# Mastersoft Chess vs Chess Notation Trainer

The clearest difference is ads: Chess Notation Trainer at none against Mastersoft Chess's shown. Chess Notation Trainer also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs every 5 days) and review sentiment (100% vs 90%). Mastersoft Chess's advantage is ratings volume (1.5K vs 16) and rating (4.7 vs 4.5). On price, in-app purchases and monetization model 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 Notation Trainer sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Mastersoft Chess holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Mastersoft Chess has 1.5K ratings behind it against 16, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 90% of Mastersoft Chess's written reviews are positive against 100% of Chess Notation Trainer's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Mastersoft Chess ships an update every 5 days, Chess Notation Trainer every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Mastersoft Chess | Chess Notation Trainer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (1.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mastersoft-chess/id378161776/reviews)** | [4.5 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-notation-trainer/id6476576060/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.5K** | 16 |
| Positive reviews | 90.5% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 5 days | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 277 MB | 26 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 18.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Mastersoft](https://appshunter.io/developer/994180799) | [Nishat Majid](https://appshunter.io/developer/1727207034) |

## 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 Notation Trainer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-notation-trainer/id6476576060)

Master chess squares and notation with this training app. Improve your ability to identify coordinates, translate moves, and visualize the board, even without one. Ideal for serious players looking to enhance calculation speed and chess understanding.

**Highlights:** Identify squares by coordinate, Translate move sequences to notation, Determine square color instantly, Stay oriented on the board, Follow chess tutorials without a board, Speed up calculation, Practice blind chess

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Version | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Mastersoft Chess free?

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

### Is Chess Notation Trainer free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Mastersoft Chess or Chess Notation Trainer?

Mastersoft Chess is rated higher. Mastersoft Chess averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.5K ratings, while Chess Notation Trainer averages 4.5 from 16 ratings.

### Do Mastersoft Chess or Chess Notation Trainer have ads?

Mastersoft Chess shows ads; Chess Notation Trainer does not.

### Which is updated more often, Mastersoft Chess or Chess Notation Trainer?

Mastersoft Chess ships an update every 5 days, and Chess Notation Trainer every 2 days. Most recently, Mastersoft Chess was updated on September 24, 2026 and Chess Notation Trainer on September 7, 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.*