# Chessify vs Chess Royale

The clearest difference is ads: Chessify at none against Chess Royale's shown. Chess Royale's advantage is ratings volume (20K vs 397) and review sentiment (60% vs 46%). On price, rating, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Chessify sells 15 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and Chess Royale sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.4 for Chessify against 4.5 for Chess Royale. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chess Royale has 20K ratings behind it against 397, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 46% of Chessify's written reviews are positive against 60% of Chess Royale's.

Chessify ships an update monthly, Chess Royale every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chessify | Chess Royale |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (397 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chessify-magic-chess-tools/id1397066775/reviews) | **[4.5 (20K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-royale/id1434658250/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 397 | **20K** |
| Positive reviews | 46.2% of reviews | **59.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 139 MB | 473 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Chessify Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1397066774) | [SayGames LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/1551847165) |

## What reviewers say

### Chessify

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chessify-magic-chess-tools/id1397066775)

This app offers advanced chess analysis tools, including a real-time chessboard scanner, powerful cloud-based engines, and a unique video finder. Analyze games, puzzles, and learn chess theory with comprehensive features for players of all levels.

**Highlights:** Real chessboard scanner, Superfast cloud chess engine analysis, Video finder for chess positions, Offline play against Stockfish, Opening Explorer with Lichess database, Import/export FEN/PGN, Online real-time Blitz

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (15)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Bronze 1 Month | $0.99 | per month |
| Silver 1 month | $2.49 | per month |
| Gold 1 Month | $7.99 | per month |
| Bronze 12 months | $7.99 | per year |
| Amateur | $12.99 | per month |
| Silver 12 months | $14.99 | per year |
| Gold 12 months | $49.99 | per year |
| Master | $59.99 | per month |
| Amateur Yearly | $129.99 | per year |
| Master | $559.99 | per year |
| SuperFast analysis - 1000 sec. | $0.99 | one-time |
| SuperFast analysis - 10000sec. | $3.99 | one-time |
| SuperFast analysis - 30000sec. | $5.99 | one-time |
| SuperFast analysis - 100000sec | $13.99 | one-time |
| SuperFast analysis - unlimited | $34.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 📸 Accurate chess board scanning from photos
- 🚀 Fast and efficient position analysis
- ☁️ Cloud-based powerful chess engine (Stockfish)
- 💾 Easy PGN export and saving functionality
- 📚 Perfect for studying chess books

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and freezes
- 📸 Inconsistent scanning accuracy
- ❌ App doesn't work on iOS 18 and older versions
- 💰 Expensive paywall with limited free features
- 🔥 Device overheating issues reported

**Reported bugs**

- Black screen in camera view during scanning
- Scanning omits first or last rank of board
- App crashes when loading images
- Buttons not clickable on certain iOS versions
- Position not recognized from screenshots

**Requested features**

- Add move comments and annotations capability
- Board flip option during gameplay
- Auto-save functionality to prevent position loss
- Ability to edit and extend saved games
- Tactics puzzle mode with move verification


### Chess Royale

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-royale/id1434658250)

Engage in the classic game of chess with millions worldwide. This app offers AI challenges, multiplayer matches, and extensive training tools including puzzles and post-game analysis to improve your strategic skills.

**Highlights:** Play against AI, Multiplayer matches, Chess puzzles, Post-game analysis, Beginner and advanced training, Multiple game modes

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Vip | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Vip | $19.99 | per month |
| Annual Vip | $39.99 | per year |
| Tiny Coins Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Tiny Gems Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Gold Reserve 2 | $2.99 | one-time |
| Coins Pack Offer | $3.99 | one-time |
| Disable Ads Forever | $4.99 | one-time |
| Medium Gems Pack | $6.99 | one-time |
| Large Gems Pack | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Enjoyable gameplay
- 🚀 Seamless matchmaking
- 💡 Helpful chess lessons and puzzles
- 🤩 Great for learning and improving chess skills

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤬 Excessive and disruptive advertisements
- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and freezes
- 🕰️ Long wait times between games due to ads
- 🤖 Suspicion of playing against bots instead of real players

**Reported bugs**

- Incorrect puzzle solutions being marked as wrong
- Game losses due to connection issues or app freezes
- Inconsistent trophy/ranking system
- Inability to report cheating or suspicious behavior

**Requested features**

- Ability to play longer timed games
- Option to disable ads for a one-time fee
- More advanced chess analysis and training features
- Improved matchmaking to pair players of similar skill levels


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chessify free?

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

### Is Chess Royale free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Chessify or Chess Royale?

Chess Royale is rated higher. Chessify averages 4.4 out of 5 from 397 ratings, while Chess Royale averages 4.5 from 20K ratings.

### Do Chessify or Chess Royale have ads?

Chess Royale shows ads; Chessify does not.

### Which is updated more often, Chessify or Chess Royale?

Chessify ships an update monthly, and Chess Royale every 5 weeks. Most recently, Chessify was updated on September 24, 2026 and Chess Royale on September 25, 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.*