# Lichess vs ChessBase Mobile Chess

The clearest difference is rating: Lichess at 4.1 against ChessBase Mobile Chess's 2.9. Lichess also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 6 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. ChessBase Mobile Chess sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $3.99 per month. Lichess asks for nothing beyond the download.

Lichess holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 2.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Lichess has 662 ratings behind it against 18, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 52% of Lichess's written reviews are positive against 41% of ChessBase Mobile Chess's.

Lichess ships an update fortnightly, ChessBase Mobile Chess every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Lichess | ChessBase Mobile Chess |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.1 (662 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lichess/id1662361230/reviews)** | [2.9 (18 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chessbase-mobile-chess/id6739000093/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **662** | 18 |
| Positive reviews | **51.8% of reviews** | 40.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 6 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | **#38** | — |
| Size | 86 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [LICHESS.ORG](https://appshunter.io/developer/968371783) | [ChessBase GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/417720797) |

## What reviewers say

### Lichess

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lichess/id1662361230)

**Currently charting:** #38 Top Free · Strategy (US App Store)

Play chess online with millions of users, participate in tournaments, solve puzzles, and analyze games. This free and open-source application offers a comprehensive chess experience for players of all levels, with features for learning and casual play.

**Highlights:** Real-time and correspondence chess, Arena tournaments, Chess puzzles, Game analysis with Stockfish, Interactive study feature, Chess clock

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great interface
- 🚀 Smooth performance
- 💡 Useful resources for learning and analysis

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional UI issues
- 💡 Room for more customization options

**Reported bugs**

- Swipe-to-go-back gesture interferes with piece placement

**Requested features**

- Name of opening in opening explorer
- Ability to add and subtract additional things on the homepage
- Reset/replay button on puzzles


### ChessBase Mobile Chess

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chessbase-mobile-chess/id6739000093)

Access a vast chess game database, save and analyze your own games, and practice openings. This app offers advanced notation and sharing features, with a free tier and optional premium upgrades for more extensive cloud storage and search capabilities.

**Highlights:** Access 13+ million chess games, Save and sync personal game databases, Analyze games with built-in engine, Live opening book statistics, Create and practice opening repertoires, Advanced game notation and sharing, PGN file compatibility

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ChessBase Premium (Monthly) | $3.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Lichess free?

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

### Is ChessBase Mobile Chess free?

ChessBase Mobile Chess is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Lichess or ChessBase Mobile Chess?

Lichess is rated higher. Lichess averages 4.1 out of 5 from 662 ratings, while ChessBase Mobile Chess averages 2.9 from 18 ratings.

### Do Lichess or ChessBase Mobile Chess have ads?

Neither Lichess nor ChessBase Mobile Chess shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Lichess or ChessBase Mobile Chess?

Lichess ships an update fortnightly, and ChessBase Mobile Chess every 6 months. Most recently, Lichess was updated on October 16, 2026 and ChessBase Mobile Chess 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.*