# Chess Score Pad vs ChessBase Mobile Chess

The clearest difference is price: ChessBase Mobile Chess at Free against Chess Score Pad's $9.99. ChessBase Mobile Chess also leads on iOS requirement (15.6 vs 18.6). Chess Score Pad's advantage is rating (4.6 vs 2.9) and in-app purchases (none vs 1). On update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

ChessBase Mobile Chess is free to download; Chess Score Pad costs $9.99 up front. ChessBase Mobile Chess sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $3.99 per month. Chess Score Pad asks for nothing beyond the download.

Chess Score Pad holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 2.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chess Score Pad has 179 ratings behind it against 18, 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 41% of ChessBase Mobile Chess's.

Chess Score Pad ships an update every 5 months, ChessBase Mobile Chess every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess Score Pad | ChessBase Mobile Chess |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $9.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.6 (179 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-score-pad/id518018730/reviews)** | [2.9 (18 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chessbase-mobile-chess/id6739000093/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **179** | 18 |
| Positive reviews | **64.9% of reviews** | 40.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 months** | Every 6 months |
| Monetization | Paid | **Freemium** |
| Size | 3 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [CalcFxC, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/395979596) | [ChessBase GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/417720797) |

## 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


### ChessBase Mobile Chess

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chessbase-mobile-chess/id6739000093)

Access a vast chess game database, save and analyze your own games, and practice openings. This app offers advanced notation and sharing features, with a free tier and optional premium upgrades for more extensive cloud storage and search capabilities.

**Highlights:** Access 13+ million chess games, Save and sync personal game databases, Analyze games with built-in engine, Live opening book statistics, Create and practice opening repertoires, Advanced game notation and sharing, PGN file compatibility

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ChessBase Premium (Monthly) | $3.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chess Score Pad free?

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

### Is ChessBase Mobile Chess free?

ChessBase Mobile Chess is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Chess Score Pad or ChessBase Mobile Chess?

Chess Score Pad is rated higher. Chess Score Pad averages 4.6 out of 5 from 179 ratings, while ChessBase Mobile Chess averages 2.9 from 18 ratings.

### Do Chess Score Pad or ChessBase Mobile Chess have ads?

Neither Chess Score Pad nor ChessBase Mobile Chess shows ads.

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

Chess Score Pad ships an update every 5 months, and ChessBase Mobile Chess every 6 months. Most recently, Chess Score Pad was updated on October 24, 2026 and ChessBase Mobile Chess on October 25, 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.*