Comparison

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.

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • 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
Features
Read 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

About

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.

Highlights
  • Interactive games
  • Skill-building exercises
  • Chessboard coordinate mastery
  • Piece movement understanding
  • Square color recognition
Features
Read 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

Chess By Post Premium4 screens
Board Brain4 screens

Verdict

The call

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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

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.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

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.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Chess By Post Premium versus Board Brain: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterChess By Post PremiumBoard Brain
Price$2.99Free — better
Rating4.7 (41 ratings)5.0 (4 ratings) — better
Positive reviews82.8% of reviews—
Number of ratings41 — better4
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 6 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS17.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size35 MB2 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperGames By Post LLCSelvarajan Thangavel

Customer experience

Chess By Post Premium

All ratings41 ratings
Positive92.7%
Neutral2.4%
Negative4.9%
Written reviews64 reviews
Positive82.8%
Neutral6.3%
Negative10.9%

Board Brain

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

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 more
  • 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 more
  • 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

None

Chess By Post Premium

No in-app purchases

None

Board Brain

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Chess By Post Premium free?
Chess By Post Premium costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Board Brain free?
Board Brain is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Chess By Post Premium or Board Brain?
Board Brain is rated higher. Chess By Post Premium averages 4.7 out of 5 from 41 ratings, while Board Brain averages 5.0 from 4 ratings.
Do Chess By Post Premium or Board Brain have ads?
Neither Chess By Post Premium nor Board Brain shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Chess By Post Premium or Board Brain?
Chess By Post Premium ships an update every 2 months, and Board Brain every 6 days. Most recently, Chess By Post Premium was updated on November 10, 2026 and Board Brain on November 4, 2026.

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