Chess By Post Premium vs Board Brain
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Chess By Post Premium
Engage in correspondence chess against real players or AI. Track your skill with Elo ratings, solve puzzles, and analyze games. Enjoy a clean interface with no ads in this premium version.
- Correspondence chess with real people
- Ranked matches with Elo rating system
- Play against adjustable AI difficulty
- Rated chess puzzles for skill improvement
- End game analysis and move history explorer
- Local hand-off games for offline play
- In-game chat and notes
Read full descriptionHide full description
*** Note there is also a free version of Chess By Post that is ad-supported. This paid version has no advertisements *** Play correspondence chess with real people! Challenge your friends to friendly games or play ranked matches against random opponents of similar skill levels. Play as many simultaneous games as your want! Automatic push notifications will let you know when you have moves waiting! Improve your ranking by playing ranked games against comparable opponents. Skill ranking updates using the classic Elo rating system to adjust your rank when you win or lose. A leader board view shows you how you compare to the top players. Chess By Post is perfect for players of all skill levels because your matched opponent's skill level will be adapted based on your own skill level. Create a local hand-off game and play your friend by passing the phone back and forth. Play against a computer opponent that adjusts difficulty to match your skill level. Improve your skills by playing a practically endless set of rated chess puzzles. Features: --------- -Tracks your skill level over time -Matches you with similar skilled opponents -Practice chess puzzles to improve your game -End game analysis shows you the critical mistakes made by each player -Head to head stats -Move History Statistics - Explore the moves of every game you ever played with an interactive board explorer -Freely move pieces to plan strategies -Take notes on games to remember strategies -In-game chat message board -In-game move histories for easy review -Ratings leader board -Local hand-off games can be played offline -Play games against a computer opponent with varied skill levels
Board Brain
This app helps chess players of all levels enhance their skills through interactive games and exercises. It focuses on mastering chessboard coordinates, understanding piece movements, and recognizing square colors to improve overall game vision.
- Interactive games
- Skill-building exercises
- Chessboard coordinate mastery
- Piece movement understanding
- Square color recognition
Read full descriptionHide full description
BoardBrain is designed to help both novice and experienced chess players improve their skills. It offers interactive games and exercises that focus on mastering chessboard coordinates, understanding piece movements, and recognizing square colors.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Board Brain at Free against Chess By Post Premium's $2.99. Board Brain also leads on update cadence (every 6 days vs every 2 months) and rating (5.0 vs 4.7). Chess By Post Premium's advantage is ratings volume (41 vs 4). On ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Board Brain is free to download; Chess By Post Premium costs $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Board Brain holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chess By Post Premium has 41 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two.
Chess By Post Premium ships an update every 2 months, Board Brain every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on November 10, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Chess By Post Premium | Board Brain |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.7 (41 ratings) | 5.0 (4 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 82.8% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 41 — better | 4 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 6 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 35 MB | 2 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Games By Post LLC | Selvarajan Thangavel |
Customer experience
Chess By Post Premium
Board Brain
Bugs and requests
Chess By Post Premium
Reported bugs
16 issues- Can't log in after phone update
- Games don't update for days
- Chat deletes apostrophes
- Post-game analysis misses obvious blunders
- Windows version exports non-English PGN
Show 11 moreShow fewer
- Material advantage display is inconsistent
- Puzzle ratings don't sync between devices
- Accidental move commits due to button placement
- Notifications stopped coming (iPhone SE, iOS 13.6)
- No notification after opponent's move (banner, sticker, sound)
- No notification when it's opponent's turn
- App crashes since iOS 7
- Stalemate rule is automatic, not player's choice
- No way to report or block offensive players
- No way to leave feedback about other players
- Cheaters are increasing, no reporting option
Requested features
16 requests- Option to choose time controls (1-5 days per move)
- Display next position when it's my turn
- View opponent's completed games
- Search games by ECO
- Start rated games against friends
Show 11 moreShow fewer
- Swipe left to go to the next game
- Block function for offensive players
- Option to disable vibrate when another player makes a move on a different game
- Ability to view games of better players
- More customization for board and pieces
- Ability to swipe left and right between other open games
- Make app universal for iPad
- Add email functionality for PGN files
- Allow players to choose sides when rematching
- More board and piece customization options
- Ability to save lines tried on the demonstration board
Board Brain
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Chess By Post Premium
No in-app purchases
Board Brain
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Chess By Post Premium free?
Is Board Brain free?
Which has better reviews, Chess By Post Premium or Board Brain?
Do Chess By Post Premium or Board Brain have ads?
Which is updated more often, Chess By Post Premium or Board Brain?
Other comparisons















