Comparison

Learn with Forward Chess vs Chess Studio

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Learn with Forward Chess

This app is an interactive reader for chess books, allowing users to play through chess lines directly within the book. It offers a vast in-app store with over 100 chess eBooks and a growing collection of opening theory periodicals via subscription.

Highlights
  • Interactive chess book reader
  • Play through chess lines
  • In-app chess eBook store
  • Subscription for opening theory
  • Tactics training
Features
Read full description

Forward Chess is an Interactive reader of chess books. Play through the lines in the book, or try your own, it's like having a chess board and a chess book in the palm of your hand. Forward Chess includes the ability to purchase over 100 chess eBooks through our In-App Store. Check it out. Our collection is growing weekly! Forward Chess also contains the following subscription options - ChessPublishing's monthly periodical for the latest in opening theory - We offer a choice of 4 different auto-renewing subscriptions - 1 Section for 1 Year @ $19.99 USD - 3 Sections for 1 Year @ $39.99 USD - 6 Sections for 1 Year @ $69.99 USD - 12 Sections for 1 Year @ $99.99 USD - Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase - Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period - Account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period, and identify the cost of the renewal - Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's Account Settings after purchase - No cancellation of the current subscription is allowed during active subscription period - Links to Your Privacy Policy and Terms of Use - Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription to that publication. Forward Chess takes your privacy seriously See our privacy policy here: https://forwardchess.com/privacy-policy and term of use here: https://forwardchess.com/terms-of-service

About

Chess Studio

Read chess books and instantly play through moves on screen. This app allows you to interact with chess e-books, automatically scrolling text and displaying positions on a board. Navigate variations, search content, and customize your reading experience.

Highlights
  • Play over moves on screen
  • Automatic text scrolling
  • Tap moves to display position
  • Navigate complex variations
  • Searchable content
  • Choice of layout options
Features
Read full description

Ever wanted to read your favourite chess books and be able to instantly play over the moves on screen? The revolutionary new Chess Studio, from renowned chess publishers Gambit, enables you to do that, and more. After downloading the free app, purchase your choice of classic chess e-books from the Gambit library and begin. • text laid out in usual clear Gambit style • play over moves and variations on screen • accompanying text scrolls automatically • tap any chess move and the position appears on the board • easily navigate through complex variations • search function for words, phrases, player names • move swiftly between games and chapters • choice of layout options - including flip board • free sample text available to try out the app Chess Studio represents an enjoyable and portable new way of reading chess books, designed by chess players for chess players. Overseeing every aspect of the app design was Grandmaster John Nunn, one of the best-respected figures in the chess world and three-times World Chess Solving Champion.

Screenshots

Learn with Forward Chess4 screens
Chess Studio4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Learn with Forward Chess at fortnightly against Chess Studio's every 2 months. Learn with Forward Chess also leads on review sentiment (75% vs 60%). Chess Studio's advantage is iOS requirement (9.0 vs 12.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

Both are free to download. Learn with Forward Chess sells 69 one-off in-app purchases and Chess Studio sells 23 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Learn with Forward Chess ships an update fortnightly, Chess Studio every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 9, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Learn with Forward Chess versus Chess Studio: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLearn with Forward ChessChess Studio
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (334 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews74.8% of reviews — better60.0% of reviews
Number of ratings334 — better—
Update frequencyFortnightly — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS12.09.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size188 MB11 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperForward Chess, LLCGambit Publications

Customer experience

Learn with Forward Chess

All ratings334 ratings
Positive96.1%
Neutral2.4%
Negative1.5%
Written reviews123 reviews
Positive74.8%
Neutral9.8%
Negative15.4%

Chess Studio

Written reviews30 reviews
Positive60.0%
Neutral6.7%
Negative33.3%

Bugs and requests

Learn with Forward Chess

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Login issues when changing devices
  • Books not properly filing into libraries
  • App crashing when trying to add books to libraries
  • Losing current position when switching between full screen and normal view
  • Inconsistent behavior when navigating through a book

Requested features

7 requests
  • Allow users to upload their own book PDFs
  • Implement spaced repetition learning program within books
  • Improve search and filtering options in the book store
  • Add more language support beyond English books
  • Provide better syncing of purchases across devices
Show 2 more
  • Improve text formatting and readability
  • Implement highlighting, bookmarking, and note-taking features

Chess Studio

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

69 purchases

Learn with Forward Chess

One-time69
  • True Lies in ChessFree
  • Simple Attacking Plans$9.99
  • Simple Chess$10.99
Show 66 more
  • The Power of Pawns$12.99
  • My System: FastTrack Edition$12.99
  • Play the Mackenzie!$12.99
  • 1001 Ways to Checkmate$12.99
  • My System$13.99
  • The World's Most Instructive Amateur Game Book$14.99
  • Openings for Amateurs$14.99
  • Modern Chess Strategy$14.99
  • Techniques of Positional Play: 45 Practical Methods$15.99
  • American Dream$16.99
  • Zurich Chess Tournament, 1953$16.99
  • Chess Endgame Calculation 1$16.99
  • Chess Strategy for Club Players$16.99
  • 100 Endgames You Must Know$17.99
  • Capablanca the Great Minimalist 1$17.99
  • Attacking Chess for Club Players$17.99
  • Openings for Amateurs - Vol. 3$17.99
  • Capablancas Best Chess Endings$17.99
  • The Most Instructive Games$17.99
  • Improve Your Chess Pattern Recognition$17.99
  • Steps to Giant Improvement$19.99
  • Perpetual Chess Improvement$19.99
  • Playing 1.e4 e5 - A Classical Repertoire$19.99
  • Amateur to IM$19.99
  • The Complete Manual of Positional Chess$19.99
  • Chess Tactics from Scratch$19.99
  • COR: The London System$19.99
  • Attacking the English/Reti$19.99
  • COR: Accelerated Dragon$19.99
  • Mastering Chess Exchanges$19.99
  • Study on Your Own Workbook 3$19.99
  • OR: Strategic Play with 1 e4$19.99
  • Playing 1.d4 d5$19.99
  • Reimagining 1.e4$19.99
  • Beating the QG – Indian Style!$19.99
  • Endgame Studies You Must Know$19.99
  • Pawn Endgames$19.99
  • 100 Tactical Patterns$19.99
  • 100 Tactical Patterns Workbook$19.99
  • Drill Your Chess Strategy!$19.99
  • Thinking Inside the Box - Grandmaster Preparation$19.99
  • Chess Imbalances - a GM Guide$21.99
  • The Modernized Colle-Zukertort$21.99
  • Ding Liren's Best Games$22.99
  • Winning Chess Middlegames 2$22.99
  • Dream Moves$22.99
  • Rock Solid Chess: Volume 3$22.99
  • Positional Decision Making in Chess$23.99
  • Pump Up Your Rating$23.99
  • Chess Structures - A Grandmaster Guide$23.99
  • The Woodpecker Method$23.99
  • Mastering Chess Defence$23.99
  • Associative Thinking$23.99
  • The Philosopher&the Housewife$23.99
  • The Real Paul Morphy$23.99
  • 50 Mistakes You Should Know$23.99
  • The Woodpecker Method 2$23.99
  • Chess Informant 158$24.99
  • A Killer Guide to Attacking Chess$25.99
  • School of Future Champions 1$25.99
  • Chess Informant 161$26.99
  • Vasily Smyslov: Volume II$27.99
  • Dvoretsky's Endgame Manual$27.99
  • Akiba Rubinstein (UCC Series)$29.99
  • Pushing Horizons$29.99
  • OR for Black after 1...e6$29.99
23 purchases

Chess Studio

One-time23
  • Gambit Free SamplesFree
  • How to Beat Your Dad at Chess$9.99
  • Win with the Stonewall Dutch$9.99
Show 20 more
  • 50 Essential Chess Lessons$10.99
  • Idiot-Proof Chess Repertoire$10.99
  • Win with the London System$11.99
  • Learn Chess Tactics$11.99
  • Understanding the Chess Openings$11.99
  • A Simple Chess Opening Repertoire for White$11.99
  • Understanding Chess Endgames$13.99
  • Understanding Chess Middlegames$13.99
  • Understanding Chess Move by Move$13.99
  • Secrets of Modern Chess Strategy$13.99
  • Mastering the Chess Openings Volume 1$13.99
  • Mastering the Chess Openings Volume 2$13.99
  • A Strategic Chess Opening Repertoire for White$14.99
  • John Nunn's Chess Course$14.99
  • Fundamental Chess Openings$14.99
  • Fundamental Chess Endings$14.99
  • How to Play Chess Endgames$14.99
  • Nunn's Chess Endings Volume 1$14.99
  • Nunn's Chess Endings Volume 2$14.99
  • Mammoth Book of Greatest Games$14.99

Questions

Is Learn with Forward Chess free?
Learn with Forward Chess is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Chess Studio free?
Chess Studio is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Learn with Forward Chess or Chess Studio have ads?
Neither Learn with Forward Chess nor Chess Studio shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Learn with Forward Chess or Chess Studio?
Learn with Forward Chess ships an update fortnightly, and Chess Studio every 2 months. Most recently, Learn with Forward Chess was updated on September 25, 2026 and Chess Studio on September 9, 2026.

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