# Chess Problems Lite vs Mate in 3

The clearest difference is rating: Mate in 3 at 4.8 against Chess Problems Lite's 4.3. Mate in 3 also leads on ratings volume (261 vs 8) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 13.0). Chess Problems Lite's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Mate in 3 sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Chess Problems Lite asks for nothing beyond the download.

Mate in 3 holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Mate in 3 has 261 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 83% of Chess Problems Lite's written reviews are positive against 89% of Mate in 3's.

Chess Problems Lite ships an update every 7 months, Mate in 3 every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess Problems Lite | Mate in 3 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-problems-lite/id369822228/reviews) | **[4.8 (261 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mate-in-3-4-chess-puzzles/id1125490085/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 8 | **261** |
| Positive reviews | 83.3% of reviews | **89.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Every 4 months** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 7 MB | 43 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | **8.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Gano Technologies LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/333237652) | [Chess King](https://appshunter.io/developer/1096660597) |

## What reviewers say

### Chess Problems Lite

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-problems-lite/id369822228)

Sharpen your chess skills with directmate puzzles. This app offers 10 interactive problems, from easy mate-in-one to challenging mate-in-four moves. It features a revamped chess engine, a timing clock, customizable piece sets and color schemes, and social leaderboards with Facebook integration.

**Highlights:** Directmate chess puzzles, Mate in 1 to 4+ moves, Revamped chess engine, Timing clock for puzzles, Customizable piece sets and color schemes, Leaderboards and Facebook integration

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Mate in 3

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mate-in-3-4-chess-puzzles/id1125490085)

Enhance your chess skills with over 2500 exercises focused on mating in 3 or 4 moves. This app provides a structured learning experience with hints, explanations, and refutations to help you master tactical combinations and improve your calculation abilities.

**Highlights:** Over 2500 mating exercises, Mating in 3 or 4 moves, Hints and explanations, Refutation of mistakes, Exercises from practical games, Difficulty levels, Rating (ELO) tracking

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full course | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Excellent for middle-level players
- 👍 Amazing app for puzzles
- 🚀 Helps reach higher ratings
- 👍 Great tool for endgame improvement
- 👍 Ergonomic interfaces

**What reviewers complain about**

- 😴 Monotonous and boring tasks
- 🐛 Discrepancies in move counts for checkmate
- 🔒 Concerns about clipboard copying and privacy policy
- 🤔 Some problems are very similar

**Reported bugs**

- Discrepancies in puzzle solutions/move counts
- App copies clipboard contents
- Occasional lags

**Requested features**

- More variety in puzzles
- Address clipboard copying concerns
- Provide a privacy policy


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chess Problems Lite free?

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

### Is Mate in 3 free?

Mate in 3 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Chess Problems Lite or Mate in 3?

Mate in 3 is rated higher. Chess Problems Lite averages 4.3 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while Mate in 3 averages 4.8 from 261 ratings.

### Do Chess Problems Lite or Mate in 3 have ads?

Neither Chess Problems Lite nor Mate in 3 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Chess Problems Lite or Mate in 3?

Chess Problems Lite ships an update every 7 months, and Mate in 3 every 4 months. Most recently, Chess Problems Lite was updated on October 23, 2026 and Mate in 3 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.*