# HIARCS Chess vs Openings Mastermind

The clearest difference is price: Openings Mastermind at Free against HIARCS Chess's $9.99. Openings Mastermind also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 3 months). HIARCS Chess's advantage is rating (4.8 vs 4.3) and review sentiment (76% vs 50%). On ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Openings Mastermind is free to download; HIARCS Chess costs $9.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

HIARCS Chess holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: HIARCS Chess has 204 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 76% of HIARCS Chess's written reviews are positive against 50% of Openings Mastermind's.

HIARCS Chess ships an update every 3 months, Openings Mastermind fortnightly. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | HIARCS Chess | Openings Mastermind |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $9.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.8 (204 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hiarcs-chess/id327708154/reviews)** | [4.3 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/openings-mastermind/id6448386251/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **204** | 6 |
| Positive reviews | **75.9% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Size | 21 MB | 88 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 18.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Applied Computer Concepts Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/327708157) | [Christian Heise](https://appshunter.io/developer/1632898424) |

## What reviewers say

### HIARCS Chess

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hiarcs-chess/id327708154)

This app offers a powerful chess engine for playing, analyzing, and learning chess. It provides adjustable difficulty levels and coaching features to help players of all abilities improve their game. Analyze professional games and track your progress with an Elo rating.

**Highlights:** World Championship winning chess engine, Adjustable playing strengths and styles, Advanced coaching features, Elo rating tracking, PGN database support, Large tournament book, Multiple playing modes

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Strong chess engine
- 👍 Human-like play
- 🧠 Excellent coaching/analysis features
- 🔧 Customizable difficulty levels
- 💾 Saves and loads games well

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and stability issues
- 🔍 Lacks advanced features (PGN import/export, database navigation)
- 🖼️ Outdated or subpar UI/UX
- 💤 Slow move animations
- 🤖 Engine strength may be overstated

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes on certain iOS versions
- Discount codes not working
- Issues with hotspot mode

**Requested features**

- PGN import/export functionality
- Advanced database navigation (next/previous game)
- Endgame tablebase support
- Improved UI/UX for modern devices
- More customization options


### Openings Mastermind

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/openings-mastermind/id6448386251)

Master chess openings with this app. Import studies, explore with advanced engines, and practice specific lines through repetition. Track your progress and improve your game.

**Highlights:** Import Lichess Studies or PGNs, Explore openings with Stockfish 15, Practice openings by repetition, Smart practice queue, Track learning progress

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is HIARCS Chess free?

HIARCS Chess costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Openings Mastermind free?

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

### Which has better reviews, HIARCS Chess or Openings Mastermind?

HIARCS Chess is rated higher. HIARCS Chess averages 4.8 out of 5 from 204 ratings, while Openings Mastermind averages 4.3 from 6 ratings.

### Do HIARCS Chess or Openings Mastermind have ads?

Neither HIARCS Chess nor Openings Mastermind shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, HIARCS Chess or Openings Mastermind?

HIARCS Chess ships an update every 3 months, and Openings Mastermind fortnightly. Most recently, HIARCS Chess was updated on October 24, 2026 and Openings Mastermind on October 24, 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.*