# Chess Genius vs Chessify

The clearest difference is price: Chessify at Free against Chess Genius's $5.99. Chessify also leads on rating (4.4 vs 3.9) and update cadence (monthly vs every 12 months). Chess Genius's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 19) and review sentiment (79% vs 46%). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Chessify is free to download; Chess Genius costs $5.99 up front. Chessify sells 19 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Chess Genius asks for nothing beyond the download.

Chessify holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chessify has 398 ratings behind it against 10, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 79% of Chess Genius's written reviews are positive against 46% of Chessify's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Chess Genius ships an update every 12 months, Chessify monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess Genius | Chessify |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $5.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [3.9 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-genius/id294631172/reviews) | **[4.4 (398 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chessify-magic-chess-tools/id1397066775/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 10 | **398** |
| Positive reviews | **78.9% of reviews** | 46.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 12 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 2 MB | 140 MB |
| Requires iOS | **6.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Lang Software Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/294631175) | [Chessify Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1397066774) |

## What reviewers say

### Chess Genius

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-genius/id294631172)

This award-winning chess program offers superb playing strength with hundreds of levels for all skill sets. It features a clear interface, displays game analysis, and allows for saving, loading, and sharing games. Enjoy features like hints, legal move displays, and unlimited take-backs.

**Highlights:** Hundreds of playing levels, Displays thinking and analysis, Save/load games in PGN format, Hint and Tutor features, Unlimited take back, 2 player and self-play modes

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 💪 Strong chess engine
- 🧠 Good for learning and practice
- ✨ Classic and well-established program
- 👍 Simple and effective interface
- 🚀 Fast performance

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 📉 Outdated graphics
- 🐌 Slow updates
- ⚠️ Incompatible with newer iOS versions
- ❓ Confusing interface/menus

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes frequently, especially when ending games
- Cannot access settings
- App crashes when starting new game or changing settings
- Not working with iOS 17
- Not working with iOS 14.3

**Requested features**

- Update for iOS compatibility
- Refresh and update the app
- Take advantage of iOS file app features
- Specify opening repertoire training
- Don't let playing style be trainer/hint man


### Chessify

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chessify-magic-chess-tools/id1397066775)

This app offers advanced chess analysis tools, including a real-time chessboard scanner, powerful cloud-based engines, and a unique video finder. Analyze games, puzzles, and learn chess theory with comprehensive features for players of all levels.

**Highlights:** Real chessboard scanner, Superfast cloud chess engine analysis, Video finder for chess positions, Offline play against Stockfish, Opening Explorer with Lichess database, Import/export FEN/PGN, Online real-time Blitz

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (19)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Bronze 1 Month | $0.99 | per month |
| Silver 1 month | $2.49 | per month |
| Gold 1 Month | $7.99 | per month |
| Bronze 12 months | $7.99 | per year |
| Amateur | $12.99 | per month |
| Silver 12 months | $14.99 | per year |
| Gold 12 months | $49.99 | per year |
| Master | $59.99 | per month |
| Amateur Yearly | $129.99 | per year |
| Master | $559.99 | per year |
| SuperFast analysis - 1000 sec. | $0.99 | one-time |
| SuperFast analysis - 10000sec. | $3.99 | one-time |
| SuperFast analysis - 30000sec. | $5.99 | one-time |
| Starter Pack | $5.99 | one-time |
| Standard Pack | $11.49 | one-time |
| SuperFast analysis - 100000sec | $13.99 | one-time |
| Popular Pack | $29.49 | one-time |
| SuperFast analysis - unlimited | $34.99 | one-time |
| Ultimate Pack | $117.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 📸 Accurate chess board scanning from photos
- 🚀 Fast and efficient position analysis
- ☁️ Cloud-based powerful chess engine (Stockfish)
- 💾 Easy PGN export and saving functionality
- 📚 Perfect for studying chess books

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and freezes
- 📸 Inconsistent scanning accuracy
- ❌ App doesn't work on iOS 18 and older versions
- 💰 Expensive paywall with limited free features
- 🔥 Device overheating issues reported

**Reported bugs**

- Black screen in camera view during scanning
- Scanning omits first or last rank of board
- App crashes when loading images
- Buttons not clickable on certain iOS versions
- Position not recognized from screenshots

**Requested features**

- Add move comments and annotations capability
- Board flip option during gameplay
- Auto-save functionality to prevent position loss
- Ability to edit and extend saved games
- Tactics puzzle mode with move verification


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chess Genius free?

Chess Genius costs $5.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Chessify free?

Chessify is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Chess Genius or Chessify?

Chessify is rated higher. Chess Genius averages 3.9 out of 5 from 10 ratings, while Chessify averages 4.4 from 398 ratings.

### Do Chess Genius or Chessify have ads?

Neither Chess Genius nor Chessify shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Chess Genius or Chessify?

Chess Genius ships an update every 12 months, and Chessify monthly. Most recently, Chess Genius was updated on October 16, 2026 and Chessify on October 11, 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.*