# ChessPen vs Chess Notation Lab

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Chess Notation Lab at 100% against ChessPen's 0%. Chess Notation Lab also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.3) and update cadence (every 3 days vs every 25 months). ChessPen's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 18.6). On price, ratings volume, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Chess Notation Lab sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. ChessPen asks for nothing beyond the download.

Chess Notation Lab holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 6 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of ChessPen's written reviews are positive against 100% of Chess Notation Lab's.

ChessPen ships an update every 25 months, Chess Notation Lab every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ChessPen | Chess Notation Lab |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chesspen/id1605281063/reviews) | **[5.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-notation-lab/id6480255515/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 4 | **6** |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 25 months | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 2 MB | 26 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 18.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [ENVISIONAIRY LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1605281065) | [Nishat Majid](https://appshunter.io/developer/1727207034) |

## 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


### Chess Notation Lab

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-notation-lab/id6480255515)

Master chess board coordinates and piece movement with this training app. Improve your ability to visualize moves, read notation, and understand square colors. Designed to enhance your chess calculations and potentially boost your rating.

**Highlights:** Identify squares by coordinate, Fluid piece movement visualization, Translate moves to notation, Identify square color, Orient on the board, Speed up calculation, Blind chess practice

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Version | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ChessPen free?

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

### Is Chess Notation Lab free?

Chess Notation Lab is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, ChessPen or Chess Notation Lab?

Chess Notation Lab is rated higher. ChessPen averages 4.3 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while Chess Notation Lab averages 5.0 from 6 ratings.

### Do ChessPen or Chess Notation Lab have ads?

Neither ChessPen nor Chess Notation Lab shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ChessPen or Chess Notation Lab?

ChessPen ships an update every 25 months, and Chess Notation Lab every 3 days. Most recently, ChessPen was updated on September 26, 2026 and Chess Notation Lab on October 14, 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.*