Verbal Chess vs Chess Notation Trainer
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Verbal Chess
Play chess using only your voice, making it accessible for everyone. Control every aspect of the game, from moves to navigation, without touching the screen. Ideal for multitasking or those with physical limitations.
- Voice-controlled gameplay
- Hands-free operation
- Accessible for physical limitations
- Blindfold chess mode
- Full app navigation by voice
- Play against AI or global players
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Play chess using only your voice! Are your hands busy making dinner? Or are you relaxing in a tub? Exercising on a treadmill? With Verbal Chess, you can play against computer engines or against players around the world using only your voice. There's no need to touch the screen. Have trouble interacting with the piece images on the screen? With Verbal Chess, the entire app is controllable by your voice. Physical limitations aren't a barrier to your playing chess. And for blindfold chess, you can lean back in your recliner, close your eyes and play the entire game. Since Verbal Chess announces your opponent's moves, you never have to look at the screen. Verbal Chess is unique in that every part of the program (except login passwords) can be controlled by your voice - every screen, every option and every move. Even program navigation can be done with only your voice. Once connected, you never have to touch the screen to enjoy every aspect of Verbal Chess. If working with the screen because of a physical handicap is a problem, with Verbal Chess you can have fun playing chess. Or are your hands busy? Maybe something simple like holding a sloppy burger and you would like to play a game while eating, Verbal Chess can do that for you. Verbal Chess comes from the creator of Chessvis. Download it today. Terms of Use URL: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Chess Notation Trainer
Master chess squares and notation with this training app. Improve your ability to identify coordinates, translate moves, and visualize the board, even without one. Ideal for serious players looking to enhance calculation speed and chess understanding.
- Identify squares by coordinate
- Translate move sequences to notation
- Determine square color instantly
- Stay oriented on the board
- Follow chess tutorials without a board
- Speed up calculation
- Practice blind chess
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Serious about chess? But struggling to identify the squares, remembering sequences and follow chess notations? Well, you just landed on the perfect app! This training app is designed to dramatically uplift your mastery over chess squares. There are 5 training sessions. A small dose of regular practice will make you: 1. Spot a square as soon as you hear or see its coordinate 2. Translate a sequence of moves into their notation at ease 3. Immediately identify the color of a square 4. Stay oriented regardless of you facing white or black 5. Follow along with chess tutorials, books or any discussion without a board 6. Massively speedup your thought process on any calculation 7. Finally, start playing blind chess! Don't be surprised if you see a sudden surge of rating simply increasing your strength on square reading. The free version is already good enough to cause a major spike in your chess career. However, a one time purchase will unlock the full version which includes: - Extended time controls - Untimed practice mode - Milestones and achievements - Board assistance during training - And a complete visualization of your records There will be no ads, neither in the full version nor in the free one. Just a beautiful and satisfyingly addictive way to your square mastery. Caution: If you are rated below 1500, this app is probably not gonna be as useful for you, and tactics training is something you should prioritize.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Chess Notation Trainer at 4.4 against Verbal Chess's 3.5. Chess Notation Trainer also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 2 days vs fortnightly). Verbal Chess's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.6). On price, ratings volume, in-app purchases and monetization model 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
Both are free to download. Verbal Chess sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Chess Notation Trainer sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Chess Notation Trainer holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 3.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 13 and 18 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 86% of Verbal Chess's written reviews are positive against 100% of Chess Notation Trainer's.
Verbal Chess ships an update fortnightly, Chess Notation Trainer every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Verbal Chess | Chess Notation Trainer |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.5 (13 ratings) | 4.4 (18 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 85.7% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 13 | 18 — better |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | Every 2 days — better |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 18.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 90 MB | 26 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Conceptual Software, Inc. | Nishat Majid |
Customer experience
Verbal Chess
Chess Notation Trainer
In-app purchases
Verbal Chess
- Verbal Chess - Monthly$2.991 Month
- Verbal Chess - Annual$14.991 Year
- Verbal Chess - Perpetual$39.99
Chess Notation Trainer
- Full Version$4.99
Questions
Is Verbal Chess free?
Is Chess Notation Trainer free?
Which has better reviews, Verbal Chess or Chess Notation Trainer?
Do Verbal Chess or Chess Notation Trainer have ads?
Which is updated more often, Verbal Chess or Chess Notation Trainer?
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