# Chess.com vs PULSE

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Chess.com at 64% against PULSE's 0%. Chess.com also leads on rating (4.8 vs 3.0) and ratings volume (874K vs 1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Chess.com sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and PULSE sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Chess.com holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chess.com has 874K ratings behind it against 1, 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 0% of PULSE's.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess.com | PULSE |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (874K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chesscom-play-and-learn/id329218549/reviews)** | [3.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pulse-magnetic-puzzle/id6761016805/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **874K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | **64.4% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Weekly | — |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#1** | — |
| Size | 456 MB | 9 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **16.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Chess.com](https://appshunter.io/developer/329218552) | [Andrey Kiselev](https://appshunter.io/developer/1001997281) |

## What reviewers say

### Chess.com

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

**Currently charting:** #1 Top Free · Board, #1 Top Free · Strategy, #5 Top Free · Games, #7 Top Grossing · Board, #14 Top Grossing · Strategy, #50 Top Free, #67 Top Grossing · Games, #175 Top Grossing (US App Store)

Engage in chess with millions globally through online matches, tournaments, and lessons. Improve your skills with over a million puzzles, powerful bot opponents, and detailed game analysis. Explore various chess variants and track your progress with in-depth statistics.

**Highlights:** Online multiplayer chess, Over 1 million chess puzzles, Hundreds of chess lessons, Play against AI opponents, Chess variant modes, Game analysis tools, Community leaderboards

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| 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 | $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


### PULSE

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pulse-magnetic-puzzle/id6761016805)

Place magnets to attract or repel a steel ball, guiding it into a goal. This physics-based puzzle game features 54 handcrafted levels with increasing difficulty and unique elements like portals and mines. Earn coins, use power-ups, and enjoy stunning sci-fi visuals.

**Highlights:** Place attract and repel magnets, Guide steel ball into goal, 54 handcrafted levels, Real physics simulation, Power-ups like Slow Time and X-Ray Path, Earn coins and daily bonuses, Sci-fi visuals and haptic feedback

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 100 Coins | $0.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads | $2.99 | one-time |
| 500 Coins | $3.99 | one-time |
| 1500 Coins | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chess.com free?

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

### Is PULSE free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Chess.com or PULSE?

Chess.com is rated higher. Chess.com averages 4.8 out of 5 from 874K ratings, while PULSE averages 3.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Chess.com or PULSE have ads?

Both Chess.com and PULSE show ads.

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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.*