# Chessify vs ChessUp

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: ChessUp at none against Chessify's 15. ChessUp also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.4) and ratings volume (2.6K vs 397). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Chessify sells 15 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. ChessUp asks for nothing beyond the download.

ChessUp holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ChessUp has 2.6K ratings behind it against 397, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 46% of Chessify's written reviews are positive against 55% of ChessUp's.

Chessify ships an update monthly, ChessUp every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chessify | ChessUp |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (397 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chessify-magic-chess-tools/id1397066775/reviews) | **[4.8 (2.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chessup/id1588782312/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 397 | **2.6K** |
| Positive reviews | 46.2% of reviews | **54.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 139 MB | 218 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 16 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Chessify Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1397066774) | [Bryght Labs Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1588782314) |

## 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


### ChessUp

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chessup/id1588782312)

This app enhances your chess experience with a smart chessboard. It offers game archives, analysis, and live AI assistance. Connect to play remote opponents on various platforms.

**Highlights:** Chess game archives, Game analysis, Live AI assistance, Remote opponent play, BLE connectivity

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great app and board
- 👍 Fantastic board to learn and improve game
- 🚀 Awesome chess experience
- 👍 Wonderful app
- 👍 Incredible learning tool

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Lots of bugs and glitches
- 🐛 Crashes and connectivity issues
- 🐛 Misleading marketing and unfinished product
- 🐛 Haptics issues and unresponsive interface
- 🐛 AI difficulty imbalanced

**Reported bugs**

- Moves not registering
- Bluetooth connectivity issues
- Crashes and freezes
- Sync issues between app and board
- Lessons not working properly

**Requested features**

- Add chess openings lessons
- Implement position setup and export/import
- Add post-game review mechanism
- Improve AI difficulty scaling
- Add chess puzzles


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chessify free?

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

### Is ChessUp free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Chessify or ChessUp?

ChessUp is rated higher. Chessify averages 4.4 out of 5 from 397 ratings, while ChessUp averages 4.8 from 2.6K ratings.

### Do Chessify or ChessUp have ads?

Neither Chessify nor ChessUp shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Chessify or ChessUp?

Chessify ships an update monthly, and ChessUp every 3 weeks. Most recently, Chessify was updated on September 24, 2026 and ChessUp 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.*