# Chess Scanner vs Notation Master

The clearest difference is monetization model: Notation Master at free against Chess Scanner's freemium. Notation Master also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 2 weeks) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.0). Chess Scanner's advantage is rating (4.0 vs 3.7) and ratings volume (18 vs 3). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Chess Scanner sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days and Notation Master sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Chess Scanner holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chess Scanner has 18 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Chess Scanner ships an update every 2 weeks, Notation Master weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 17, 2026 and September 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess Scanner | Notation Master |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.0 (18 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-scanner-digitizer/id6475354574/reviews)** | [3.7 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notation-master/id6504364010/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **18** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 66.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Freemium | **Free** |
| Size | 127 MB | 38 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Steffen Ratzke von Stoyentin](https://appshunter.io/developer/1724035295) | [Joseph Lee](https://appshunter.io/developer/1029524523) |

## What reviewers say

### Chess Scanner

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-scanner-digitizer/id6475354574)

Digitize your chess games by scanning score sheets. Extract moves, correct errors with suggestions, and export games as PGN. Analyze your games on Lichess or Chess.com.

**Highlights:** Scan chess score sheets, Digitize games from images, Correct recognized moves, Export games as PGN, Analyze in Lichess/Chess.com, Categorize games by tournament

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Plan | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Plan | $2.99 | per month |
| Monthly Plan | $4.99 | per month |
| Yearly Plan | $14.99 | per year |
| Yearly Plan | $22.99 | per year |


### Notation Master

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notation-master/id6504364010)

Effortlessly convert handwritten chess notation into digital PGN files using AI. Upload your games directly to platforms like Chess.com and Lichess.org for easy analysis and sharing.

**Highlights:** Instant chess notation scanning, AI-powered PGN conversion, Direct upload to Chess.com & Lichess.org, Save and share game records, Supports tournament and casual games

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 10 Credits | $0.99 | one-time |
| 25 Credits | $1.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chess Scanner free?

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

### Is Notation Master free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Chess Scanner or Notation Master?

Chess Scanner is rated higher. Chess Scanner averages 4.0 out of 5 from 18 ratings, while Notation Master averages 3.7 from 3 ratings.

### Do Chess Scanner or Notation Master have ads?

Neither Chess Scanner nor Notation Master shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Chess Scanner or Notation Master?

Chess Scanner ships an update every 2 weeks, and Notation Master weekly. Most recently, Chess Scanner was updated on September 17, 2026 and Notation Master on September 15, 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.*