Next Chess Move vs ChessM8
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Next Chess Move
This application provides a powerful chess move calculator utilizing advanced engines like Stockfish 17.1 directly on your device. It also offers free access to numerous other engines running on remote hardware, with an optional upgrade for enhanced calculation strength and access to powerful servers and GPUs.
- On-device Stockfish 17.1
- Free remote engine access
- Large selection of chess engines
- Optional Pro upgrade
- Access to powerful cloud hardware
- GPU acceleration for LcZero
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NCM is a powerful chess calculator that runs Stockfish 17.1 directly on your device. The app also includes free access to a growing list of engines running on NCM's remote single core CPU hardware: • Stockfish latest official releases and development builds • Lc0 (all official networks and several contrib networks) • Alexandria • Arasan • asmFish • Berserk • Black Marlin • Caissa • Cfish • Clover • Combusken • CorChess • Counter • Defenchess • Demolito • Devre • Ethereal • Fire • Frozenight • GNU Chess • Halogen • Horsie • Igel • Koivisto • Laser • Mantissa • Marvin • Minic • Nalwald • Nemorino • Obsidian • OpenTal • Patricia • Pawn • PlentyChess • Rice • RubiChess • Seer • ShashChess • Smallbrain • Starzix • Stash • Stormphrax • Sunfish • Tucano • Vajolet2 • Velvet • Viridithas • Wasp • Weiss • Winter • Xiphos • Zahak The optional NCM Pro in-app purchase provides one year access to powerful hardware and features that significantly enhance the strength of calculations: • Ryzen 7950X 16 CPU-core servers • RTX 2080 GPUs for LcZero • 6-man syzygy tablebases on SSD drives
ChessM8
Engage in correspondence chess with players globally. Plan your moves, communicate with opponents, and invite others to spectate your matches. Receive post-game analysis from a computer engine.
- Correspondence chess play
- Global player matchmaking
- Move planning tools
- In-game chat functionality
- Spectator mode for games
- Post-game computer analysis
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This app allows players around the world to play correspondence chess. It allows players to plan moves, chat with each other, invite others to watch games. It also provides a computer analysis after games are completed.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: ChessM8 at Free against Next Chess Move's $2.99. ChessM8 also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.5) and in-app purchases (none vs 1). Next Chess Move's advantage is chart position (#50 vs unranked) and ratings volume (124 vs 15). On ads, device support and iOS requirement 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
ChessM8 is free to download; Next Chess Move costs $2.99 up front. Next Chess Move sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. ChessM8 asks for nothing beyond the download.
ChessM8 holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Next Chess Move has 124 ratings behind it against 15, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 76% of Next Chess Move's written reviews are positive against 100% of ChessM8's.
Next Chess Move ships an update monthly, ChessM8 every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and August 18, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Next Chess Move | ChessM8 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.5 (124 ratings) | 5.0 (15 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 76.3% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 124 — better | 15 |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Every 2 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Best chart rank | #50 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 — better | 15.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 131 MB | 46 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Next Chess Move LLC | Corneliu Lupu |
Customer experience
Next Chess Move
ChessM8
Bugs and requests
Next Chess Move
Reported bugs
18 issues- Critical bugs that break the game (e.g., same color pieces moving consecutively)
- App doesn't turn on
- Update has challenges
- Cannot play anything
- LC0 version 0.30 with Networks Family T81 causes 'engine disconnected' error
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- App is pretty buggy
- App decides to delete a piece randomly
- Subscription is gone after payment
- No option to restore purchase
- Every move suggested is a blunder
- Error response most of the time
- App crushes when copying or pasting PGN
- Illegal move issues with PGN/FEN
- Castling not handled correctly in PGN
- Algorithm inconsistency (doesn't play the same move for the exact same play)
- Login doesn't work for extra servers
- UI could be better
- Cannot find an option to delete saved games
Requested features
34 requests- Fix critical bugs
- Update UI
- Release a proper update
- Maintain the app properly
- Update to current stockfish 17
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- Add self-play mode with different engines
- Add Komodo latest version
- Fix LC0 issues with T81 network family
- Show a few candidate options
- Add feature to use screenshot/photo of board
- Add arrow or directional lines for best move
- Make it more didactic
- Add premium features for paid users
- Add option to play engine vs engine
- Add some themes
- Add analysis arrows
- Copy full PGN when playing engine vs engine
- Add database for openings for free
- Add iPad version
- Allow landscape format on iPad
- Increase analysis time beyond 30 seconds
- Add option to switch turns after calculating a move
- Improve ergonomics
- Name boards and show names
- Add instructions on how to use
- Option to delete saved games
- Improve UI
- Handle illegal moves and castling correctly in PGN/FEN
- Allow castling
- Add feedback and suggestions
- Cut and paste FEN
- Automatic play of calculated move
- Print positions after moves or games
- Flip board only for current board
ChessM8
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Next Chess Move
- NCM Pro$18.99
ChessM8
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Next Chess Move free?
Is ChessM8 free?
Which has better reviews, Next Chess Move or ChessM8?
Do Next Chess Move or ChessM8 have ads?
Which is updated more often, Next Chess Move or ChessM8?
Other comparisons
