# Chess Genius vs ChessBase Mobile Chess

The clearest difference is price: ChessBase Mobile Chess at Free against Chess Genius's $5.99. ChessBase Mobile Chess also leads on update cadence (every 6 months vs every 12 months). Chess Genius's advantage is rating (3.9 vs 2.9) and review sentiment (79% vs 41%). On ratings volume, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

ChessBase Mobile Chess is free to download; Chess Genius costs $5.99 up front. ChessBase Mobile Chess sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $3.99 per month. Chess Genius asks for nothing beyond the download.

Chess Genius holds the better App Store score, 3.9 against 2.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 10 and 18 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 79% of Chess Genius's written reviews are positive against 41% of ChessBase Mobile Chess's.

Chess Genius ships an update every 12 months, ChessBase Mobile Chess every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess Genius | ChessBase Mobile Chess |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $5.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[3.9 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-genius/id294631172/reviews)** | [2.9 (18 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chessbase-mobile-chess/id6739000093/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 10 | **18** |
| Positive reviews | **78.9% of reviews** | 40.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 12 months | **Every 6 months** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Freemium** |
| Best chart rank | **#193** | — |
| Size | 2 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | **6.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Lang Software Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/294631175) | [ChessBase GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/417720797) |

## What reviewers say

### Chess Genius

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

**Currently charting:** #193 Top Paid · Board (US App Store)

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


### 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 Chess Genius free?

Chess Genius costs $5.99, 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, Chess Genius or ChessBase Mobile Chess?

Chess Genius is rated higher. Chess Genius averages 3.9 out of 5 from 10 ratings, while ChessBase Mobile Chess averages 2.9 from 18 ratings.

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

Neither Chess Genius nor ChessBase Mobile Chess shows ads.

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

Chess Genius ships an update every 12 months, and ChessBase Mobile Chess every 6 months. Most recently, Chess Genius was updated on October 19, 2026 and ChessBase Mobile Chess on October 18, 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.*