# OpenChess vs ChessNewLife

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: OpenChess at 12.0 against ChessNewLife's 15.0. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. OpenChess sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and ChessNewLife sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

OpenChess ships an update fortnightly, ChessNewLife every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | OpenChess | ChessNewLife |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/openchess-an-opening-explorer/id6504700904/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **2** | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 57 MB | 22 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [David Bryant](https://appshunter.io/developer/1559648957) | [ANSIROMAT S.R.L.](https://appshunter.io/developer/6782928678) |

## What reviewers say

### OpenChess

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/openchess-an-opening-explorer/id6504700904)

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Tarrasch Defense Opening | $0.99 | one-time |
| Trompowsky Attack Opening | $0.99 | one-time |
| Scandinavian Defense Opening | $0.99 | one-time |
| Three Knights Opening | $0.99 | one-time |
| Zukertort Opening | $0.99 | one-time |
| Van't Kruijs Opening | $0.99 | one-time |
| Vienna Game Opening | $0.99 | one-time |
| Ware Opening | $0.99 | one-time |
| Opening Explorer | $4.99 | one-time |
| OpenChess Premium | $19.99 | one-time |


### ChessNewLife

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chessnewlife/id6782928676)

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ChessNewLife Premium | $2.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is OpenChess free?

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

### Is ChessNewLife free?

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

### Do OpenChess or ChessNewLife have ads?

Neither OpenChess nor ChessNewLife shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, OpenChess or ChessNewLife?

OpenChess ships an update fortnightly, and ChessNewLife every 3 weeks. Most recently, OpenChess was updated on October 30, 2026 and ChessNewLife on October 28, 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.*