# SparkChess Pro vs ChessPen

SparkChess Pro and ChessPen both sit at 4.4 stars, but that hides the real split: 61% of SparkChess Pro's written reviews are positive against 0% of ChessPen's. SparkChess Pro also leads on update cadence (every 4 months vs every 25 months) and ratings volume (42 vs 4). ChessPen's advantage is price (Free vs $24.99). On rating, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

ChessPen is free to download; SparkChess Pro costs $24.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.4 for SparkChess Pro against 4.3 for ChessPen. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SparkChess Pro has 42 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 61% of SparkChess Pro's written reviews are positive against 0% of ChessPen's.

SparkChess Pro ships an update every 4 months, ChessPen every 25 months. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SparkChess Pro | ChessPen |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $24.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.4 (42 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sparkchess-pro/id398133128/reviews)** | [4.3 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chesspen/id1605281063/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **42** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | **60.9% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 months** | Every 25 months |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Size | 65 MB | 2 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 14.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Media Division SRL](https://appshunter.io/developer/398133131) | [ENVISIONAIRY LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1605281065) |

## What reviewers say

### SparkChess Pro

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sparkchess-pro/id398133128)

This ancient strategy game offers a fun and accessible experience for all skill levels. Practice against the computer, challenge friends online, or learn with interactive lessons and puzzles. Features include various board styles, a virtual coach, and progress tracking.

**Highlights:** Practice against computer or friends, Interactive lessons and puzzles, Multiple board styles (2D, 3D, fantasy), Virtual Chess Coach, Multiplayer progress tracking, Save and replay games

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### ChessPen

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chesspen/id1605281063)

Record and manage chess games with a user-friendly interface. This app offers robust data storage and export options for players of all levels, from casual to tournament participants.

**Highlights:** Chess notation recording, Sleek interface, Easy-to-use UI, Powerful data storage, Data export capabilities

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SparkChess Pro free?

SparkChess Pro costs $24.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is ChessPen free?

ChessPen is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, SparkChess Pro or ChessPen?

SparkChess Pro is rated higher. SparkChess Pro averages 4.4 out of 5 from 42 ratings, while ChessPen averages 4.3 from 4 ratings.

### Do SparkChess Pro or ChessPen have ads?

Neither SparkChess Pro nor ChessPen shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SparkChess Pro or ChessPen?

SparkChess Pro ships an update every 4 months, and ChessPen every 25 months. Most recently, SparkChess Pro was updated on October 27, 2026 and ChessPen 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.*