BookMoves vs KarpaChess
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
BookMoves
Master chess openings with a unique blend of theory, computer science, and spaced repetition. Memorize hundreds of variants for both sides and transition from rote learning to intuitive application. Overcome the forgetting curve with an innovative technique for lasting mastery.
- Chess opening theory
- Spaced repetition learning
- Hundreds of chess variants
- Statistical probabilities
- Integrated scoring system
- Algorithmic improvement
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Embark on a transformative chess journey with our groundbreaking app, seamlessly blending Opening Theory, Computer Science, and Space Repetition. Easily memorize hundreds of chess variants for both white and black, transitioning from rote memorization to intuitive application of knowledge. Overcome the Forgetting Curve using our innovative Space Repetition technique, converting short-term storage into lasting mastery. Access a comprehensive database of 1 million+ opening variants, each accompanied by statistical probabilities. Our integrated scoring system considers game statistics and parameters for effective play, constantly evolving to provide you with the strongest advantage at your current skill level. Experience the power of continuous algorithmic improvement, ensuring you stay ahead in every game. Optimized for mobile, our app lets you practice openings anytime, anywhere, enhancing your skills on the move. Unleash your chess potential by consistently training with new openings, conveniently accessible through your mobile browser. Elevate your game, break free from stagnation, and become the chess pro you aspire to be. Start your journey to mastery today!
KarpaChess
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KarpaChess teaches chess on the board. Every lesson shows you an idea, lets you play it, then asks you to prove it on a position you have never seen. Train on rated puzzles, play Stockfish 19 and study the masters, in twelve languages. Everything runs on your device: no account, no ads, no tracking. SEE IT, PLAY IT, OWN IT Each of the 100 lessons follows three beats. See the idea on the board, with arrows and moves played out for you. Play it yourself: if you are stuck, the hint is a sentence the lesson's author wrote for that exact position. Then own it, by solving a puzzle on a new position. The patterns you own go into your Pattern Book, and Sharpen brings them back before you forget them. EIGHT ARTS Foundations, The Story of Chess, The Blade (tactics), The First Moves (openings), The Finish (endgames), The Plan (strategy), The Hunt (attack) and The Chess World. They run from setting up the board to the Greek gift and the Lucena bridge. A RATED PUZZLE TRAINER 240 puzzles in twenty packs, rated from 600 to 2000, with solutions several moves deep. Your first try moves your puzzle rating. After that, replay any puzzle to beat your best. PLAY STOCKFISH 19 Four strengths, from beginner to full strength. Play with a real clock, increment included, or untimed. Ask for a hint, take a move back, and come back to an unfinished game where you left it. REVIEW EVERY MOVE When a game ends, every move is graded best, good, inaccuracy, mistake or blunder, and the turning point is explained. THE STUDIO A library of 240 short, decisive master games in 24 collections, from Paul Morphy in the 1850s to the present day. Import your own games as PGN, with their comments and variations kept. Brilliant moves are flagged, and the drawing tools put arrows, lines, highlights, shapes, a pen and text on the board. A HINT WHEN YOU ASK One hint button, answered on your device. It looks at material, king safety, pawn structure, development and loose pieces, and says what matters. MAKE IT YOURS Ten themes, five boards, ten original piece sets, three typefaces and three sound packs. TWELVE LANGUAGES English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Indonesian, Japanese, Hindi, Turkish, Italian and Portuguese. The app, every lesson and every puzzle are translated by hand. PRIVATE BY DESIGN KarpaChess collects no data. It never connects to the internet, and everything it keeps stays on your device. FREE SOFTWARE KarpaChess is free software under the GNU GPL, version 3 or later. Its complete source code is published at https://github.com/mourad-ghafiri/KarpaChessMobile
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: KarpaChess at every 3 days against BookMoves's every 3 weeks. BookMoves's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
BookMoves ships an update every 3 weeks, KarpaChess every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | BookMoves | KarpaChess |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.5 (4 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 4 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 3 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 70 MB | 171 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Regulus Team s.r.o. | Mourad GHAFIRI |
In-app purchases
BookMoves
No in-app purchases
KarpaChess
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is BookMoves free?
Is KarpaChess free?
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