# Chess vs Chess Tactics and Lessons

The clearest difference is ads: Chess Tactics and Lessons at none against Chess's shown. Chess Tactics and Lessons also leads on ratings volume (5.1K vs 1.6K). Chess's advantage is update cadence (every 5 days vs every 5 weeks) and device support (4 vs 2). On price, rating, review sentiment and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Chess sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Chess Tactics and Lessons sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. 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 Chess against 4.8 for Chess Tactics and Lessons. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.6K and 5.1K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 90% of Chess's written reviews are positive against 85% of Chess Tactics and Lessons's.

Chess ships an update every 5 days, Chess Tactics and Lessons every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess | Chess Tactics and Lessons |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (1.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-learn-play-and-trainer/id378161776/reviews) | **[4.8 (5.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-tactics-and-lessons/id531275673/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 1.6K | **5.1K** |
| Positive reviews | **90.5% of reviews** | 85.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 days** | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 276 MB | 114 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Mastersoft](https://appshunter.io/developer/994180799) | [Lockwood Productions, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/466891332) |

## What reviewers say

### Chess

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-learn-play-and-trainer/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 Tactics and Lessons

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-tactics-and-lessons/id531275673)

Master chess strategy and openings with this app. Practice unlimited tactics, follow detailed lessons, and save your favorite openings. Create your own content and learn from a supportive community.

**Highlights:** Unlimited tactics practice, Detailed chess lessons, Opening practice and saving, Create custom tactics and lessons, Learn from mistakes with explanations, Community comments and discussion, Customizable board design

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

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly PRO Subscription | $3.99 | per month |
| Annual Pro Subscription | $29.99 | per year |
| Marble Chess Board | $0.99 | one-time |
| Orange Chess Board | $0.99 | one-time |
| Remove ads | $0.99 | one-time |
| Green Chess Board | $0.99 | one-time |
| Enable Saved Puzzles | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 😃 Great for learning tactics
- 👍 Enjoyable and addictive
- 🚀 Excellent training tool
- 🤗 Helpful for improving chess skills
- 💯 Best tactics app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy after updates
- 💰 Subscription model too expensive
- 🤔 Some tactics are questionable
- 🙄 Too many queen sacrifices
- 😣 Difficult to navigate

**Reported bugs**

- Server connection issues
- White screen after updates
- Inability to delete account
- Incorrect move explanations

**Requested features**

- Ability to save tactics
- Offline mode
- Difficulty filtering
- Improved user interface
- More comprehensive lessons


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chess free?

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

### Is Chess Tactics and Lessons free?

Chess Tactics and Lessons is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Chess or Chess Tactics and Lessons?

Chess Tactics and Lessons is rated higher. Chess averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.6K ratings, while Chess Tactics and Lessons averages 4.8 from 5.1K ratings.

### Do Chess or Chess Tactics and Lessons have ads?

Chess shows ads; Chess Tactics and Lessons does not.

### Which is updated more often, Chess or Chess Tactics and Lessons?

Chess ships an update every 5 days, and Chess Tactics and Lessons every 5 weeks. Most recently, Chess was updated on October 25, 2026 and Chess Tactics and Lessons 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.*