# Chess HD  ∙ vs Mastersoft Chess

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Mastersoft Chess at 90% against Chess HD  ∙'s 55%. Mastersoft Chess also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 5 months) and rating (4.7 vs 4.5). Chess HD  ∙'s advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and ratings volume (7.7K vs 1.5K). On price and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Mastersoft Chess sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Chess HD  ∙ asks for nothing beyond the download.

Mastersoft Chess holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 7.7K and 1.5K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 55% of Chess HD  ∙'s written reviews are positive against 90% of Mastersoft Chess's.

Chess HD  ∙ ships an update every 5 months, Mastersoft Chess every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess HD  ∙ | Mastersoft Chess |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (7.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-hd/id367637700/reviews) | **[4.7 (1.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mastersoft-chess/id378161776/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **7.7K** | 1.5K |
| Positive reviews | 55.4% of reviews | **90.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Freemium |
| Size | 88 MB | 277 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Optime Software LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/289278460) | [Mastersoft](https://appshunter.io/developer/994180799) |

## What reviewers say

### Chess HD  ∙

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-hd/id367637700)

Experience a visually stunning chess game with excellent graphics and sound effects. Play against a challenging AI or a friend, with features like configurable difficulty, score tracking, and an undo function. Enjoy a free, ad-supported chess experience.

**Highlights:** High-definition graphics and sound effects, 1-player vs. computer and 2-player modes, Configurable AI difficulty, Score tracking and player names, Undo function, Automatic save

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast gameplay
- 👍 Adjustable difficulty levels
- 💡 Undo feature
- 🎨 Nice graphics and design
- 🧠 Helps improve chess skills

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs and glitches (illegal moves, pieces disappearing, incorrect checkmate/stalemate detection)
- 💰 Intrusive ads
- 🔒 No option to disable ads even after purchase
- ⏱️ Slow computer moves on higher difficulty
- 🔀 Inability to castle or move pieces as per rules

**Reported bugs**

- Pieces disappearing during gameplay
- Incorrect checkmate/stalemate detection
- Computer making illegal moves
- Game freezing or crashing
- Inability to undo after checkmate/stalemate

**Requested features**

- Landscape mode support
- Ability to track wins/losses/draws
- More customization options (piece designs, board colors, etc.)
- Tutorials or lessons for beginners
- Multiplayer mode with friends


### Mastersoft Chess

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mastersoft-chess/id378161776)

Master the game of chess with this comprehensive app. Learn step-by-step, play against adaptive AI across 100 difficulty levels, and sharpen your skills with thousands of puzzles. Enjoy offline play and track your progress with an ELO rating.

**Highlights:** 100 difficulty levels, Interactive learning coach, Thousands of chess puzzles, Adaptive AI opponent, ELO rating tracker, Multiple game modes, Offline play

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Chess Pro for 1 month. | $2.99 | per month |
| Buy Chess Pro. | $2.99 | one-time |
| Upgrade to Ginkgo. 10% Off. | $9.95 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great learning tool
- 🚀 Smooth gameplay
- 💡 Helpful training mode
- 👍 Challenging at higher levels
- 👍 Customizable board and pieces

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes or bugs
- 🔋 Battery drain issues
- 🔍 Unclear move suggestions
- 🤖 Computer plays too strong at times

**Reported bugs**

- Pawn disappearing issue when castling
- Ratings not updating properly after games
- Crashes on certain iOS versions

**Requested features**

- More detailed explanations for suggested moves
- Option to play against other users online
- Ability to set up custom board positions
- Slower computer move speeds for beginners


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chess HD  ∙ free?

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

### Is Mastersoft Chess free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Chess HD  ∙ or Mastersoft Chess?

Mastersoft Chess is rated higher. Chess HD  ∙ averages 4.5 out of 5 from 7.7K ratings, while Mastersoft Chess averages 4.7 from 1.5K ratings.

### Do Chess HD  ∙ or Mastersoft Chess have ads?

Both Chess HD  ∙ and Mastersoft Chess show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Chess HD  ∙ or Mastersoft Chess?

Chess HD  ∙ ships an update every 5 months, and Mastersoft Chess every 5 days. Most recently, Chess HD  ∙ was updated on September 25, 2026 and Mastersoft Chess on September 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.*