Comparison

Chess Mess vs ChessManual

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

Head to head
About

Chess Mess

Features
Read full description

An application for learning the rules of the game of chess. Contains a description of each figure and tasks to solve. Chess problems are divided into three difficulty levels: simple, medium difficulty and complex. When solving problems, you can use the hint. Statistics of solved problems are kept.

About

ChessManual

Master the game of chess with interactive lessons, puzzles, and classic game analysis. Suitable for all skill levels, from beginners to advanced players, it offers a comprehensive and engaging learning experience.

Highlights
  • Interactive chess puzzles
  • Games by world champions
  • Classic and modern chess strategies
  • Learn and play quests
  • Kid-friendly lessons
  • Comprehensive step-by-step lessons
  • Checkmate challenges
Features
Read full description

Learn chess in short, focused steps—and turn every idea into a move on the board. ChessManual is an interactive chess book for beginners, kids, parents, and club players who want a clear path from the rules to confident play. Instead of memorizing disconnected positions, you learn an idea, check your understanding, and practice it in a matching puzzle. BUILD A SOLID FOUNDATION • Start with the board, piece movement, special rules, and basic checkmates. • Continue through tactics, positional ideas, strategy, openings, and endgames. • Answer quick questions inside lessons to make sure each idea sticks. • Return to reference articles whenever you want to review a concept. PRACTICE ON AN INTERACTIVE BOARD • Solve chess positions grouped by theme and difficulty. • See the goal and the side to move before every puzzle. • Ask for a hint when you need a nudge. • Work through checkmate challenges and practical tactical patterns. • Replay annotated games and learn from the plans of world champions. MAKE DAILY PROGRESS VISIBLE • Track completed lessons and puzzles. • Build a daily learning streak and unlock achievements. • Review your recent practice activity. • See accuracy and hint-use trends from your own moves. KNOW WHAT TO PRACTICE NEXT ChessManual turns your practice history into useful direction. Detailed Insights can highlight weak themes, compare performance by topic and difficulty, and recommend matching puzzles—so your next session starts with a clear goal. CHESSMANUAL PRO Upgrade when you are ready for: • Unlimited hints • Detailed progress and weak-topic insights • Personalized puzzle recommendations • Streak recovery without watching an ad • An ad-free learning experience The app is free to download and includes an optional ChessManual Pro subscription. Prices, billing periods, and any introductory offer are shown in the app before purchase and may vary by storefront. Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled in your App Store account settings. Learn more and get support: https://slazarenko.com/apps/chess-learn-and-play/ Advertising information: https://slazarenko.com/app-ads.txt Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://slazarenko.com/privacy/

Screenshots

Chess Mess4 screens
ChessManual4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Chess Mess at none against ChessManual's shown. Chess Mess also leads on iOS requirement (9.0 vs 16). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases 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. Chess Mess sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and ChessManual sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Chess Mess ships an update every 3 months, ChessManual every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Chess Mess versus ChessManual: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterChess MessChessManual
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—1 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
Monetization—Ad-supported
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS9.0 — better16
Further details — not scored
Size61 MB116 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBalinaSoft OOOSergei Lazarenko

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Chess Mess

One-time1
  • Paid Chess Tasks$0.99
2 purchases

ChessManual

Subscriptions2
  • ChessManual Pro Monthly3 Days trial$3.991 Month
  • ChessManual Pro Yearly7 Days trial$24.991 Year

Questions

Is Chess Mess free?
Chess Mess is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is ChessManual free?
ChessManual is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Chess Mess or ChessManual have ads?
ChessManual shows ads; Chess Mess does not.
Which is updated more often, Chess Mess or ChessManual?
Chess Mess ships an update every 3 months, and ChessManual every 2 months. Most recently, Chess Mess was updated on October 17, 2026 and ChessManual on October 21, 2026.

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