practice puzzles, Skill development guidance, Reference tools

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Discount price | $2.99 | one-time |
| Access to every chapter | $3.99 | one-time |
| Access to every chapter | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Excellent step-by-step guide
- 🚀 Comprehensive and informative
- 💡 Interactive and engaging learning
- 👍 Helpful and clear explanations
- 👍 Structured and logical progression

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional technical issues
- 🔒 Lack of cross-device progress sync
- 💰 Paywall after initial free content

**Reported bugs**

- Menu button freezing the app
- Inability to fill in answers directly

**Requested features**

- Ability to take notes within the app
- Integrated anagram solver and reference tools
- Option to skip ahead to practice puzzles


### Chessable

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chessable-study-chess-smarter/id1523279049)

Master chess openings, tactics, and endgames with a science-backed system. Learn from top players and retain moves through spaced repetition. Track your progress and join a community of players improving their game.

**Highlights:** Spaced repetition system, 1,000+ chess courses, Learn from top players, MoveTrainer® for practice, Offline mode (PRO), Progress tracking

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Chessable Monthly Membership | $11.99 | per month |
| Chessable Annual Membership | $74.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent learning tool
- 📚 Comprehensive chess courses
- 🧠 Effective spaced repetition
- 👍 User-friendly interface
- 🎥 Helpful video instruction

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🔍 Limited search and navigation
- 📵 Lack of offline access
- 🔒 Issues with paid subscription
- 🖥️ Inferior to web version

**Reported bugs**

- Inconsistent login and account issues
- Unreliable offline functionality
- Glitches with move tracking and progress
- Video playback problems

**Requested features**

- Analysis board and opening explorer
- Ability to customize font size
- Landscape mode support
- Improved video playback controls
- Syncing progress across devices


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Learn Cryptic Crosswords free?

Learn Cryptic Crosswords is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Chessable free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Learn Cryptic Crosswords or Chessable?

Learn Cryptic Crosswords and Chessable are both rated 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store, from 448 and 5.9K ratings respectively.

### Do Learn Cryptic Crosswords or Chessable have ads?

Neither Learn Cryptic Crosswords nor Chessable shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Learn Cryptic Crosswords or Chessable?

Learn Cryptic Crosswords ships an update every 9 months, and Chessable every 3 weeks. Most recently, Learn Cryptic Crosswords was updated on September 23, 2026 and Chessable on September 26, 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.*