Comparison

Chess vs VibeChess Puzzles

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Chess

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
Read full description

Play Chess – Learn, Train & Challenge with the Ultimate Chess App Take your chess to the next level with the ultimate chess app for iPhone and iPad. Whether you’re a beginner learning chess, an intermediate player looking to improve, or an advanced competitor training like a grandmaster, our app has everything you need. Powered by an award-winning chess engine, it feels like you’re playing against a real opponent – not just a computer. With 100 skill levels, automatic ELO rating tracking, and personalized difficulty that adapts to your style, you’ll always find the perfect challenge. No accounts. No fuss. Just download and start playing chess instantly. Key Features World Chess Champion Software 2026 Award Winner using Ginkgo 150 difficulty levels – from beginner to grandmaster strength Adaptive chess engine – plays like a human and adjusts to your skill ELO rating calculator – track your progress and growth Powerful AI – ranked 4th in the World Microcomputer Chess Championship Learn chess with a built-in coach – highlights best moves and alternatives Solve 1000s of chess puzzles – improve tactics, strategy, and endgame skills Huge book of chess openings Database of famous chess games – study, replay, and analyze the masters Multiple modes – Classic, Blitz, Training, Two-Player, and Analysis Mode Custom boards and sets – from traditional chess book style to modern themes Full chess rules supported – castling, en passant, pawn promotion, and more Minimal ads, no login required – play chess instantly without interruptions Whether you enjoy casual games, serious training, or fast-paced blitz chess, this app has you covered. Always challenging, sometimes aggressive, and never boring – just like real chess should be. Perfect for: Beginners who want to learn chess step by step Casual players who enjoy fun, relaxing games Competitive players who want to train like a grandmaster Puzzle lovers who want to sharpen their tactics End User License Agreement ("Agreement") (EULA) https://www.mastersoft.biz/eula.htm Privacy policy https://www.mastersoft.biz/privacy.htm

About

VibeChess Puzzles

Engage in fast-paced chess puzzles and tactical challenges. Compete in real-time 1v1 duels or practice solo to improve your skills. Features an Elo rating system and adaptive difficulty for a continuously engaging experience.

Highlights
  • 1v1 Puzzle Duels
  • Solo Practice Mode
  • Elo Rating System
  • Match History
  • Adaptive Difficulty
  • Timed Challenges
Features
Read full description

See the move. Build the habit. Raise your rating. VibeChess is focused chess tactics training designed for daily progress. Solve a fresh puzzle, practice positions matched to your level, review every attempt, and test your speed in live mate-in-one duels. DAILY PUZZLE Start with one focused challenge each day. Find the winning move, keep your streak alive, and build pattern recognition without the noise of a full game. ADAPTIVE PRACTICE Continue training with puzzles that meet your rating. Get immediate move feedback, use hints when you need them, and learn from every position. LIVE TACTICAL DUELS Race another player through the same mate-in-one positions. Accurate moves and quick calculation decide the result. Earn rating and climb the rankings. TRACK REAL PROGRESS • Follow your rating curve and weekly activity • Review puzzle attempts and critical positions • Revisit duel history and rating changes • Build streaks and unlock achievements • Compare your results on focused leaderboards PLAY YOUR WAY Start in guest mode or sign in to sync your progress. Choose light, dark, or system appearance and train comfortably across iPhone and iPad. VIBECHESS PREMIUM Unlock unlimited practice, unlimited live duels, and monthly streak protection. Whether you’re learning tactical patterns or sharpening tournament calculation, VibeChess helps make every training minute count. See the move. Build the habit. Raise your rating. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Chess4 screens
VibeChess Puzzles4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: VibeChess Puzzles at none against Chess's shown. VibeChess Puzzles also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.7). Chess's advantage is ratings volume (1.6K vs 4). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Chess sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and VibeChess Puzzles sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

VibeChess Puzzles holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chess has 1.6K ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Chess ships an update every 5 days, VibeChess Puzzles weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Chess versus VibeChess Puzzles: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterChessVibeChess Puzzles
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (1.6K ratings)5.0 (4 ratings) — better
Positive reviews90.5% of reviews—
Number of ratings1.6K — better4
Update frequencyEvery 5 days — betterWeekly
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.115.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size276 MB57 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperMastersoftKeyur Raval

Customer experience

Chess

All ratings1,556 ratings
Positive92.1%
Neutral3.9%
Negative4.0%
Written reviews2,036 reviews
Positive90.5%
Neutral4.1%
Negative5.5%

VibeChess Puzzles

All ratings4 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Chess

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Pawn disappearing issue when castling
  • Ratings not updating properly after games
  • Crashes on certain iOS versions

Requested features

4 requests
  • 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

VibeChess Puzzles

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Chess

One-time2
  • Buy Chess Pro.$2.99
  • Upgrade to Ginkgo. 10% Off.$9.95
2 purchases

VibeChess Puzzles

Subscriptions2
  • Unlimited Access$1.991 Month
  • Unlimited Access7 Days trial$9.991 Year

Questions

Is Chess free?
Chess is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is VibeChess Puzzles free?
VibeChess Puzzles is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Chess or VibeChess Puzzles?
VibeChess Puzzles is rated higher. Chess averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.6K ratings, while VibeChess Puzzles averages 5.0 from 4 ratings.
Do Chess or VibeChess Puzzles have ads?
Chess shows ads; VibeChess Puzzles does not.
Which is updated more often, Chess or VibeChess Puzzles?
Chess ships an update every 5 days, and VibeChess Puzzles weekly. Most recently, Chess was updated on November 7, 2026 and VibeChess Puzzles on November 5, 2026.

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