# Mastersoft Chess vs Chess Tactics Pro (Puzzles)

The clearest difference is update cadence: Mastersoft Chess at every 5 days against Chess Tactics Pro (Puzzles)'s every 2 months. On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume 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 Tactics Pro (Puzzles) sells 11 one-off in-app purchases. 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 Tactics Pro (Puzzles). Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.5K and 3.7K respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 90% and 90% positive.

Mastersoft Chess ships an update every 5 days, Chess Tactics Pro (Puzzles) every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Mastersoft Chess | Chess Tactics Pro (Puzzles) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (1.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mastersoft-chess/id378161776/reviews) | [4.7 (3.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-tactics-pro-puzzles/id903380719/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1.5K | **3.7K** |
| Positive reviews | **90.5% of reviews** | 90.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 days** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 277 MB | 13 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 15.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Mastersoft](https://appshunter.io/developer/994180799) | [Emmanuel Mathis](https://appshunter.io/developer/892041879) |

## 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 Tactics Pro (Puzzles)

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-tactics-pro-puzzles/id903380719)

Sharpen your chess skills with a vast library of puzzles for all levels. Practice daily, offline, or track your progress with adaptive challenges. Analyze your moves with a built-in engine and customize your experience with various themes.

**Highlights:** Daily puzzles, Offline puzzle packs, Progress mode with Elo rating, Puzzle analysis engine, Bookmark puzzles, Multiple board themes

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

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Easy mates | $1.99 | one-time |
| Intermediate mates | $1.99 | one-time |
| Hard mates | $1.99 | one-time |
| Easy tactics | $1.99 | one-time |
| Intermediate tactics | $1.99 | one-time |
| Hard tactics | $1.99 | one-time |
| Mates in 2, 3 and 4 moves | $1.99 | one-time |
| Intermediate Tactics - Vol. 2 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Hard Tactics - Vol. 2 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Easy Tactics - Vol. 2 | $1.99 | one-time |
| All-Access Pass | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and easy to use
- 🚀 Offline functionality
- 💡 Wide variety of puzzles
- 🎯 Helpful for improving tactics
- 🕰️ Daily puzzles of varying difficulty

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Some puzzles have flawed or ambiguous solutions
- 🤔 Difficulty levels not always accurate
- 📊 Lack of explanation for best moves
- 🔀 Inability to accept alternative winning solutions

**Reported bugs**

- Occasional crashes or freezes
- Incorrect move validation in some cases

**Requested features**

- Add option to see captured pieces
- Provide more context and analysis for puzzles
- Improve difficulty categorization of puzzles
- Allow for user feedback on puzzle issues


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Mastersoft Chess free?

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

### Is Chess Tactics Pro (Puzzles) free?

Chess Tactics Pro (Puzzles) is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Mastersoft Chess or Chess Tactics Pro (Puzzles)?

Mastersoft Chess and Chess Tactics Pro (Puzzles) are both rated 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1.5K and 3.7K ratings respectively.

### Do Mastersoft Chess or Chess Tactics Pro (Puzzles) have ads?

Both Mastersoft Chess and Chess Tactics Pro (Puzzles) show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Mastersoft Chess or Chess Tactics Pro (Puzzles)?

Mastersoft Chess ships an update every 5 days, and Chess Tactics Pro (Puzzles) every 2 months. Most recently, Mastersoft Chess was updated on September 24, 2026 and Chess Tactics Pro (Puzzles) on September 22, 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.*