Comparison

idChess vs Fenify

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

Head to head
About

idChess

This app uses computer vision to recognize and digitize chess moves played on a physical board in real-time. It records games in standard notation, allowing for analysis and broadcasting. Turn any chessboard into a digital one for learning and sharing.

Highlights
  • Real-time move recognition
  • Digitizes physical chess games
  • Saves games in PGN and GIF formats
  • Broadcasts games to an audience
  • Offline game digitization
  • AI-powered piece recognition
  • Replaces expensive electronic boards
Features
Read full description

idChess is a mobile app for recognizing, digitizing, and broadcasting offline chess games, played on a real board. The app recognizes chess moves during the game in real time, records them in the form of chess notation, and saves them on your smartphone in PGN and GIF formats. idChess digitizes games, including blitz and rapid games. It can be used to broadcast chess games to a wide audience. Download the idChess mobile app for free and play chess offline in a technologically advanced way! **idChess for chess players and chess organizations** Chess federations, schools, and clubs use idChess both to conduct chess broadcasts and to teach children to play chess. Also, idChess is suitable for individual use by players. In the process of self-study, idChess helps you simplify the chess learning process, keep a history of online and offline games, track your progress and improve your game. **idChess is used by chess players all over the world** The idChess app is already actively used in Russia, India, Bahrain, Turkey, Armenia, Ghana, Kyrgyzstan, and other countries. As part of the World Chess Olympiad 2022 in India, the classical tournament was digitized and broadcast using the idChess app and its chess recognition feature. idChess is an innovative product for chess players that has no analogs in the world. **Recognize and broadcast chess games** idChess is based on computer vision and machine learning technologies. Using artificial intelligence, idChess recognizes chess pieces on the board and automatically records the chess notation of your game. To record and broadcast games, all you need is the idChess app installed on your smartphone and a tripod to securely mount your smartphone above the board. You can recognize games even offline. The idChess app does not require an Internet connection to digitize games. **Turn your regular chessboard into an electronic one with idChess!** The idChess mobile app replaces expensive electronic boards for digitizing and broadcasting chess games. You can play on a regular chessboard: magnetic, wooden, plastic, or any other, and then immediately view the game in the form of a chess diagram on your smartphone and analyze it. The size of a chessboard does not affect the operation of the app. The only criterion is that chess pieces must be made according to the classical Staunton model. **How to start recording chess games** To record games, you only need a smartphone with the idChess app installed and a tripod to mount the smartphone above the board. To start using the application, you need: 1) Attach a tripod to the table where the chessboard is located. 2) Place chess pieces in their starting position. 3) Fix the smartphone in a tripod with the screen facing up so that the camera points at the chessboard, and the entire playing field falls into the lens. 4) Run the app and start recording. **Analysis and sharing of chess games** After completion, the game will be saved in the games library in the usual PGN or GIF format for chess players. Also, the app functions as a PGN viewer. The game recording will be available for sending to your coach via any convenient messenger, and it will also be possible to share the recording on social networks. For self-analysis of chess games, the Stockfish engine is built into the idChess mobile app. Even a child can handle the game analysis in the app! idChess highlights strong and weak moves in chess notation and ranks them by points. The app and our digital chess set are great helpers for chess kids, their parents, and coaches. Chess for children has never been so clear! idChess will be a great addition to the game of chess, as well as a chess timer / clock. It can replace a chess computer. Play chess with friends or a coach or analyze mistakes yourself in the idChess mobile app! **Online broadcasts of your games** Thanks to idChess, everyone can see your game on a regular board. EULA: https://idchess.com/legal/idChess/EULA

About

Fenify

Features
Read full description

Turn an over-the-board chess game into a replay you can study. Fenify scans live games with your iPhone camera or imports recorded games from Photos. It reconstructs the board and moves, then keeps the video, digital board, move list, and Stockfish analysis synchronized in one review. SCAN YOUR WAY • Capture a live game with the camera • Import an existing chess video REVIEW EVERY MOVE • Replay the original video beside a reconstructed board • Jump to individual moves or scrub through the game • Review Stockfish evaluations and analysis • Identify the opening and result • Export and share a clean PGN BUILT FOR REAL BOARDS Fenify works best with standard chess pieces, legal moves, a clear board view, and a steady recording from one side of the board. A stand is highly recommended. Your videos and game analysis are processed and stored on your device by default. Diagnostic material is uploaded only if you choose to report a game.

Screenshots

idChess4 screens
Fenify4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Fenify at none against idChess's 4. Fenify also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 5 weeks). idChess's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). On price, 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

Both are free to download. idChess sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per month. Fenify asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

idChess ships an update every 5 weeks, Fenify weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
idChess versus Fenify: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameteridChessFenify
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (15 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews69.6% of reviews—
Number of ratings15 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeksWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS13.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size315 MB129 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperidSport LLCLogan Spears

In-app purchases

4 purchases

idChess

Subscriptions4
  • Monthly subscription$8.991 Month
  • Biannual subscription$35.006 Months
  • Annual subscription7 Days trial$49.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Annual subscription$54.001 Year
None

Fenify

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is idChess free?
idChess is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Fenify free?
Fenify is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do idChess or Fenify have ads?
Neither idChess nor Fenify shows ads.
Which is updated more often, idChess or Fenify?
idChess ships an update every 5 weeks, and Fenify weekly. Most recently, idChess was updated on October 24, 2026 and Fenify on October 12, 2026.

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