Comparison

Chess Masterclasses vs ChessFlare

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

Head to head
About

Chess Masterclasses

Features
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Unlock the Secrets of Chess Legends, Study Iconic Games, Learn Master-Level Strategy, and Improve Your Play with Expert Commentary. Chess Masterclasses is the ultimate educational app for chess lovers. Whether you're a beginner eager to learn strategy or an advanced player aiming to sharpen your tactical edge, this app brings history’s greatest chess games to your fingertips, complete with deep analysis and professional commentary. Learn from the Greatest Chess Minds Step into the minds of grandmasters. Review iconic games played by world champions like Bobby Fischer, Garry Kasparov, Magnus Carlsen, Jose Capablanca, and many more. Each move is broken down with insightful commentary, giving you a front-row seat to master-level decision-making. Interactive Game Review Each featured match is presented with an intuitive, interactive board. Tap through moves, pause for thought, or jump to critical moments. Our detailed move-by-move breakdowns explain tactics, openings, endgames, positional play, and the psychology behind each decision. Perfect for All Skill Levels Whether you're just learning how to play chess or studying for tournaments, Chess Masterclass adapts to your level: - Beginners can follow commentary to build foundational understanding - Intermediate players gain insights into strategy, tempo, sacrifices, and transitions - Advanced users explore grandmaster-level ideas, complex variations, and historical context Why Choose Chess Masterclass? - Legendary Games Library: Hundreds of classic and modern games analyzed in depth - Expert Commentary: Learn why each move was made, not just what happened - Searchable Content: Filter by player, era, opening, or theme - Regular Updates: New games and commentary added frequently - Offline Mode: Study your favorite games anywhere, anytime - Beautiful UI: Clean, elegant interface optimized for iPhone and iPad Key Features: - Instructive commentary from experienced players - Move-by-move interactive analysis - Famous chess openings and traps explained - Deep dives into tactics, endgames, and positional ideas - Historic matches from tournaments, championships, and rivalries - Regularly updated content to keep learning fresh For the Global Chess Community Chess is a universal language, and Chess Masterclass is your companion for lifelong improvement. Whether you play online, at the club, or over-the-board with friends, you’ll build a stronger game by understanding how the masters think. Start your journey today, download Chess Masterclasses and transform how you study chess. Learn from the best to become your best.

About

ChessFlare

Master chess openings, endgames, and strategy with structured courses and personalized learning. Organize your repertoire, memorize lines with spaced repetition, and analyze your games to identify and fix mistakes. Improve your chess skills with a comprehensive workflow.

Highlights
  • Structured chess courses
  • Opening repertoire management
  • Spaced repetition memorization
  • Game analysis and review
  • Detailed progress statistics
  • Interactive move tree exploration
  • Cross-device synchronization
Features
Read full description

Learn chess in depth with complete COURSES on openings, endgames, strategy, and the key concepts of the game. Improve step by step with structured content tailored to your level, helping you better understand and apply the right ideas in your games. CREATE AND ORGANIZE YOUR REPERTOIRE Easily build and manage your opening and study database: import and edit PGN files, organize your lines into clear variations and chapters, and add annotations and comments. Everything is gathered in one powerful and intuitive space. MEMORIZE FASTER WITH SPACED REPETITION Turn your lines into lasting reflexes with a smart spaced repetition system based on SM2. Reviews are automatically scheduled at the right time and adapt to your performance, helping you learn efficiently without overload and retain key openings over time. ANALYZE YOUR GAMES AND FIX YOUR MISTAKES Turn every game into an opportunity to improve by syncing your games from Chess.com and Lichess. Identify key moments, spot important mistakes, and focus on what truly helps you progress. GAME REVIEW After each game, get a clear and useful summary: key moments, decisive mistakes, and practical suggestions for improvement. Quickly understand what made the difference and adjust your play. DETAILED STATISTICS Track your progress with precise data: success rate by opening, types and frequency of mistakes, and performance trends over time. Clearly identify your strengths and areas for improvement. TRAIN ON YOUR WEAKNESSES Stop wasting time on generic exercises. Work directly on your weak points with targeted sessions and a personalized approach tailored to your level. EXPLORE YOUR LINES WITH AN INTERACTIVE TREE Visualize and understand all your lines with a clear interface featuring an interactive move tree, built-in Stockfish analysis, and easy exploration of key positions. Make better decisions by truly understanding your openings. SYNC ACROSS ALL YOUR DEVICES Work anytime, anywhere, on desktop or mobile. Your data is synchronized in real time in the cloud, allowing you to switch seamlessly between study and training. Your progress is always up to date and accessible. PLAY MODE Practice directly on the board with a dedicated Play mode designed to help you apply what you learn in real game situations. Train against positions, test your understanding, and turn theory into practical chess skills. A COMPLETE WORKFLOW TO IMPROVE Unlike traditional tools, ChessFlare brings everything together in one system: repertoire creation, learning, review, analysis, and progress tracking. Improve faster with a clear and efficient workflow. WHO IS CHESSFLARE FOR? ChessFlare is designed for beginners and advanced players, competitive players who want to structure their preparation, coaches and students, as well as anyone passionate about openings and game analysis. Terms of Use : https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Chess Masterclasses4 screens
ChessFlare4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Chess Masterclasses at none against ChessFlare's 10. ChessFlare's advantage is update cadence (every 10 days vs monthly). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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. ChessFlare sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $8.49 per month. Chess Masterclasses asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Chess Masterclasses ships an update monthly, ChessFlare every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Chess Masterclasses versus ChessFlare: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterChess MasterclassesChessFlare
PriceFreeFree
Rating—4.3 (3 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—78.6% of reviews
Number of ratings—3 — better
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 10 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
Monetization—Freemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.1 — better16.4
Further details — not scored
Size35 MB123 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDAVIDE CASARINIAnakyos

In-app purchases

None

Chess Masterclasses

No in-app purchases

10 purchases

ChessFlare

Subscriptions5
  • Pro Monthly$8.491 Month
  • ChessFlare Creator Referral -50%1 Month trial$24.991 Year
  • ChessFlare Pro Yearly$33.991 Year
Show 2 more
  • Pro Yearly7 Days trial$69.001 Year
  • ChessFlare Pro Family$109.001 Year
One-time5
  • 100 couronnes$0.99
  • 500 couronnes$3.99
  • 1 200 couronnes$6.99
Show 2 more
  • 2 500 couronnes$12.99
  • Pro Lifetime$144.99

Questions

Is Chess Masterclasses free?
Chess Masterclasses is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is ChessFlare free?
ChessFlare is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Chess Masterclasses or ChessFlare have ads?
Neither Chess Masterclasses nor ChessFlare shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Chess Masterclasses or ChessFlare?
Chess Masterclasses ships an update monthly, and ChessFlare every 10 days. Most recently, Chess Masterclasses was updated on October 25, 2026 and ChessFlare on November 5, 2026.

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