# 8bit Chess vs Chess Lab

The clearest difference is review sentiment: 8bit Chess at 100% against Chess Lab's 33%. 8bit Chess also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.6). Chess Lab's advantage is update cadence (every 5 days vs fortnightly). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. 8bit Chess sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Chess Lab sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

8bit Chess ships an update fortnightly, Chess Lab every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | 8bit Chess | Chess Lab |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/8bit-chess/id6747295431/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **3** | — |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 33.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 28 MB | 61 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 17.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Krishan Panduwawala](https://appshunter.io/developer/1817905218) | [koji ozono](https://appshunter.io/developer/1826482515) |

## What reviewers say

### 8bit Chess

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/8bit-chess/id6747295431)

Master chess tactics with over 10,000 puzzles in a classic 8-bit style. Features include various puzzle types, difficulty levels, and a hint system. Play offline or against an AI.

**Highlights:** 10,000+ curated chess puzzles, 7 difficulty levels, Mate in X and themed puzzles, Endgame and Opening puzzles, Freeplay against ChessJS AI, Offline play, Hint system

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 8bit Chess Puzzles Premium | $3.99 | one-time |


### Chess Lab

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-lab-arasan-ai-engine/id6757245101)

Engage in chess matches with a powerful AI engine and a user-friendly interface. Offers various game modes including online multiplayer, local play, and AI training. Analyze your games with detailed insights and replay past matches.

**Highlights:** Arasan AI engine for analysis, Online multiplayer and web invite play, Offline CPU battles with adjustable strength, Real-time evaluation and game replays, Interactive history and PGN import, 2.5D and 2D board views, Assistive move highlights

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Chess Lab Pro | $1.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is 8bit Chess free?

8bit Chess is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Chess Lab free?

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

### Do 8bit Chess or Chess Lab have ads?

Both 8bit Chess and Chess Lab show ads.

### Which is updated more often, 8bit Chess or Chess Lab?

8bit Chess ships an update fortnightly, and Chess Lab every 5 days. Most recently, 8bit Chess was updated on October 20, 2026 and Chess Lab on October 26, 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.*