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

Turn your handwritten chess score sheets into digital games in seconds. Take a photo of your score sheet, and Chess Scanner reads the moves, generates the game and shows it next to your handwriting, so you can check every move at a glance. HOW IT WORKS • Scan the score sheet with the camera or pick a photo from your library • The move grid, the notation and the last move are detected automatically • Generate the game with Basic (fast and reliable) or Pro (for hard to read score sheets) • Check the result: each move is shown next to the handwritten field, and the color shows how confident the recognition is • Misread moves are corrected automatically where possible, and uncertain moves are marked for a quick look • Fix a move in seconds with suggestions sorted by probability, filtered by piece if needed ORGANIZE AND SHARE • All games in one place, with search and filters by tournament, round, result and favorites • Group games into tournaments and add player names, ratings, date and round • Export single games or whole tournaments as PGN, or import your existing PGN files • Open games in Lichess or Chess.com • Analyze games and see the accuracy of both players, their mistakes and the evaluation over the game • Find your games with Spotlight search FOR TOURNAMENT DIRECTORS Add the score sheets of both players. Both are used to generate the game, which makes the result even more reliable. Long games can span several sheets. MADE FOR EVERY SCREEN Works on iPhone and iPad, with the games list and the game side by side on iPad, and with dedicated layouts for iPhone Duo, folded and unfolded. 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 Other notations can be set up as well; they are read based on a similar supported notation, so recognition may be less accurate. To generate a game, the score sheet images are sent to our servers. Generation usually takes a few seconds, depending on the legibility, the length of the game and your connection. PREMIUM • Pro generation for hard to read score sheets • Score sheets of the second player • Game analysis • PGN export • Open games in Lichess and Chess.com • Cloud synchronisation of your games • Unlimited chessboard scans The core features stay free. Questions or suggestions? Write 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 3.9 stars, but that hides the real split: 60% of Chess Scanner's written reviews are positive against 45% of Chess Cheat's. Chess Scanner also leads on iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.0). Chess Cheat's advantage is update cadence (every 8 days vs every 3 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 6 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 — 3.9 for Chess Scanner against 3.9 for Chess Cheat. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 22 and 36 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 60% of Chess Scanner's written reviews are positive against 45% of Chess Cheat's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Chess Scanner ships an update every 3 weeks, Chess Cheat every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Chess Scanner versus Chess Cheat: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterChess ScannerChess Cheat
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.9 (22 ratings) — better3.9 (36 ratings)
Positive reviews60.0% of reviews — better45.5% of reviews
Number of ratings2236 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 8 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size157 MB114 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSteffen Ratzke von StoyentinPixel Works Software SRL

Customer experience

Chess Scanner

All ratings22 ratings
Positive68.2%
Neutral4.5%
Negative27.3%
Written reviews10 reviews
Positive60.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative40.0%

Chess Cheat

All ratings34 ratings
Positive70.6%
Neutral8.8%
Negative20.6%
Written reviews11 reviews
Positive45.5%
Neutral18.2%
Negative36.4%

In-app purchases

6 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
One-time1
  • Premium$89.99
6 purchases

Chess Cheat

Subscriptions2
  • Pro Monthly$5.991 Month
  • Pro Annual3 Days trial$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 Scanner is rated higher. Chess Scanner averages 3.9 out of 5 from 22 ratings, while Chess Cheat averages 3.9 from 36 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 3 weeks, and Chess Cheat every 8 days. Most recently, Chess Scanner was updated on October 30, 2026 and Chess Cheat on November 4, 2026.

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