# Chess Score Pad vs ChessPen

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Chess Score Pad at 65% against ChessPen's 0%. Chess Score Pad also leads on rating (4.6 vs 4.3) and update cadence (every 5 months vs every 25 months). ChessPen's advantage is price (Free vs $9.99) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 18.6). On ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

ChessPen is free to download; Chess Score Pad costs $9.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Chess Score Pad holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chess Score Pad has 179 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 65% of Chess Score Pad's written reviews are positive against 0% of ChessPen's.

Chess Score Pad ships an update every 5 months, ChessPen every 25 months. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess Score Pad | ChessPen |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $9.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.6 (179 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-score-pad/id518018730/reviews)** | [4.3 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chesspen/id1605281063/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **179** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | **64.9% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 months** | Every 25 months |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Size | 3 MB | 2 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [CalcFxC, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/395979596) | [ENVISIONAIRY LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1605281065) |

## What reviewers say

### Chess Score Pad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-score-pad/id518018730)

This app provides a modern, distraction-free electronic scoresheet for over-the-board chess tournament play. Record moves effortlessly, review positions, and export games in PGN or PDF formats for post-game analysis. Designed by a tournament player, it streamlines the scoring process so you can focus on the game.

**Highlights:** Effortless move recording (tap or drag), Automatic game saving, Easy move correction, Step-through and slider game review, PGN export for analysis, PDF scoresheet export with diagram, Optional legal-move and time tracking

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use for recording games
- 👍 Great for over-the-board chess
- 👍 Converts games to PGN format
- 👍 Intuitive design
- 👍 Useful for correspondence chess

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Clunky and not intuitive
- 🐛 Screen controls are flaky
- 🐛 Missing many features for the price
- 🐛 Shows own pieces checking own King
- 🐛 Does not show check to opponent

**Reported bugs**

- Board not accessible to voiceover users
- Contact option on website is broken
- Screen controls are flaky, requiring repeated attempts
- Cost me a tournament game due to flaky controls
- Cannot use 'Save to Files' in iPad if the result is draw (1/2)

**Requested features**

- Make board accessible to voiceover users or allow notation entry
- Ability to enter ??, !!, !? and ?! notations
- Cloud support (iCloud/Dropbox)
- Option to load a game
- Built-in player list


### ChessPen

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chesspen/id1605281063)

Record and manage chess games with a user-friendly interface. This app offers robust data storage and export options for players of all levels, from casual to tournament participants.

**Highlights:** Chess notation recording, Sleek interface, Easy-to-use UI, Powerful data storage, Data export capabilities

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chess Score Pad free?

Chess Score Pad costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is ChessPen free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Chess Score Pad or ChessPen?

Chess Score Pad is rated higher. Chess Score Pad averages 4.6 out of 5 from 179 ratings, while ChessPen averages 4.3 from 4 ratings.

### Do Chess Score Pad or ChessPen have ads?

Neither Chess Score Pad nor ChessPen shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Chess Score Pad or ChessPen?

Chess Score Pad ships an update every 5 months, and ChessPen every 25 months. Most recently, Chess Score Pad was updated on October 24, 2026 and ChessPen on October 24, 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.*