# Openings Mastermind vs Board Brain

The clearest difference is rating: Board Brain at 5.0 against Openings Mastermind's 4.3. Board Brain also leads on update cadence (every 6 days vs fortnightly) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.6). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Board Brain holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6 and 3 respectively.

Openings Mastermind ships an update fortnightly, Board Brain every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on September 19, 2026 and September 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Openings Mastermind | Board Brain |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/openings-mastermind/id6448386251/reviews) | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/board-brain/id6482852806/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **6** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 6 days** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 88 MB | 2 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Christian Heise](https://appshunter.io/developer/1632898424) | [Selvarajan Thangavel](https://appshunter.io/developer/1482739883) |

## What reviewers say

### Openings Mastermind

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/openings-mastermind/id6448386251)

Master chess openings with this app. Import studies, explore with advanced engines, and practice specific lines through repetition. Track your progress and improve your game.

**Highlights:** Import Lichess Studies or PGNs, Explore openings with Stockfish 15, Practice openings by repetition, Smart practice queue, Track learning progress

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Board Brain

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/board-brain/id6482852806)

This app helps chess players of all levels enhance their skills through interactive games and exercises. It focuses on mastering chessboard coordinates, understanding piece movements, and recognizing square colors to improve overall game vision.

**Highlights:** Interactive games, Skill-building exercises, Chessboard coordinate mastery, Piece movement understanding, Square color recognition

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Openings Mastermind free?

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

### Is Board Brain free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Openings Mastermind or Board Brain?

Board Brain is rated higher. Openings Mastermind averages 4.3 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while Board Brain averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do Openings Mastermind or Board Brain have ads?

Neither Openings Mastermind nor Board Brain shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Openings Mastermind or Board Brain?

Openings Mastermind ships an update fortnightly, and Board Brain every 6 days. Most recently, Openings Mastermind was updated on September 19, 2026 and Board Brain on September 12, 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.*