# ChessPen vs Smart Chess 3D

The clearest difference is price: ChessPen at Free against Smart Chess 3D's $1.99. ChessPen also leads on iOS requirement (14.0 vs 16.6). Smart Chess 3D's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.3). On ratings volume, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

ChessPen is free to download; Smart Chess 3D costs $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Smart Chess 3D holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 2 respectively.

ChessPen ships an update every 25 months, Smart Chess 3D every 23 months. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ChessPen | Smart Chess 3D |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $1.99 |
| Rating | [4.3 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chesspen/id1605281063/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-chess-3d/id6471657341/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **4** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 25 months | **Every 23 months** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Paid |
| Size | 2 MB | 396 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 16.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [ENVISIONAIRY LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1605281065) | [Philippe Zay](https://appshunter.io/developer/1200498230) |

## What reviewers say

### ChessPen

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chesspen/id1605281063)

Record and manage chess games with a user-friendly interface. This app offers robust data storage and export options for players of all levels, from casual to tournament participants.

**Highlights:** Chess notation recording, Sleek interface, Easy-to-use UI, Powerful data storage, Data export capabilities

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Smart Chess 3D

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-chess-3d/id6471657341)

Experience chess in a visually stunning and customizable environment. Play against AI or friends with adjustable difficulty levels and track your progress with real-time feedback. Save your game and resume anytime.

**Highlights:** Multiple 2D and 3D board visuals, AI, Player vs. Player, and AI vs. AI modes, Adjustable difficulty levels (Easy, Medium, Hard), Customizable table designs and backgrounds, Optional game clocks, Real-time text output for game insights, Automatic game state saving

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ChessPen free?

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

### Is Smart Chess 3D free?

Smart Chess 3D costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, ChessPen or Smart Chess 3D?

Smart Chess 3D is rated higher. ChessPen averages 4.3 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while Smart Chess 3D averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do ChessPen or Smart Chess 3D have ads?

Neither ChessPen nor Smart Chess 3D shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ChessPen or Smart Chess 3D?

ChessPen ships an update every 25 months, and Smart Chess 3D every 23 months. Most recently, ChessPen was updated on October 12, 2026 and Smart Chess 3D on October 6, 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.*