# Chess Tactics and Lessons vs Magnus Trainer

The clearest difference is ads: Chess Tactics and Lessons at none against Magnus Trainer's shown. Magnus Trainer's advantage is chart position (#180 vs unranked) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 26.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Chess Tactics and Lessons sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and Magnus Trainer sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $4.49 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Chess Tactics and Lessons against 4.8 for Magnus Trainer. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 5.1K and 13K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 85% of Chess Tactics and Lessons's written reviews are positive against 81% of Magnus Trainer's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 5 weeks. Both last shipped on November 6, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess Tactics and Lessons | Magnus Trainer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (5.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-tactics-and-lessons/id531275673/reviews)** | [4.8 (13K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magnus-trainer-train-chess/id1097863089/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 5.1K | **13K** |
| Positive reviews | **85.2% of reviews** | 80.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#180** |
| Size | 114 MB | 187 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Lockwood Productions, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/466891332) | [Chess.com](https://appshunter.io/developer/329218552) |

## What reviewers say

### Chess Tactics and Lessons

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-tactics-and-lessons/id531275673)

Master chess strategy and openings with this app. Practice unlimited tactics, follow detailed lessons, and save your favorite openings. Create your own content and learn from a supportive community.

**Highlights:** Unlimited tactics practice, Detailed chess lessons, Opening practice and saving, Create custom tactics and lessons, Learn from mistakes with explanations, Community comments and discussion, Customizable board design

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

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly PRO Subscription | $3.99 | per month |
| Annual Pro Subscription | $29.99 | per year |
| Marble Chess Board | $0.99 | one-time |
| Orange Chess Board | $0.99 | one-time |
| Remove ads | $0.99 | one-time |
| Green Chess Board | $0.99 | one-time |
| Enable Saved Puzzles | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 😃 Great for learning tactics
- 👍 Enjoyable and addictive
- 🚀 Excellent training tool
- 🤗 Helpful for improving chess skills
- 💯 Best tactics app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy after updates
- 💰 Subscription model too expensive
- 🤔 Some tactics are questionable
- 🙄 Too many queen sacrifices
- 😣 Difficult to navigate

**Reported bugs**

- Server connection issues
- White screen after updates
- Inability to delete account
- Incorrect move explanations

**Requested features**

- Ability to save tactics
- Offline mode
- Difficulty filtering
- Improved user interface
- More comprehensive lessons


### Magnus Trainer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magnus-trainer-train-chess/id1097863089)

**Currently charting:** #180 Top Grossing · Board (US App Store)

Master chess with engaging games and interactive lessons created by Grand Masters and the World Chess Champion. Learn fundamentals, openings, and endgames through bite-sized challenges and puzzles for all skill levels.

**Highlights:** 250+ unique lessons, Bite-sized chess games, Thousands of puzzles, Beginner to advanced levels, Expert-crafted courses, Interactive learning

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Premium Membership | $4.49 | per month |
| Monthly Premium Membership | $6.99 | per month |
| Monthly Premium Membership | $6.99 | per month |
| Monthly Premium Membership | $7.99 | per month |
| Yearly Premium Membership | $37.99 | per year |
| Yearly Premium Membership | $55.99 | per year |
| Yearly Premium Membership | $74.99 | per year |
| Refill All Lives | $1.99 | one-time |
| Premium Membership | $149.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Premium Membership | $299.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Well-structured lessons
- 👍 Clear and informative
- 👍 Helpful for beginners to masters
- 🚀 Improves chess skills quickly
- 👍 Engaging and entertaining

**What reviewers complain about**

- ⏱️ Strict time limits on exercises
- 🐛 Puzzle engine only accepts one solution
- 🐛 Occasional bugs and crashes
- 🔀 Inability to skip lessons and progress at own pace
- 🔀 Lack of option to practice without time pressure

**Reported bugs**

- Pieces disappearing during games
- Moves not recognized by the engine
- Crashes on loading lessons

**Requested features**

- Option to view solution when failing puzzles
- Ability to customize chess board and piece design
- More organized and structured content
- Integrated chess game mode to apply learned skills
- Progress sync across multiple devices


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chess Tactics and Lessons free?

Chess Tactics and Lessons is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Magnus Trainer free?

Magnus Trainer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Chess Tactics and Lessons or Magnus Trainer?

Chess Tactics and Lessons is rated higher. Chess Tactics and Lessons averages 4.8 out of 5 from 5.1K ratings, while Magnus Trainer averages 4.8 from 13K ratings.

### Do Chess Tactics and Lessons or Magnus Trainer have ads?

Magnus Trainer shows ads; Chess Tactics and Lessons does not.

### Which is updated more often, Chess Tactics and Lessons or Magnus Trainer?

Chess Tactics and Lessons ships an update every 5 weeks, and Magnus Trainer every 5 weeks. Most recently, Chess Tactics and Lessons was updated on November 6, 2026 and Magnus Trainer on November 6, 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.*