Comparison

SG Chess vs ChessImprover

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

Head to head
About

SG Chess

Features
Read full description

SG Chess is an innovative and thrilling way to enjoy chess, offering a unique twist to the classic game. With SG Chess, you can dive into quick and engaging chess games that fit perfectly into your schedule, requiring minimal time commitment while giving you the chance to compete with Grandmaster's.

About

ChessImprover

Enhance your chess skills with a comprehensive training app. Play with an AI coach, solve thousands of puzzles, build opening repertoires, and master endgames. All features run offline on your device.

Highlights
  • AI coach with spoken commentary
  • Adjustable engine strength (500-2900 Elo)
  • Game review with plain English explanations
  • 23,000 tactical puzzles
  • Opening repertoire builder
  • Endgame drills
  • Offline functionality
Features
Read full description

ChessImprover is a complete chess training app: play with a coach by your side, solve puzzles, build an opening repertoire, and master the endgames — powered by a strong engine that runs entirely on your device. PLAY WITH A COACH — NEW Relaxed, untimed games with a coach commenting on every move you make — in plain words, not chess notation. The coach speaks its advice out loud (you can turn the voice off), names the openings you play, and when something goes wrong it offers to take the move back and try again, with a hint if you're stuck. PLAY AT YOUR LEVEL Challenge the built-in engine anywhere from 500 to 2900 Elo. Climb the ladder of 25 rated bots, or play relaxed unrated games with no clock. Stuck? Ask for a hint. REVIEW EVERY GAME Every move explained in plain English — what worked, what didn't, and what your opponent's move set up. Inaccuracies, mistakes and blunders are flagged move by move, the summary shows the turning point and what to train next, and you can watch the whole game back as a narrated replay. See exactly where you left your opening prep, and explore alternatives on the analysis board. SOLVE 23,000 PUZZLES Tactics from real games, matched to your level. Rated mode tracks your own puzzle rating, timed mode races the clock in 3, 5, and 10-minute rushes, and custom mode lets you pick a difficulty and solve at your own pace. BUILD A REAL OPENING REPERTOIRE Answer a few questions and the wizard assembles an opening repertoire for White or Black — real lines with clear explanations, from simple beginner systems to a full club repertoire. Then drill your lines with spaced repetition so they stick. MASTER THE ENDGAMES THAT DECIDE GAMES Curated drills for the endgames every player must know: queen and rook checkmates, king-and-pawn opposition, and the Lucena and Philidor rook endings. Win the winning ones, hold the draws. LEARN FROM ZERO New to chess? A built-in guide teaches the rules from the very first move. Private by design: no account, no sign-up. Everything — the engine, the puzzles, even the coach's voice — runs offline on your device. Questions or feedback? chessimproverapp@gmail.com

Screenshots

SG Chess4 screens
ChessImprover4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: SG Chess at 12.0 against ChessImprover's 17.0. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SG Chess ships an update every 3 weeks, ChessImprover every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 4, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
SG Chess versus ChessImprover: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSG ChessChessImprover
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (4 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—4 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS12.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size169 MB117 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperOneTurf UniverseMARTIN BERNT ANDERSSON

In-app purchases

None

SG Chess

No in-app purchases

None

ChessImprover

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is SG Chess free?
SG Chess is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is ChessImprover free?
ChessImprover is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do SG Chess or ChessImprover have ads?
Neither SG Chess nor ChessImprover shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SG Chess or ChessImprover?
SG Chess ships an update every 3 weeks, and ChessImprover every 2 weeks. Most recently, SG Chess was updated on October 4, 2026 and ChessImprover on October 12, 2026.

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