# Mastersoft Chess vs OpenChess

The clearest difference is ads: OpenChess at none against Mastersoft Chess's shown. OpenChess also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.7) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.1). Mastersoft Chess's advantage is ratings volume (1.5K vs 2) and update cadence (every 5 days vs fortnightly). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Mastersoft Chess sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and OpenChess sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

OpenChess holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Mastersoft Chess has 1.5K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Mastersoft Chess ships an update every 5 days, OpenChess fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and August 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Mastersoft Chess | OpenChess |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (1.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mastersoft-chess/id378161776/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/openchess-an-opening-explorer/id6504700904/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.5K** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 90.5% 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 | 57 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | **12.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Mastersoft](https://appshunter.io/developer/994180799) | [David Bryant](https://appshunter.io/developer/1559648957) |

## 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


### OpenChess

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/openchess-an-opening-explorer/id6504700904)

Master chess openings by playing against a specialized AI. Explore specific defenses or move sequences, and gain insights into positional advantages and piece values. Improve your game from the very first moves.

**Highlights:** Learn specific chess openings, Play against AI focused on opening lines, Analyze positional advantages, Evaluate piece values and mobility, Understand pawn structure, Track defended and attacked pieces

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Tarrasch Defense Opening | $0.99 | one-time |
| Trompowsky Attack Opening | $0.99 | one-time |
| Scandinavian Defense Opening | $0.99 | one-time |
| Three Knights Opening | $0.99 | one-time |
| Zukertort Opening | $0.99 | one-time |
| Van't Kruijs Opening | $0.99 | one-time |
| Vienna Game Opening | $0.99 | one-time |
| Ware Opening | $0.99 | one-time |
| Opening Explorer | $4.99 | one-time |
| OpenChess Premium | $19.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Mastersoft Chess free?

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

### Is OpenChess free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Mastersoft Chess or OpenChess?

OpenChess is rated higher. Mastersoft Chess averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.5K ratings, while OpenChess averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Mastersoft Chess or OpenChess have ads?

Mastersoft Chess shows ads; OpenChess does not.

### Which is updated more often, Mastersoft Chess or OpenChess?

Mastersoft Chess ships an update every 5 days, and OpenChess fortnightly. Most recently, Mastersoft Chess was updated on September 27, 2026 and OpenChess on August 30, 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.*