# Chess Tutor vs Category Mania

The clearest difference is rating: Category Mania at 4.9 against Chess Tutor's 2.3. Category Mania also leads on ratings volume (152 vs 4). Chess Tutor's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Chess Tutor sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Category Mania sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Category Mania holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 2.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Category Mania has 152 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Chess Tutor ships an update every 2 weeks, Category Mania fortnightly. Both last shipped on November 1, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess Tutor | Category Mania |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.3 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-tutor/id607131927/reviews) | **[4.9 (152 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/category-mania-card-sort/id6798114415/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 4 | **152** |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 13 MB | 673 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | +12 |
| Developer | [R.D. Hare](https://appshunter.io/developer/514028330) | [PLAYNEXX](https://appshunter.io/developer/1543861517) |

## What reviewers say

### Chess Tutor

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-tutor/id607131927)

This app guides new players from novice to skilled chess players through interactive tutorials, mini-games, and puzzles. It offers various learning modules, practice challenges, and the ability to play full games against a computer opponent with adjustable difficulty.

**Highlights:** Interactive tutorials on piece movement and rules, Skill-honing mini-games and puzzles, Checkmate challenges for all skill levels, Play against a computer opponent with 5 difficulty levels, Customizable board colors and piece sets, Knight's Tour puzzle

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove ads | $1.99 | one-time |


### Category Mania

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/category-mania-card-sort/id6798114415)

Engage your mind with a challenging card sorting puzzle game. Unstack layered cards to reveal hidden ones and sort them into their correct categories. Hundreds of levels offer a relaxing yet brain-training experience.

**Highlights:** Layered card stacking mechanics, Hundreds of puzzle levels, Brain-training logic gameplay, Smooth casual gameplay, Play at your own pace

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1000 Coins | $1.99 | one-time |
| Starter Bundle | $2.99 | one-time |
| 5000 Coins | $7.99 | one-time |
| No Ads | $9.99 | one-time |
| Small Bundle | $9.99 | one-time |
| No Ads Bundle | $12.99 | one-time |
| 10000 Coins | $14.99 | one-time |
| 25000 Coins | $29.99 | one-time |
| 60000 Coins | $59.99 | one-time |
| 120000 Coins | $99.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chess Tutor free?

Chess Tutor is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Category Mania free?

Category Mania is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Chess Tutor or Category Mania?

Category Mania is rated higher. Chess Tutor averages 2.3 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while Category Mania averages 4.9 from 152 ratings.

### Do Chess Tutor or Category Mania have ads?

Both Chess Tutor and Category Mania show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Chess Tutor or Category Mania?

Chess Tutor ships an update every 2 weeks, and Category Mania fortnightly. Most recently, Chess Tutor was updated on November 1, 2026 and Category Mania on November 1, 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.*