Comparison

Chess Openings Wizard vs Openit

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Chess Openings Wizard

This app helps tournament chess players prepare their openings by designing and testing their knowledge of specific lines. It offers powerful editing and training tools, syncing with desktop versions and providing Stockfish analysis for move validation. Prepare openings quickly with tools refined over decades.

Highlights
  • Design and test chess openings
  • Full editing and training power
  • Syncs with Mac and Windows versions
  • Stockfish analysis via PocketGM server
  • Pedigree ribbon shows top player game results
  • Fast opening preparation tools
Features
Read full description

Chess Openings Wizard is where tournament players go to work on their openings. The app is based on the Bookup program that first came out in 1984. The app has full editing and training power like its brethren apps on Macintosh and Windows. Openings can be moved back and forth to the Macintosh, Windows, and Android versions. Chess Openings Wizard does not play chess, nor does it come with a game collection. It is meant for designing openings for White and defenses for Black, and then testing the player's knowledge of the lines by playing mock games. Sample ebooks include an opening guide (thousands of named and categorized opening positions accessible through any move order), an ECO master framework, and the White and Black repertoires of Magnus Carlsen, Fabiano Caruana, and Robert Fischer. It also includes a demo ebook with excerpts from a highly annotated repertoire in the Open Game. Chess Openings Wizard has a dedicated PocketGM server giving you full speed Stockfish analysis. (Internet connection required.) The Pedigree ribbon shows the results of games in each opening position but uses only games between two super GMs. That way you know if the move is trusted by the best players. (And it's important to know if a move has never been played by a super GM when facing another super GM.) This is the same feature found in Chess Openings Wizard Professional for Macintosh and Windows. The short version is: if you are designing an opening with a game database app or with a playing program, you're working too hard. Chess Openings Wizard contains 42 years of refinements, with precisely the tools that a tournament player requires to prepare openings fast.

About

Openit

Learn chess openings through interactive play and guided lessons. This app offers a gamified approach to understanding and memorizing opening moves, with modes for learning and practice. Sharpen your chess strategy from the first move.

Highlights
  • Interactive opening library
  • Coach-guided explanations
  • Gamified progression with streaks
  • Practice mode for reinforcement
  • Learn popular chess openings
Features
Read full description

Openit makes learning chess openings fun, fast, and effective. Forget rote memorization. With Openit, you play, interact, and truly understand openings step by step, guided by a friendly in-app coach. Learn Mode • Choose from a growing library of openings • Explore interactive lines directly on the board • Get clear, simple explanations for every move • Keep your daily streak Practice Mode • Train without hints by playing the correct responses • Strengthen memory and pattern recognition Whether you’re rated 600 or 2000 Elo, Openit provides structured, gamified training to sharpen your play from move one. Key Features • Popular openings like the Vienna Gambit, French Defense, Italian Game, and more • Gamified progression with streaks • Coach-guided learning with simple, practical tips • Practice mode to test and reinforce your knowledge Spend just 5 minutes a day, turn your openings into a weapon, and start winning games earlier. Terms of Service: https://www.louisraffin.com/openit/terms-of-service Privacy Policy: https://www.louisraffin.com/openit/privacy-policy

Screenshots

Chess Openings Wizard4 screens
Openit4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Chess Openings Wizard at 55% against Openit's 0%. Chess Openings Wizard also leads on rating (5.0 vs 3.0) and in-app purchases (none vs 2). Openit's advantage is price (Free vs $6.99) and update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months). On ads 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Openit is free to download; Chess Openings Wizard costs $6.99 up front. Openit sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Chess Openings Wizard asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Chess Openings Wizard holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 1 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 55% of Chess Openings Wizard's written reviews are positive against 0% of Openit's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Chess Openings Wizard ships an update every 2 months, Openit weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 17, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 2 level
Chess Openings Wizard versus Openit: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterChess Openings WizardOpenit
Price$6.99Free — better
Rating5.0 (4 ratings) — better3.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews54.5% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings4 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFreemium — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS11.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size167 MB137 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBookup Corp.Louis Raffin

Customer experience

Chess Openings Wizard

All ratings4 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews22 reviews
Positive54.5%
Neutral0.0%
Negative45.5%

Openit

All ratings1 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral100.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral100.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Chess Openings Wizard

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Openit

Subscriptions2
  • Openit Pro Monthly$2.991 Month
  • Openit Pro Annual7 Days trial$14.991 Year

Questions

Is Chess Openings Wizard free?
Chess Openings Wizard costs $6.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Openit free?
Openit is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Chess Openings Wizard or Openit?
Chess Openings Wizard is rated higher. Chess Openings Wizard averages 5.0 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while Openit averages 3.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Chess Openings Wizard or Openit have ads?
Neither Chess Openings Wizard nor Openit shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Chess Openings Wizard or Openit?
Chess Openings Wizard ships an update every 2 months, and Openit weekly. Most recently, Chess Openings Wizard was updated on September 17, 2026 and Openit on September 21, 2026.

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