Comparison

British Chess Magazine vs ActivePass

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

Head to head
About

British Chess Magazine

This monthly publication offers in-depth chess analysis, tournament reports, player interviews, and book reviews. It caters to players of all levels, focusing on both the British and international chess scenes. Improve your game with instructional articles and features.

Highlights
  • In-depth game analysis
  • Tournament reports
  • Player interviews
  • Book and DVD reviews
  • Instructional articles
  • Focus on British chess scene
Features
Read full description

British Chess Magazine is the world’s oldest chess journal, published continuously since 1881. It appears monthly and is packed with in depth informative content about the Royal Game. You will find high quality games and analysis, reports on recent tournaments, articles and analysis about openings, interviews with famous players, authoritative and independent book and DVD reviews, instructional articles and regular features on problems and endgames. Articles about famous players present and past reveal the game’s greatest talents and rich history. BCM has a unique focus on the British chess scene while covering major news and events internationally. Readers will enjoy coverage of the important annual Hastings and Gibraltar Masters tournaments and the British Chess Championship. BCM caters for players of all ages and strengths, from beginners to masters, and features men’s and women’s chess. BCM will help you improve your play and results - check your progress with our regular “Test Your Chess” feature written by our own International Master Shaun Taulbut. You can sharpen and test your attacking skills with our monthly “Spot the Continuation” feature. BCM helps you find out where to buy chess books and equipment, and great pictures bring BCM to colourful life. BCM is a must read and great choice for players and enthusiasts of all ages and abilities – and makes a great present! ----------------------------------------- This is a free app download with paid content within. The current issue, back issues and future issues can be purchased within the app. Subscriptions are also available within the application. When a recurring subscription is purchased the latest issue will become available to download immediately. - The subscription will renew automatically unless cancelled more than 24 hours before the end of the current period. You will be charged for renewal within 24 hours of the end of the current period, for the same duration and at the current subscription rate for the product. - You may turn off the auto-renewal of subscriptions through your Account Settings, however you are not able to cancel the current subscription during its active period. - Payment will charged to your iTunes account at confirmation of purchase and any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when a subscription to that publication is purchased. Bundles of single issues can be also be bought within the application. To use purchased credits, simply click on the issue price and select ‘use credit’. This allows you to purchase back issues at reduced prices. Users can register for/ login to a pocketmags account in-app. This will protect their issues in the case of a lost device and allow browsing of purchases on multiple platforms. Existing pocketmags users can retrieve their purchases by logging into their account. We recommend loading the app for the first time in a wi-fi area so that all issue data is retrieved. If your app will not load past the splash page after a first install or an update please click the settings cog, then click Settings then Refresh app data. If this also fails to work please delete and reinstall the app from the App Store Help and frequently asked questions be accessed in-app and on pocketmags. If you have any problems at all please do not hesitate to contact us: help@pocketmags.com -------------------- You can find our privacy policy here: http://www.pocketmags.com/privacy.aspx You can find our terms and conditions here: http://www.pocketmags.com/terms.aspx

About

ActivePass

Easily discover, book, and pay for a wide variety of sports and fitness activities. Find available slots instantly, filter by your preferences, and manage your bookings with flexible cancellation options.

Highlights
  • Instant booking for sports and fitness
  • Diverse activity options (team, individual, yoga)
  • Real-time availability checks
  • Secure in-app payments via Stripe
  • Smart search filters by venue, distance, price
  • Easy cancellations and rescheduling
Features
Read full description

Introducing Active Pass, the ultimate app for booking sports and fitness activities easily. Active Pass helps you stay active effortlessly with a wide range of activities such as team sports, individual sports, yoga, fitness classes, and more. No more calling venues or dealing with uncertain availability— Discover, book, and pay for your favorite activities in just a few taps. Key Features: Instant Booking – No Wait, Just Play! Say goodbye to long phone calls and availability hassles. With Active Pass, you can book your favorite sports and fitness activities in seconds. Find an available slot, confirm your reservation, and get ready to play—all in just a few taps. Diverse Activity Options – More Than Just Courts Whether you’re looking for a football turf, basketball court, tennis facility, or a yoga class, Active Pass has you covered. We offer a wide range of activities, including badminton, pickleball, soccer, pilates, martial arts, and high-intensity training sessions, so you can stay active your way. Real-Time Availability – No More Guesswork Easily check up-to-date schedules and secure your preferred time slots. No more back-and-forth communication—our system ensures that you see only the available slots, so you can book with confidence. Secure Payments – Fast, Safe & Seamless Pay directly through the app using Stripe’s secure payment gateway. With encrypted transactions, your financial information stays protected, giving you peace of mind while you focus on your fitness goals. Smart Search Filters – Find Your Perfect Spot Looking for a specific sport, location, or facility type? Our filters allow you to search by venue type, activity category, distance, pricing, and amenities, helping you find exactly what you need with ease. Easy Cancellations & Rescheduling – Stay Flexible Plans change, and we get it. With Active Pass, you can cancel or reschedule your bookings effortlessly, ensuring you never miss out on an activity while still having full control over your schedule. Active Pass is designed to make staying active simple and enjoyable. Whether you’re a sports enthusiast or looking to try something new, our app connects you with the best venues and classes in your area. Download Active Pass today and take the first step towards an active lifestyle!

Screenshots

British Chess Magazine1 screens
ActivePass4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: ActivePass at none against British Chess Magazine's 10. ActivePass also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 67%) and update cadence (every 9 days vs every 13 months). British Chess Magazine's advantage is ratings volume (8 vs 2) and iOS requirement (11.2 vs 15.0). On price, rating, ads and device support 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. British Chess Magazine sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. ActivePass asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for British Chess Magazine against 5.0 for ActivePass. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 8 and 2 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 67% of British Chess Magazine's written reviews are positive against 100% of ActivePass's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

British Chess Magazine ships an update every 13 months, ActivePass every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
British Chess Magazine versus ActivePass: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBritish Chess MagazineActivePass
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (8 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings)
Positive reviews66.7% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings8 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 13 monthsEvery 9 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS11.2 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size67 MB98 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developerbritish chess magazine limitedStrawket Learning Inc.

Customer experience

British Chess Magazine

All ratings8 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews6 reviews
Positive66.7%
Neutral16.7%
Negative16.7%

ActivePass

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

10 purchases

British Chess Magazine

Subscriptions2
  • British Chess Magazine Auto-Renewable Subscription$5.991 Month
  • British Chess Magazine Auto-Renewable Subscription$49.991 Year
One-time8
  • BCM December 2013 (id:796727)$5.99
  • January 2016 (id:792591)$5.99
  • February 2016 (id:792593)$5.99
Show 5 more
  • March 2016 (id:792595)$5.99
  • April 2016 (id:792597)$5.99
  • November 2016 (id:790415)$5.99
  • December 2020 (id:785283)$5.99
  • British Chess Magazine 3 back issue bundle$11.99
None

ActivePass

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is British Chess Magazine free?
British Chess Magazine is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is ActivePass free?
ActivePass is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, British Chess Magazine or ActivePass?
British Chess Magazine and ActivePass are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 8 and 2 ratings respectively.
Do British Chess Magazine or ActivePass have ads?
Neither British Chess Magazine nor ActivePass shows ads.
Which is updated more often, British Chess Magazine or ActivePass?
British Chess Magazine ships an update every 13 months, and ActivePass every 9 days. Most recently, British Chess Magazine was updated on November 6, 2026 and ActivePass on November 4, 2026.

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