Comparison

Chess Scanner vs Chess Cheat

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Chess Scanner

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
Read full description

Scan your score sheets to digitize your chess games. The texts gets extracted from the score sheet to generate the game. An overview presents the score sheet with the generated moves. If moves were not correctly recognized, you can easily correct them using move suggestions. Afterward, you have the option to categorize the games into a tournament, analyze them in Lichess/Chess.com, or export them as a PGN file. Score sheets can be captured either with the integrated scanner or selected from the gallery. The score sheet is directly extracted from the image. The score sheets can be specified for both the White and Black players, which is particularly convenient from the tournament director's perspective. When generating the game, both versions are considered. Up to two score sheets can be specified per player. The game can be generated directly after scanning the score sheets. Alternatively, you also have the option to manually overlay the move grid. Supported notations: - English: N/B/R/Q/K - German: S/L/T/D/K - Dutch: P/L/T/D/K - Spanish / Italian: C/A/T/D/R - French: C/F/T/D/R - Portuguese: C/B/T/D/R - Czech / Slovak: J/S/V/D/K - Turkish: A/F/K/V/Ş It is possible to specify other notations as well, but these are analyzed based on a model of already supported notation. Therefore, text recognition may be less accurate in such cases. For game generation, the score sheets are sent to our servers. The time required for generation may vary depending on the legibility of the score sheet, length of the game, and internet connection. Typically, this ranges between 1 and 10 seconds. An overview displays the columns of the score sheet with the generated moves. The background color of each move indicates the likelihood of the move. Tapping on a move takes you directly to the corresponding chess position, where move alternatives are also suggested. If moves were not correctly recognized, you can quickly and easily correct them using move suggestions. These are arranged based on probabilities and can be further narrowed down using a filter on the piece to be moved. After making a change, you can regenerate the game from the current move. An overall overview displays all entered games. You can filter games by tournament, round, and favorites. Additionally, there is a search field allowing you to filter games by players or game descriptions. Filtered games or individual games can be exported as a PGN file. In the settings, you can specify which data the PGN file should contain, such as tournament, round, date, etc. Additional games can be imported into the app via PGN files. To analyze the games, they can be opened directly in Lichess and Chess.com. With Premium: - Adding score sheets of the second player - Open Games in Lichess and Chess.com - PGN Export - Cloud synchronisation of games - Unlimited chessboard scans If you would like to share any thoughts or suggestions, please feel free to send an email to: steffen@chessscanner.com Terms of Use (EULA): https://chessscanner.com/eula

About

Chess Cheat

This app helps chess players find the best next move by analyzing screenshots of games or accepting FEN notation. It uses advanced AI to provide move suggestions and a move power indicator, assisting with game analysis and puzzle solving.

Highlights
  • Screenshot game analysis
  • FEN notation input
  • AI-powered move suggestions
  • Move Power indicator
  • Real-time move analysis
  • Supports popular chess apps
Features
Read full description

Analyze screenshots, solve chess puzzles, and study games you've already played. Import a screenshot from Chess.com or Lichess, and the app will recreate the position for analysis. If you're using a different platform, you can tap the FEN option at the bottom of the screen to import a specific position. Once the position is ready, the advanced chess engine analyzes it and suggests the best move within seconds. Move pieces directly on the board to explore different variations. After each move, the engine automatically analyzes the new position and recommends the next best move. The Move Power indicator shows the strength and progress of the analysis. When it reaches 100%, the engine has completed a search depth of 25. The app is designed for: • Chess training • Puzzle solving • Post-game analysis • Exploring FEN positions • Studying different moves and variations Please use the app responsibly. Do not use external assistance during live games, and always follow the fair-play rules of the platform on which you play. Also available on other platforms. Learn more at: https://www.pixelworkssoftware.com/chessai/ Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Chess Scanner4 screens
Chess Cheat4 screens

Verdict

The call

Chess Scanner and Chess Cheat both sit at 4.0 stars, but that hides the real split: 67% of Chess Scanner's written reviews are positive against 50% of Chess Cheat's. Chess Cheat's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 2 weeks). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Chess Scanner sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days and Chess Cheat sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.0 for Chess Scanner against 4.1 for Chess Cheat. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 18 and 32 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 67% of Chess Scanner's written reviews are positive against 50% of Chess Cheat's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Chess Scanner ships an update every 2 weeks, Chess Cheat weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 17, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Chess Scanner versus Chess Cheat: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterChess ScannerChess Cheat
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.0 (18 ratings)4.1 (32 ratings) — better
Positive reviews66.7% of reviews — better50.0% of reviews
Number of ratings1832 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size127 MB99 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSteffen Ratzke von StoyentinPixel Works Software SRL

Customer experience

Chess Scanner

All ratings16 ratings
Positive68.8%
Neutral0.0%
Negative31.3%
Written reviews9 reviews
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%

Chess Cheat

All ratings32 ratings
Positive75.0%
Neutral6.3%
Negative18.8%
Written reviews10 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral10.0%
Negative40.0%

In-app purchases

5 purchases

Chess Scanner

Subscriptions5
  • Weekly Plan3 Days trial$2.997 Days
  • Monthly Plan$2.991 Month
  • Monthly Plan$4.991 Month
Show 2 more
  • Yearly Plan$14.991 Year
  • Yearly Plan2 variants$22.991 Year
6 purchases

Chess Cheat

Subscriptions2
  • Pro Monthly$5.991 Month
  • Pro Annual$24.991 Year
One-time4
  • 35 keys$1.99
  • 175 keys$3.99
  • Unlimited keys$8.99
Show 1 more
  • Pro Lifetime$59.99

Questions

Is Chess Scanner free?
Chess Scanner is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Chess Cheat free?
Chess Cheat is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Chess Scanner or Chess Cheat?
Chess Cheat is rated higher. Chess Scanner averages 4.0 out of 5 from 18 ratings, while Chess Cheat averages 4.1 from 32 ratings.
Do Chess Scanner or Chess Cheat have ads?
Neither Chess Scanner nor Chess Cheat shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Chess Scanner or Chess Cheat?
Chess Scanner ships an update every 2 weeks, and Chess Cheat weekly. Most recently, Chess Scanner was updated on September 17, 2026 and Chess Cheat on September 19, 2026.

Other comparisons