# HIARCS Chess for iPad vs Openings Mastermind

The clearest difference is price: Openings Mastermind at Free against HIARCS Chess for iPad's $9.99. Openings Mastermind also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 5 months). HIARCS Chess for iPad's advantage is review sentiment (86% vs 50%) and rating (4.7 vs 4.3). On ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Openings Mastermind is free to download; HIARCS Chess for iPad costs $9.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

HIARCS Chess for iPad holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: HIARCS Chess for iPad has 195 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 86% of HIARCS Chess for iPad's written reviews are positive against 50% of Openings Mastermind's.

HIARCS Chess for iPad ships an update every 5 months, Openings Mastermind fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | HIARCS Chess for iPad | Openings Mastermind |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $9.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.7 (195 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hiarcs-chess-for-ipad/id462201312/reviews)** | [4.3 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/openings-mastermind/id6448386251/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **195** | 6 |
| Positive reviews | **85.8% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Size | 38 MB | 88 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 18.6 |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Applied Computer Concepts Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/327708157) | [Christian Heise](https://appshunter.io/developer/1632898424) |

## What reviewers say

### HIARCS Chess for iPad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hiarcs-chess-for-ipad/id462201312)

This app offers a powerful chess engine for playing and analyzing games. It caters to all skill levels, from beginners to Grandmasters, with adjustable opponent strengths and coaching features to help you improve your game. Explore classic matches and learn from a vast opening theory database.

**Highlights:** Extremely strong chess engine, Suitable for all player levels, Advanced coaching features, Multiple playing modes, Adjustable Elo strengths, PGN database transfer, Large tournament book

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Powerful chess engine
- 👍 Adjustable playing strength
- 👍 Realistic human-like play
- 👍 Excellent coaching and analysis features
- 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
- 🔍 Small and hard-to-read text
- 🔍 Cluttered and outdated UI design
- 💰 Expensive compared to other chess apps

**Reported bugs**

- Compatibility issues with iOS 8 and newer
- Graphical issues with move quality display
- Inability to resign or stop the game clock

**Requested features**

- Add ability to view and navigate variations
- Improve visibility and placement of game clocks
- Implement FEN clipboard/email import function
- Add back/forward buttons to navigate games
- Increase font size and readability of text


### Openings Mastermind

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/openings-mastermind/id6448386251)

Master chess openings with this app. Import studies, explore with advanced engines, and practice specific lines through repetition. Track your progress and improve your game.

**Highlights:** Import Lichess Studies or PGNs, Explore openings with Stockfish 15, Practice openings by repetition, Smart practice queue, Track learning progress

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is HIARCS Chess for iPad free?

HIARCS Chess for iPad costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Openings Mastermind free?

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

### Which has better reviews, HIARCS Chess for iPad or Openings Mastermind?

HIARCS Chess for iPad is rated higher. HIARCS Chess for iPad averages 4.7 out of 5 from 195 ratings, while Openings Mastermind averages 4.3 from 6 ratings.

### Do HIARCS Chess for iPad or Openings Mastermind have ads?

Neither HIARCS Chess for iPad nor Openings Mastermind shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, HIARCS Chess for iPad or Openings Mastermind?

HIARCS Chess for iPad ships an update every 5 months, and Openings Mastermind fortnightly. Most recently, HIARCS Chess for iPad was updated on November 1, 2026 and Openings Mastermind on November 3, 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.*