# Stockfish Chess vs Chessify

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Stockfish Chess at none against Chessify's 19. Stockfish Chess also leads on review sentiment (70% vs 46%) and iOS requirement (7.0 vs 16.0). Chessify's advantage is rating (4.4 vs 4.0). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Chessify sells 19 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Stockfish Chess asks for nothing beyond the download.

Chessify holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 219 and 398 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 70% of Stockfish Chess'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.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Stockfish Chess | Chessify |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (219 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stockfish-chess/id305558605/reviews) | **[4.4 (398 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chessify-magic-chess-tools/id1397066775/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 219 | **398** |
| Positive reviews | **69.8% of reviews** | 46.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Monthly |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 38 MB | 140 MB |
| Requires iOS | **7.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Tord Romstad](https://appshunter.io/developer/305558608) | [Chessify Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1397066774) |

## What reviewers say

### Stockfish Chess

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stockfish-chess/id305558605)

This free chess program offers a strong playing experience with adjustable difficulty and diverse play styles. It includes a comprehensive opening book, engine analysis, and the ability to set up custom positions. Users can save, load, and share games, and customize the visual appearance.

**Highlights:** Adjustable playing strength, Multiple play styles, Extensive opening book, Engine analysis display, Custom board position setup, Save and load games (PGN), Customizable piece sets and colors

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### 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 Stockfish Chess free?

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

### Is Chessify free?

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

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

Chessify is rated higher. Stockfish Chess averages 4.0 out of 5 from 219 ratings, while Chessify averages 4.4 from 398 ratings.

### Do Stockfish Chess or Chessify have ads?

Neither Stockfish Chess nor Chessify shows ads.

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

Stockfish Chess ships an update monthly, and Chessify monthly. Most recently, Stockfish Chess was updated on October 23, 2026 and Chessify on October 25, 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.*