# Chess Time vs PatternMate

The clearest difference is price: Chess Time at Free against PatternMate's $3.99. PatternMate's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On review sentiment, update cadence, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Chess Time is free to download; PatternMate costs $3.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Chess Time ships an update every 10 days, PatternMate every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess Time | PatternMate |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $3.99 |
| Rating | **[4.7 (1.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-time-multiplayer-chess/id455602152/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **1.7K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 86.2% of reviews | **90.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 10 days | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | **Freemium** | Paid |
| Size | 42 MB | 75 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Haptic Apps LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/421590139) | [Max Schneider](https://appshunter.io/developer/1216198710) |

## 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:** none

**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- 🖥️ Outdated or basic user interface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


### PatternMate

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/patternmate-chess-puzzles/id6795521475)

Sharpen your chess vision with over 51,000 offline tactics puzzles. Choose from three training modes to improve your rating, test your limits, or focus on specific weaknesses. Enjoy an ad-free, subscription-free experience with all puzzles included.

**Highlights:** 51,200 chess puzzles, Three game modes: Tactics, Survival, Practice, Adaptive puzzle difficulty, Over 40 tactic themes, Customizable practice rating range, Offline functionality, No ads or subscriptions

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chess Time free?

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

### Is PatternMate free?

PatternMate costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Chess Time or PatternMate have ads?

Chess Time shows ads; PatternMate does not.

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

Chess Time ships an update every 10 days, and PatternMate every 9 days. Most recently, Chess Time was updated on November 1, 2026 and PatternMate on November 6, 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.*