# Fathom vs Chess Maze Challenge

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Chess Maze Challenge at none against Fathom's 8. Chess Maze Challenge also leads on ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). Fathom's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Fathom sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. Chess Maze Challenge asks for nothing beyond the download.

Fathom ships an update weekly, Chess Maze Challenge every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Fathom | Chess Maze Challenge |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (507 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fathom-learn-philosophy/id6742149252/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **507** | — |
| Positive reviews | 69.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Subscription | — |
| Size | 191 MB | 30 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Polywise, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1437286958) | [Dawid Wrzesinski](https://appshunter.io/developer/1812701337) |

## What reviewers say

### Fathom

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fathom-learn-philosophy/id6742149252)

Explore great thinkers and philosophies with bite-sized lessons. Understand complex ideas with elegant visuals and build a daily habit of learning. Access over 50 learning paths on diverse philosophical topics.

**Highlights:** Daily philosophy habit building, Bite-sized lessons (under 2 minutes), Elegant visual explanations, 50+ learning paths, Save and review insights, Set learning goals

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $6.99 | per month |
| Premium Monthly Subscription | $12.99 | per month |
| Yearly Subscription (no trial) | $49.99 | per year |
| Yearly Subscription | $49.99 | per year |
| Yearly Subscription (Premium) | $59.99 | per year |
| Yearly Access Premium No Trial | $59.99 | per year |
| Yearly Sub Premium No Trial | $69.99 | per year |
| Yearly Subscription Premium | $69.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Engaging and interactive lessons
- 🎨 Visually appealing and informative
- 🧠 Helps develop critical thinking skills
- 🔍 Broad range of philosophical topics covered

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Subscription-based model with limited free trial
- 🤔 Some questions felt leading rather than open-ended
- 🕰️ Lack of flexibility to revisit initial philosopher selections

**Reported bugs**

- Unexpected charges during free trial period
- Potential issues with app functionality and compatibility

**Requested features**

- Option to customize or revisit philosopher selections
- More information about the app's algorithm and learning progression
- Ability to explore a wider range of philosophical perspectives


### Chess Maze Challenge

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-maze-challenge/id6759937374)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Fathom free?

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

### Is Chess Maze Challenge free?

Chess Maze Challenge is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Fathom or Chess Maze Challenge have ads?

Fathom shows ads; Chess Maze Challenge does not.

### Which is updated more often, Fathom or Chess Maze Challenge?

Fathom ships an update weekly, and Chess Maze Challenge every 2 months. Most recently, Fathom was updated on October 24, 2026 and Chess Maze Challenge on October 5, 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.*