# Chess Time vs Chessify

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Chess Time at 86% against Chessify's 46%. Chess Time also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.4) and update cadence (every 10 days vs monthly). Chessify's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Chess Time sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Chessify sells 19 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Chess Time holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.7K and 398 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 86% of Chess Time's written reviews are positive against 46% of Chessify's.

Chess Time ships an update every 10 days, Chessify monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess Time | Chessify |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (1.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-time-multiplayer-chess/id455602152/reviews)** | [4.4 (398 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chessify-magic-chess-tools/id1397066775/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.7K** | 398 |
| Positive reviews | **86.2% of reviews** | 46.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 10 days** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 42 MB | 140 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Haptic Apps LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/421590139) | [Chessify Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1397066774) |

## What reviewers say

### Chess Time

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-time-multiplayer-chess/id455602152)

Engage in online chess matches with friends or players worldwide. This app supports correspondence play with extended move times and offers features like in-game chat and customizable themes. Track your progress with an auto-calculated ELO rating.

**Highlights:** Online correspondence chess, Play with friends, Global player matchmaking, In-game chat, Customizable chess sets and themes, Auto-calculated ELO rating, PGN export

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Chess Time Premium | $1.99 | per month |
| Chess Time Premium - Annual | $17.99 | per year |
| IOS Chess Time Pro | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and easy to use
- 🌍 Cross-platform play
- 📊 Detailed player stats and rankings
- 💬 In-game chat functionality
- 🕰️ Flexible time controls for games

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional glitches and bugs
- 🔍 Limited customization options
- 💰 Ads can be intrusive
- 🔒 Lack of robust anti-cheat measures
- 🖥️ Outdated or basic user interface

**Reported bugs**

- Game incorrectly declaring draws on checkmate
- Inability to castle or move pieces in certain situations
- Notification issues across different devices

**Requested features**

- Ability to invite friends to watch ongoing games
- Option to disable move analysis for rated games
- Faster move processing and real-time gameplay
- More diverse chess piece and board designs
- In-app purchase to remove ads permanently


### Chessify

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chessify-magic-chess-tools/id1397066775)

This app offers advanced chess analysis tools, including a real-time chessboard scanner, powerful cloud-based engines, and a unique video finder. Analyze games, puzzles, and learn chess theory with comprehensive features for players of all levels.

**Highlights:** Real chessboard scanner, Superfast cloud chess engine analysis, Video finder for chess positions, Offline play against Stockfish, Opening Explorer with Lichess database, Import/export FEN/PGN, Online real-time Blitz

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (19)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Bronze 1 Month | $0.99 | per month |
| Silver 1 month | $2.49 | per month |
| Gold 1 Month | $7.99 | per month |
| Bronze 12 months | $7.99 | per year |
| Amateur | $12.99 | per month |
| Silver 12 months | $14.99 | per year |
| Gold 12 months | $49.99 | per year |
| Master | $59.99 | per month |
| Amateur Yearly | $129.99 | per year |
| Master | $559.99 | per year |
| SuperFast analysis - 1000 sec. | $0.99 | one-time |
| SuperFast analysis - 10000sec. | $3.99 | one-time |
| SuperFast analysis - 30000sec. | $5.99 | one-time |
| Starter Pack | $5.99 | one-time |
| Standard Pack | $11.49 | one-time |
| SuperFast analysis - 100000sec | $13.99 | one-time |
| Popular Pack | $29.49 | one-time |
| SuperFast analysis - unlimited | $34.99 | one-time |
| Ultimate Pack | $117.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 📸 Accurate chess board scanning from photos
- 🚀 Fast and efficient position analysis
- ☁️ Cloud-based powerful chess engine (Stockfish)
- 💾 Easy PGN export and saving functionality
- 📚 Perfect for studying chess books

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and freezes
- 📸 Inconsistent scanning accuracy
- ❌ App doesn't work on iOS 18 and older versions
- 💰 Expensive paywall with limited free features
- 🔥 Device overheating issues reported

**Reported bugs**

- Black screen in camera view during scanning
- Scanning omits first or last rank of board
- App crashes when loading images
- Buttons not clickable on certain iOS versions
- Position not recognized from screenshots

**Requested features**

- Add move comments and annotations capability
- Board flip option during gameplay
- Auto-save functionality to prevent position loss
- Ability to edit and extend saved games
- Tactics puzzle mode with move verification


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chess Time free?

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

### Is Chessify free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Chess Time or Chessify?

Chess Time is rated higher. Chess Time averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.7K ratings, while Chessify averages 4.4 from 398 ratings.

### Do Chess Time or Chessify have ads?

Chess Time shows ads; Chessify does not.

### Which is updated more often, Chess Time or Chessify?

Chess Time ships an update every 10 days, and Chessify monthly. Most recently, Chess Time was updated on October 7, 2026 and Chessify on October 11, 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.*