# Simple chess board vs Chess Studio Lite

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Chess Studio Lite at none against Simple chess board's 1. Chess Studio Lite also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 10 months). Simple chess board's advantage is review sentiment (88% vs 64%) and ratings volume (68 vs 11). On price, rating and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Simple chess board sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Chess Studio Lite asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for Simple chess board against 4.4 for Chess Studio Lite. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Simple chess board has 68 ratings behind it against 11, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 88% of Simple chess board's written reviews are positive against 64% of Chess Studio Lite's.

Simple chess board ships an update every 10 months, Chess Studio Lite fortnightly. Both last shipped on October 7, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Simple chess board | Chess Studio Lite |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (68 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-chess-board/id531158560/reviews)** | [4.4 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-studio-lite/id694586937/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **68** | 11 |
| Positive reviews | **88.0% of reviews** | 63.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 10 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 9 MB | 237 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Luis Lopez](https://appshunter.io/developer/453216096) | [Giordano Vicoli](https://appshunter.io/developer/460922805) |

## What reviewers say

### Simple chess board

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-chess-board/id531158560)

This app provides a digital chessboard with unrestricted piece movement and a configurable chess clock. Save and load board positions, undo/redo moves, and even use checker pieces. It's ideal for analyzing games or setting up custom scenarios.

**Highlights:** Free piece movement, Undo/Redo functionality, Board rotation, Checker piece option, Save/load positions, Configurable chess clock, Tweet current position

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove ads | $0.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and straightforward
- 👍 Great for study and practice
- 👍 No restrictions or 'help' functions
- 👍 Allows setting up custom positions
- 👍 Useful for playing through games

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤔 Pieces not bound by rules
- 🤔 Graphics can be distracting/ugly
- 🤔 Aggressive board colors
- 🤔 Clocks take up screen space
- 🤔 Pieces can shift unexpectedly

**Reported bugs**

- Keyboard not appearing to enter text/save
- Cannot figure out how to save position
- Pieces shift on their own
- Kings and queens on wrong squares initially
- Save position fails with 'You must insert text' error

**Requested features**

- Add scoresheet functionality
- Export game for analysis
- Move counter
- Portrait view on iPad
- Board expansion to fill screen


### Chess Studio Lite

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-studio-lite/id694586937)

Manage and analyze chess games and databases in PGN format. Study openings, practice against engines, and solve puzzles with advanced analysis tools. Supports multiple devices and cloud storage integration.

**Highlights:** PGN database management, Game analysis with Stockfish 18, Opening book creation and import, Diagram recognition, Cloud storage integration, Play against engine (standard & Chess 960)

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Simple chess board free?

Simple chess board is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Chess Studio Lite free?

Chess Studio Lite is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Simple chess board or Chess Studio Lite?

Simple chess board is rated higher. Simple chess board averages 4.5 out of 5 from 68 ratings, while Chess Studio Lite averages 4.4 from 11 ratings.

### Do Simple chess board or Chess Studio Lite have ads?

Simple chess board shows ads; Chess Studio Lite does not.

### Which is updated more often, Simple chess board or Chess Studio Lite?

Simple chess board ships an update every 10 months, and Chess Studio Lite fortnightly. Most recently, Simple chess board was updated on October 7, 2026 and Chess Studio Lite on October 7, 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.*