# Starchess vs Chess Notation Lab

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Starchess at none against Chess Notation Lab's 1. Starchess also leads on device support (4 vs 2) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 18.6). Chess Notation Lab's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs every 4 months) and ratings volume (6 vs 1). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Chess Notation Lab sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Starchess asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Starchess against 5.0 for Chess Notation Lab. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chess Notation Lab has 6 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

Starchess ships an update every 4 months, Chess Notation Lab every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Starchess | Chess Notation Lab |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/starchess/id6446507272/reviews) | [5.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-notation-lab/id6480255515/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **6** |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 60 MB | 26 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 18.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Nathan Lane](https://appshunter.io/developer/1422920165) | [Nishat Majid](https://appshunter.io/developer/1727207034) |

## What reviewers say

### Starchess

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/starchess/id6446507272)

Experience chess with a unique twist on a three-dimensional board. Pieces gain new movement capabilities, allowing for strategic plays in up, down, and diagonal directions. Enjoy a fresh challenge to your chess skills.

**Highlights:** Three-dimensional chess board, Traditional chess rules, Expanded piece movement (up, down, diagonal), Unique strategic gameplay

**In-app purchases:** none


### Chess Notation Lab

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-notation-lab/id6480255515)

Master chess board coordinates and piece movement with this training app. Improve your ability to visualize moves, read notation, and understand square colors. Designed to enhance your chess calculations and potentially boost your rating.

**Highlights:** Identify squares by coordinate, Fluid piece movement visualization, Translate moves to notation, Identify square color, Orient on the board, Speed up calculation, Blind chess practice

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Version | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Starchess free?

Starchess is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Chess Notation Lab free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Starchess or Chess Notation Lab?

Starchess and Chess Notation Lab are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 6 ratings respectively.

### Do Starchess or Chess Notation Lab have ads?

Neither Starchess nor Chess Notation Lab shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Starchess or Chess Notation Lab?

Starchess ships an update every 4 months, and Chess Notation Lab every 3 days. Most recently, Starchess was updated on November 3, 2026 and Chess Notation Lab on October 30, 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.*