# Chess.com vs Chess Notation Lab

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Chess Notation Lab at 100% against Chess.com's 64%. Chess Notation Lab also leads on ads (none vs shown) and rating (5.0 vs 4.8). Chess.com's advantage is ratings volume (827K vs 6) and chart position (#5 vs unranked). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Chess.com sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Chess Notation Lab sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Chess Notation Lab holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chess.com has 827K ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 64% of Chess.com's written reviews are positive against 100% of Chess Notation Lab's.

Chess.com ships an update weekly, Chess Notation Lab every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess.com | Chess Notation Lab |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (827K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chesscom-play-and-learn/id329218549/reviews) | **[5.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-notation-lab/id6480255515/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **827K** | 6 |
| Positive reviews | 63.9% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Weekly | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#5** | — |
| Size | 445 MB | 26 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.0** | 18.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Chess.com](https://appshunter.io/developer/329218552) | [Nishat Majid](https://appshunter.io/developer/1727207034) |

## What reviewers say

### Chess.com

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chesscom-play-and-learn/id329218549)

**Currently charting:** #5 Top Free · Board, #6 Top Free · Strategy, #8 Top Grossing · Board, #21 Top Grossing · Strategy, #59 Top Free · Games, #91 Top Grossing · Games (US App Store)

Engage in online and offline chess matches with millions of players worldwide. Improve your skills through interactive lessons, over 500,000 puzzles, and powerful AI opponents. Compete in tournaments and explore various chess variants.

**Highlights:** Online multiplayer chess, Offline play against AI, Extensive puzzle library, Interactive chess lessons, Tournament participation, Chess variants, Game analysis

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Gold Membership | $4.99 | per month |
| Gold Membership | $6.99 | per month |
| Platinum Membership | $6.99 | per month |
| Platinum Membership | $10.99 | per month |
| Diamond Membership | $14.99 | per month |
| Diamond Membership | $16.99 | per month |
| Gold Membership | $29.99 | per year |
| Platinum Membership | $49.99 | per year |
| Gold Membership | $49.99 | per year |
| Platinum Membership | $79.99 | per year |
| Diamond Membership | $99.99 | per year |
| Diamond Membership | $119.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent app for learning and improving chess skills
- 🎓 Comprehensive lessons, puzzles, and analysis tools
- 🌍 Large player base for quick matchmaking
- 📊 Detailed game statistics and progress tracking
- 💻 Seamless integration between mobile app and website

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent connection issues and game freezes
- ⏱️ Unreliable and inconsistent game timers
- 🔒 Lack of transparency around anti-cheating measures
- 💰 Aggressive paywall for advanced features
- 🤖 Subpar AI opponents with questionable move choices

**Reported bugs**

- Incorrect move suggestions in game analysis
- Inability to leave or manage chess clubs within the app
- Puzzle mode crashing when attempting to reveal the solution
- Inconsistent behavior when switching between Wi-Fi and mobile data
- Pieces not registering correctly on the board during gameplay

**Requested features**

- Ability to customize board and piece themes
- Option to pause and resume games at a later time
- Improved game analysis with more detailed explanations
- Enhanced social features for interacting with other players
- Offline mode for practicing puzzles and tactics


### Chess Notation Lab

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-notation-lab/id6480255515)

Master chess board coordinates and piece movement with this training app. Improve your ability to visualize moves, read notation, and understand square colors. Designed to enhance your chess calculations and potentially boost your rating.

**Highlights:** Identify squares by coordinate, Fluid piece movement visualization, Translate moves to notation, Identify square color, Orient on the board, Speed up calculation, Blind chess practice

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Version | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chess.com free?

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

### Is Chess Notation Lab free?

Chess Notation Lab is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Chess.com or Chess Notation Lab?

Chess Notation Lab is rated higher. Chess.com averages 4.8 out of 5 from 827K ratings, while Chess Notation Lab averages 5.0 from 6 ratings.

### Do Chess.com or Chess Notation Lab have ads?

Chess.com shows ads; Chess Notation Lab does not.

### Which is updated more often, Chess.com or Chess Notation Lab?

Chess.com ships an update weekly, and Chess Notation Lab every 3 days. Most recently, Chess.com was updated on September 25, 2026 and Chess Notation Lab on September 7, 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.*