# Mastersoft Chess vs SparkChess Pro

The clearest difference is price: Mastersoft Chess at Free against SparkChess Pro's $24.99. Mastersoft Chess also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 4 months) and review sentiment (90% vs 61%). SparkChess Pro's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and ads (none vs shown). On device support there is nothing between them.

Mastersoft Chess is free to download; SparkChess Pro costs $24.99 up front. Mastersoft Chess sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. SparkChess Pro asks for nothing beyond the download.

Mastersoft Chess holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Mastersoft Chess has 1.5K ratings behind it against 42, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 90% of Mastersoft Chess's written reviews are positive against 61% of SparkChess Pro's.

Mastersoft Chess ships an update every 5 days, SparkChess Pro every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Mastersoft Chess | SparkChess Pro |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $24.99 |
| Rating | **[4.7 (1.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mastersoft-chess/id378161776/reviews)** | [4.4 (42 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sparkchess-pro/id398133128/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.5K** | 42 |
| Positive reviews | **90.5% of reviews** | 60.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 days** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | **Freemium** | Paid |
| Size | 277 MB | 65 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | **13.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Mastersoft](https://appshunter.io/developer/994180799) | [Media Division SRL](https://appshunter.io/developer/398133131) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### SparkChess Pro

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sparkchess-pro/id398133128)

This ancient strategy game offers a fun and accessible experience for all skill levels. Practice against the computer, challenge friends online, or learn with interactive lessons and puzzles. Features include various board styles, a virtual coach, and progress tracking.

**Highlights:** Practice against computer or friends, Interactive lessons and puzzles, Multiple board styles (2D, 3D, fantasy), Virtual Chess Coach, Multiplayer progress tracking, Save and replay games

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Mastersoft Chess free?

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

### Is SparkChess Pro free?

SparkChess Pro costs $24.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Mastersoft Chess or SparkChess Pro?

Mastersoft Chess is rated higher. Mastersoft Chess averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.5K ratings, while SparkChess Pro averages 4.4 from 42 ratings.

### Do Mastersoft Chess or SparkChess Pro have ads?

Mastersoft Chess shows ads; SparkChess Pro does not.

### Which is updated more often, Mastersoft Chess or SparkChess Pro?

Mastersoft Chess ships an update every 5 days, and SparkChess Pro every 4 months. Most recently, Mastersoft Chess was updated on September 25, 2026 and SparkChess Pro on September 23, 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.*