# ChessPrep vs Chess Notation Lab

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Chess Notation Lab at 100% against ChessPrep's 33%. Chess Notation Lab also leads on rating (5.0 vs 3.0) and ratings volume (6 vs 2). ChessPrep's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 18.6). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. ChessPrep sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and Chess Notation Lab sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Chess Notation Lab holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 6 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 33% of ChessPrep's written reviews are positive against 100% of Chess Notation Lab's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on June 11, 2026 and September 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ChessPrep | Chess Notation Lab |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chessprep/id6469808213/reviews) | **[5.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-notation-lab/id6480255515/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **6** |
| Positive reviews | 33.3% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 days | Every 3 days |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 109 MB | 26 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 18.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Stephen Papadatos](https://appshunter.io/developer/1712680449) | [Nishat Majid](https://appshunter.io/developer/1727207034) |

## What reviewers say

### ChessPrep

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chessprep/id6469808213)

Enhance your chess strategy with a powerful companion app. Build your repertoire from grandmaster moves, analyze opponent responses, and master tactics using a strong chess engine and spaced repetition.

**Highlights:** Build repertoire from grandmaster moves, Analyze opponent responses by elo, Stockfish 16 chess engine, Spaced repetition system, Position analysis and variation calculation

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ChessButler Monthly Sub | $0.99 | per month |
| ChessButler Yearly Sub | $9.99 | per year |
| ChessButler Lifetime Premium | $19.99 | one-time |


### 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

**In-app purchases (1)**

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


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ChessPrep free?

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

### Is Chess Notation Lab free?

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

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

Chess Notation Lab is rated higher. ChessPrep averages 3.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Chess Notation Lab averages 5.0 from 6 ratings.

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

Neither ChessPrep nor Chess Notation Lab shows ads.

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

ChessPrep ships an update every 3 days, and Chess Notation Lab every 3 days. Most recently, ChessPrep was updated on June 11, 2026 and Chess Notation Lab on September 7, 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.*