# Chessify vs Fairy Chess

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Fairy Chess at 100% against Chessify's 46%. Fairy Chess also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 19) and iOS requirement (12.1 vs 16.0). Chessify's advantage is rating (4.4 vs 3.6) and ratings volume (398 vs 5). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Chessify sells 19 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Fairy Chess asks for nothing beyond the download.

Chessify holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chessify has 398 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 46% of Chessify's written reviews are positive against 100% of Fairy Chess's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Chessify ships an update monthly, Fairy Chess every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chessify | Fairy Chess |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (398 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chessify-magic-chess-tools/id1397066775/reviews)** | [3.6 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fairy-chess/id1448022981/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **398** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | 45.8% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 140 MB | 7 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **12.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Chessify Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1397066774) | [Simon Zehnder](https://appshunter.io/developer/1326757854) |

## 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 (19)**

| 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 |
| Starter Pack | $5.99 | one-time |
| Standard Pack | $11.49 | one-time |
| SuperFast analysis - 100000sec | $13.99 | one-time |
| Popular Pack | $29.49 | one-time |
| SuperFast analysis - unlimited | $34.99 | one-time |
| Ultimate Pack | $117.99 | 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


### Fairy Chess

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fairy-chess/id1448022981)

Experience a fresh take on chess with unique rules, new pieces, and a dynamic chessboard. Create custom starting positions and challenge the computer or a "boss" character. Progress through levels by winning games to unlock more pieces for your initial setup.

**Highlights:** New chess rules and pieces, Custom initial board positions, Play against computer or boss, Unlock new pieces by leveling up, Progressive difficulty

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chessify free?

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

### Is Fairy Chess free?

Fairy Chess is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

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

Chessify is rated higher. Chessify averages 4.4 out of 5 from 398 ratings, while Fairy Chess averages 3.6 from 5 ratings.

### Do Chessify or Fairy Chess have ads?

Neither Chessify nor Fairy Chess shows ads.

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

Chessify ships an update monthly, and Fairy Chess every 3 months. Most recently, Chessify was updated on October 28, 2026 and Fairy Chess on October 24, 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.*