Comparison

ChessManual vs Trap Chess

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

Head to head
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/

About

Trap Chess

This educational game offers a unique chess experience with a twist. Players face a computer opponent and must choose between two moves each turn, one of which may be a trap. It's designed to help beginners and intermediate players practice calculation and pattern recognition.

Highlights
  • Chess with a twist
  • Computer opponent
  • Two move choices per turn
  • Trap detection
  • Practice calculation
  • Sharpen pattern recognition
  • Quick sessions
Features
Read full description

Play chess with a twist designed for beginners and intermediate players. Face a computer opponent, and on every turn choose between two possible moves—one may be a trap. All standard chess rules apply. Use it to practice calculation, sharpen pattern recognition, or unwind with quick sessions. Familiar chess, new decisions: dodge the traps to win.

Screenshots

ChessManual4 screens
Trap Chess3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Trap Chess at none against ChessManual's 2. Trap Chess also leads on ads (none vs shown). On price, rating, ratings volume 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. ChessManual sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Trap Chess asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for ChessManual against 5.0 for Trap Chess. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 1 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
ChessManual versus Trap Chess: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterChessManualTrap Chess
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings11
Update frequencyEvery 2 months—
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationAd-supportedFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS1615.2 — better
Further details — not scored
Size116 MB96 MB
Age rating4+9+
DeveloperSergei LazarenkoIaroslav Mironov

Customer experience

ChessManual

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Trap Chess

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

ChessManual

Subscriptions2
  • ChessManual Pro Monthly3 Days trial$3.991 Month
  • ChessManual Pro Yearly7 Days trial$24.991 Year
None

Trap Chess

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is ChessManual free?
ChessManual is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Trap Chess free?
Trap Chess is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, ChessManual or Trap Chess?
ChessManual and Trap Chess are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 1 ratings respectively.
Do ChessManual or Trap Chess have ads?
ChessManual shows ads; Trap Chess does not.

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