# Chess vs Chessbook

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Chess at none against Chessbook's 2. Chess also leads on review sentiment (92% vs 83%). Chessbook's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs every 9 months) and ratings volume (2.2K vs 202). On price, rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Chessbook sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. Chess asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Chess against 4.9 for Chessbook. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chessbook has 2.2K ratings behind it against 202, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 92% of Chess's written reviews are positive against 83% of Chessbook's.

Chess ships an update every 9 months, Chessbook every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess | Chessbook |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (202 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-learn-chess/id305309870/reviews) | **[4.9 (2.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chessbook-master-openings/id6466343415/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 202 | **2.2K** |
| Positive reviews | **92.4% of reviews** | 82.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 5 MB | 121 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Tom Kerrigan](https://appshunter.io/developer/295445504) | [Chessbook](https://appshunter.io/developer/1707243137) |

## What reviewers say

### Chess

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-learn-chess/id305309870)

Discover the world of chess with this interactive e-book. Learn the rules, terminology, and essential strategies through engaging content and practice moves with interactive diagrams. Improve your game, whether you're a beginner or looking to refine your skills.

**Highlights:** Interactive e-book format, Teaches rules and terminology, Covers essential strategies, Interactive diagram feature, Practice legal moves

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Chessbook

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chessbook-master-openings/id6466343415)

Build a personalized chess opening repertoire with spaced repetition training. Identify weaknesses, learn optimal moves based on master game data, and avoid obscure lines. Review your online games for mistakes and master middlegame plans.

**Highlights:** Custom opening repertoire creation, Spaced repetition training, Automatic gap identification, Avoid obscure moves, Handle transpositions, Review online game mistakes, Learn middlegame plans

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Chessbook Pro - Monthly | $7.99 | per month |
| Chessbook Pro - Annual | $79.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Helpful for learning openings
- 👍 Easy to use and learn
- 🔒 Integrates with chess platforms
- 💡 Personalized repertoire building
- 🚀 Efficient spaced repetition

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App freezes or crashes
- 🔒 Limited free moves
- 💡 Inconsistent engine analysis
- 🔋 App causes phone to overheat

**Reported bugs**

- App not working on iPad
- Login issues on iPhone
- Inability to delete move sequences

**Requested features**

- Pause after completing move sequences
- Clearer instructions for beginners
- Customizable notification settings
- Option to input and practice specific positions


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chess free?

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

### Is Chessbook free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Chess or Chessbook?

Chessbook is rated higher. Chess averages 4.7 out of 5 from 202 ratings, while Chessbook averages 4.9 from 2.2K ratings.

### Do Chess or Chessbook have ads?

Neither Chess nor Chessbook shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Chess or Chessbook?

Chess ships an update every 9 months, and Chessbook every 3 days. Most recently, Chess was updated on November 1, 2026 and Chessbook on November 12, 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.*