# Chess ∙ vs Next Chess Move

The clearest difference is price: Chess ∙ at Free against Next Chess Move's $2.99. Chess ∙ also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ratings volume (205K vs 124). Next Chess Move's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (76% vs 57%). On rating, chart position and device support there is nothing between them.

Chess ∙ is free to download; Next Chess Move costs $2.99 up front. Next Chess Move sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Chess ∙ asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for Chess ∙ against 4.5 for Next Chess Move. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chess ∙ has 205K ratings behind it against 124, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 57% of Chess ∙'s written reviews are positive against 76% of Next Chess Move's.

Chess ∙ ships an update every 4 months, Next Chess Move monthly. Both last shipped on September 26, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess ∙ | Next Chess Move |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $2.99 |
| Rating | [4.5 (205K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess/id311395856/reviews) | [4.5 (124 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/next-chess-move/id595697977/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **205K** | 124 |
| Positive reviews | 56.9% of reviews | **76.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #79 | **#60** |
| Size | 84 MB | 131 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Optime Software LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/289278460) | [Next Chess Move LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/458768443) |

## What reviewers say

### Chess ∙

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess/id311395856)

**Currently charting:** #79 Top Free · Strategy, #106 Top Free · Board (US App Store)

Experience a visually appealing and engaging chess game on your iPhone and iPod Touch. Play against friends or a customizable AI opponent with features like undo and automatic saving. Enjoy a free, ad-supported experience.

**Highlights:** 1 and 2 player gameplay, Challenging computer opponent, Great graphics and sound, Configurable difficulty, Undo function, Automatic save

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fun to play everyday
- 👍 Good free game
- 👍 Nice little game
- 👍 Very good practice
- 👍 Addictive

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 AD crazy
- 🐛 Major glitches make the game impossible
- 🐛 Force draw
- 🐛 Issues, needs fixing but has potential
- 🐛 Disappearing Pieces

**Reported bugs**

- Rook being able to move diagonally
- Stalemate glitch where it will preemptively call stalemate before it even happens
- Call stalemate when only the king can't move, and the other pieces can still move
- Pieces move too fast
- Doesn't allow en-passant moves by pawns

**Requested features**

- Undo from stalemate
- Highland opponents last move in green and my last move in blue
- Allow a third level of zoom to fill the screen
- Display a numeric value when difficulty slider is moved
- Ability to turn off safety where you can't move king to where it would get taken out


### Next Chess Move

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/next-chess-move/id595697977)

**Currently charting:** #60 Top Paid · Board, #167 Top Paid · Strategy (US App Store)

This application provides a powerful chess move calculator utilizing advanced engines like Stockfish 17.1 directly on your device. It also offers free access to numerous other engines running on remote hardware, with an optional upgrade for enhanced calculation strength and access to powerful servers and GPUs.

**Highlights:** On-device Stockfish 17.1, Free remote engine access, Large selection of chess engines, Optional Pro upgrade, Access to powerful cloud hardware, GPU acceleration for LcZero

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| NCM Pro | $18.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great tool for analysis
- 👍 Helpful for learning chess
- 👍 Strongest engines available
- 👍 Improves game understanding
- 👍 Convenient mobile access

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Neglected and buggy mess
- 🐛 Critical bugs break game
- 🐛 Outdated and poorly maintained UI
- 🐛 Feels abandoned while charging
- 🐛 Waste of money

**Reported bugs**

- Critical bugs that break the game (e.g., same color pieces moving consecutively)
- App doesn't turn on
- Update has challenges
- Cannot play anything
- LC0 version 0.30 with Networks Family T81 causes 'engine disconnected' error

**Requested features**

- Fix critical bugs
- Update UI
- Release a proper update
- Maintain the app properly
- Update to current stockfish 17


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chess ∙ free?

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

### Is Next Chess Move free?

Next Chess Move costs $2.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Chess ∙ or Next Chess Move?

Chess ∙ and Next Chess Move are both rated 4.5 out of 5 on the App Store, from 205K and 124 ratings respectively.

### Do Chess ∙ or Next Chess Move have ads?

Chess ∙ shows ads; Next Chess Move does not.

### Which is updated more often, Chess ∙ or Next Chess Move?

Chess ∙ ships an update every 4 months, and Next Chess Move monthly. Most recently, Chess ∙ was updated on September 26, 2026 and Next Chess Move on September 26, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Chess ∙ or Next Chess Move?

Chess ∙ currently peaks at #79 in the App Store charts, and Next Chess Move at #60. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*