Chess Masterclasses vs PGN Trainer
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Chess Masterclasses
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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.
PGN Trainer
Master chess openings with a personalized repertoire builder. Organize, search, and train your lines using spaced repetition and engine analysis. Syncs across devices for on-the-go learning.
- Build and organize custom chess opening repertoires
- Import PGN files or use built-in libraries
- Advanced search by move sequence, ECO name, or number
- Study, train, and analyze with engine integration
- Spaced repetition for memory training
- Cloud sync across iPhone, iPad, and Mac
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As an adult improver who reached a 2100+ rating in my 50s, I founded PGN Trainer to solve my own problem: I needed a better way to truly master my openings without relying on expensive, proprietary courses. By building and training my custom repertoire with these exact tools, I shattered my plateau and raised my rating by over 300 points. Whether you are a young club player crafting your first set of openings or a veteran organizing deep theoretical preparation, this is the all-in-one tool designed to help you do the exact same thing. BUILD & ORGANIZE YOUR LIBRARY • Create Your Way: Import your own PGN files, analyze and build a repertoire from the ground up, or download from our rich built-in library of effective, popular openings. • Tailored to You: Find downloadable studies that perfectly match your playing level (Intermediate, Advanced, or Master) and your personal style (whether you prefer Dominating attacks or Solid/Defensive setups). • Total Control: Reorganize your library effortlessly. Separate files, merge repertoires together, or edit and expand your lines directly using deep engine analysis. ADVANCED SEARCH & DISCOVERY • Find Any Line: Search your entire library by specific move sequences, official ECO names (e.g., "Sicilian"), or ECO numbers (e.g., "B90"). • Spotty Search: Use wildcard "spotty" moves to skip moves in your search and easily find transpositions. • Position Matching: Instantly search your custom repertoire for matching positions while you are analyzing your actual, real-world games. STUDY, TRAIN, AND ANALYZE • Three Seamless Modes: Effortlessly surf between Studying the theory, Training your memory, and Analyzing with the engine—all in one fluid experience to enhance your learning. • Spaced Repetition: Train your customized lines using smart spaced repetitions, ensuring you focus your time exactly on the variations you struggle to remember. • Active Learning: Play your prepared responses directly against the engine so you are fully prepared when you sit down at the board. GENEROUS FREE TIER & CLOUD SYNC • Truly Free for Most Players: Enjoy access to intermediate libraries, full study modes, and active training completely for free. We only require a premium upgrade for massive, master-level studies containing more than 2,000 total moves. • iCloud Sync: Your complete opening library syncs automatically across your iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Build a study on your Mac, and train it on your iPhone during your commute! Stop renting your chess knowledge. Build your ultimate repertoire, train your exact lines, and step up to the board with total confidence. Download PGN Trainer today! Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://chesspgntrainer.smartworldinnovations.com/privacy-policy
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Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Chess Masterclasses at none against PGN Trainer's 3. Chess Masterclasses also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.6). On price, update cadence, ads and device support 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
Both are free to download. PGN Trainer sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per year. Chess Masterclasses asks for nothing beyond the download.
Chess Masterclasses ships an update monthly, PGN Trainer fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 19, 2026 and June 29, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Chess Masterclasses | PGN Trainer |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Number of ratings | — | 1 — better |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Fortnightly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | — | Freemium |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 — better | 17.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 35 MB | 120 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | DAVIDE CASARINI | Smart World Innovations, LLC |
In-app purchases
Chess Masterclasses
No in-app purchases
PGN Trainer
- QueenBeak$7.991 Year
- KnightBeak$5.99
- KingBeak$19.99





