Comparison

OpenChess vs Chess Log

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

Head to head
About

OpenChess

Master chess openings by playing against a specialized AI. Explore specific defenses or move sequences, and gain insights into positional advantages and piece values. Improve your game from the very first moves.

Highlights
  • Learn specific chess openings
  • Play against AI focused on opening lines
  • Analyze positional advantages
  • Evaluate piece values and mobility
  • Understand pawn structure
  • Track defended and attacked pieces
Read full description

Learn chess openings with OpenChess: An Opening Explorer. Play against the computer, or play as both sides, and be shown the lines that are within any opening that you are interested in learning. Want to learn the Sicilian Defense or the Queen’s Gambit? Choose that category and play against that a computer that only follows lines within that opening category. Wany to focus on learning all of the openings that start with a specific move, such as pawn to “e4”? This category can also be selected, and you can play against a computer that only plays lines that start with “e4”. The chess engine in this app is not Stockfish, and it does not look very far ahead. It is meant to provide a decent base evaluation and allow the majority of the reason behind the evaluation of the current position to be shown to the user. The following information can be shown to the user: • Positional advantages for each piece type (pawn, knight, bishop, rook, queen and king) • Piece value advantages for each color • Mobility scores for each piece where mobility plays a big role (bishop, rook, queen, king) • Pawn advantages and disadvantages (passed pawns, isolated pawns, backwards pawns, doubled pawns) • Total value of pieces attacked by each color as well as total value of pieces defended by each color A lot of chess games are won and lost within the opening moves, this app was designed to help players learn solid openings that either help them gain a winning advantage out of the opening, or at the very least help them not lose due to the opening moves played. Terms of Service: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Chess Log

Catalog, organize, and analyze your chess games with a clean interface. Save and annotate moves, explore openings, and get move suggestions to improve your play. Elevate your chess strategy with powerful analytical tools.

Highlights
  • Game catalog and organization
  • Detailed move annotation
  • Opening explorer
  • Move suggestions
  • PGN editor
Read full description

The ultimate chess game tracker, analyzer, and PGN editor. Easily catalog, organize, and analyze your chess games with a clean, intuitive interface. Save every game, tag key moments and revisit your moves to track improvement. Whether studying openings, mastering endgames or refining tactics, Chess Log provides powerful tools to elevate your game. Key features: - Game Catalog: Store and organize all your games in one place. - Detailed Annotation: Tag and annotate moves. - Opening Explorer: Compare your moves to peers and masters alike. - Move Suggestions: See top moves and find out where you or your opponent went wrong.

Screenshots

OpenChess4 screens
Chess Log4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: OpenChess at 5.0 against Chess Log's 4.0. OpenChess also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 6 weeks) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 17.0). Chess Log's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10). On price, ratings volume, ads 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. OpenChess sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Chess Log asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

OpenChess holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 1 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

OpenChess ships an update fortnightly, Chess Log every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on August 30, 2026 and July 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
OpenChess versus Chess Log: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterOpenChessChess Log
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings) — better4.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings2 — better1
Update frequencyFortnightly — betterEvery 6 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS12.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size57 MB198 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDavid BryantLuis De Zutter

Customer experience

OpenChess

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Chess Log

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

10 purchases

OpenChess

One-time10
  • Tarrasch Defense Opening$0.99
  • Trompowsky Attack Opening$0.99
  • Scandinavian Defense Opening$0.99
Show 7 more
  • Three Knights Opening$0.99
  • Zukertort Opening$0.99
  • Van't Kruijs Opening$0.99
  • Vienna Game Opening$0.99
  • Ware Opening$0.99
  • Opening Explorer$4.99
  • OpenChess Premium$19.99
None

Chess Log

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is OpenChess free?
OpenChess is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Chess Log free?
Chess Log is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, OpenChess or Chess Log?
OpenChess is rated higher. OpenChess averages 5.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Chess Log averages 4.0 from 1 ratings.
Do OpenChess or Chess Log have ads?
Neither OpenChess nor Chess Log shows ads.
Which is updated more often, OpenChess or Chess Log?
OpenChess ships an update fortnightly, and Chess Log every 6 weeks. Most recently, OpenChess was updated on August 30, 2026 and Chess Log on July 6, 2026.

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