# Mastersoft Chess vs Chess without ads

The clearest difference is ads: Chess without ads at none against Mastersoft Chess's shown. Chess without ads also leads on ratings volume (38K vs 1.5K). Mastersoft Chess's advantage is update cadence (every 5 days vs fortnightly). On price, rating, review sentiment and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Mastersoft Chess sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Chess without ads sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $0.49 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Mastersoft Chess against 4.7 for Chess without ads. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chess without ads has 38K ratings behind it against 1.5K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 90% and 90% positive.

Mastersoft Chess ships an update every 5 days, Chess without ads fortnightly. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Mastersoft Chess | Chess without ads |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (1.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mastersoft-chess/id378161776/reviews) | [4.7 (38K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-without-ads/id522314512/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1.5K | **38K** |
| Positive reviews | **90.5% of reviews** | 90.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 days** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 277 MB | 44 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | **15.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Mastersoft](https://appshunter.io/developer/994180799) | [Christophe Théron](https://appshunter.io/developer/423198262) |

## 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


### Chess without ads

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-without-ads/id522314512)

Learn and play chess without distractions. This app offers guided lessons for beginners and advanced analysis for experts, helping you improve your game with intelligent suggestions and post-game reviews. Play offline and enjoy a seamless, ad-free experience.

**Highlights:** Ad-free learning and play, Introductory lessons for beginners, Grandmaster move suggestions, Game analysis with good/bad moves, Supports USCF and FIDE rating scales, Strong mobile chess engine, Offline play

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

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PRO, 1 week | $0.49 | per 7 days |
| PRO, 1 month | $0.99 | per month |
| PRO, 3 months | $1.99 | per 3 months |
| Learn chess | $4.99 | one-time |
| PRO, for life (SALE!) | $9.99 | one-time |
| PRO, for life (regular price) | $12.99 | one-time |
| PRO FOR LIFE - TODAY ONLY | $14.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Excellent chess training tool
- 🚀 Customizable difficulty levels
- 💡 Helpful move suggestions
- 👍 Clean and intuitive interface
- 🚀 No ads or distractions

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Limited free version with paid upgrade
- 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches
- 💡 Desire for more chess variants and modes
- 🔒 Aggressive prompts to upgrade to paid version

**Reported bugs**

- Freezing on the login screen
- Incompatibility with older devices
- Inconsistent behavior when running out of free credits

**Requested features**

- Add more chess variants (3-check, king of the hill, etc.)
- Provide more detailed game analysis and feedback
- Improve the en passant move functionality
- Add online/multiplayer capabilities


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Mastersoft Chess free?

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

### Is Chess without ads free?

Chess without ads is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Mastersoft Chess or Chess without ads?

Mastersoft Chess and Chess without ads are both rated 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1.5K and 38K ratings respectively.

### Do Mastersoft Chess or Chess without ads have ads?

Mastersoft Chess shows ads; Chess without ads does not.

### Which is updated more often, Mastersoft Chess or Chess without ads?

Mastersoft Chess ships an update every 5 days, and Chess without ads fortnightly. Most recently, Mastersoft Chess was updated on September 24, 2026 and Chess without ads 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.*