# SmallFish Chess for Stockfish vs Really Bad Chess

The clearest difference is price: Really Bad Chess at Free against SmallFish Chess for Stockfish's $4.99. SmallFish Chess for Stockfish's advantage is rating (4.8 vs 3.8) and in-app purchases (none vs 2). On ratings volume, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Really Bad Chess is free to download; SmallFish Chess for Stockfish costs $4.99 up front. Really Bad Chess sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. SmallFish Chess for Stockfish asks for nothing beyond the download.

SmallFish Chess for Stockfish holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4.5K and 1.6K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 79% of SmallFish Chess for Stockfish's written reviews are positive against 46% of Really Bad Chess's.

SmallFish Chess for Stockfish ships an update every 8 days, Really Bad Chess every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SmallFish Chess for Stockfish | Really Bad Chess |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $4.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.8 (4.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smallfish-chess-for-stockfish/id675049147/reviews)** | [3.8 (1.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/really-bad-chess/id1109751921/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **4.5K** | 1.6K |
| Positive reviews | **79.0% of reviews** | 46.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 8 days** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#18** | — |
| Size | 208 MB | 125 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ted Wong](https://appshunter.io/developer/570426131) | [Zach Gage](https://appshunter.io/developer/294263418) |

## What reviewers say

### SmallFish Chess for Stockfish

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smallfish-chess-for-stockfish/id675049147)

**Currently charting:** #18 Top Paid · Board, #71 Top Paid · Strategy (US App Store)

This app leverages the powerful Stockfish chess engine to help you improve your game. Analyze your matches with detailed comments, study the engine's thought process, and track your progress. It offers advanced features like blunder checking and graphical evaluations without any ads or in-app purchases.

**Highlights:** Blunder checking, Multiple line analysis, Graphical game evaluation, Game previews, Dark mode support, Endgame tablebase, Opening books

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Powerful chess engine
- 👍 Intuitive and clean interface
- 💡 Customizable board and piece styles
- 🚀 Fast move calculations
- 👍 Helpful analysis and suggestions

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and freezes
- 🐛 Issues with board and coordinate display
- 🐛 Inconsistencies in engine difficulty levels
- 🐛 Problems with PGN file handling
- 👎 Complicated user interface

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when setting up positions
- Incorrect move suggestions and engine evaluations
- Freezing and unresponsiveness during gameplay
- Issues with board and coordinate display alignment

**Requested features**

- Add support for variations and multiple analysis lines
- Implement a two-player mode with piece flipping
- Add PGN file sorting, searching, and folder support
- Provide an option to hide the board and show captured pieces
- Integrate with chess.com and other platforms


### Really Bad Chess

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/really-bad-chess/id1109751921)

This app reimagines chess with completely randomized pieces, offering a fresh strategic challenge. It's perfect for both seasoned players seeking a new puzzle and beginners looking to learn the fundamentals in a fun, accessible way.

**Highlights:** Randomized chess piece sets, AI opponent challenges, Ranked, Daily, and Weekly modes, Freeplay practice mode, Local multiplayer (with IAP), Alternate color palettes (with IAP)

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 100 Undos | $0.99 | one-time |
| Full Game Unlock | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Addictive and fun gameplay
- 🤔 Unique and innovative concept
- 👍 Challenging and engaging
- ⭐ Great way to learn chess

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs and crashes
- 🕰️ Slow AI response times
- 💰 Paywalls for essential features
- 📺 Intrusive and excessive ads
- 🔁 Repetitive AI moves leading to stalemates

**Reported bugs**

- Pieces unable to move as per chess rules
- Game freezes and crashes
- Incorrect checkmate detection

**Requested features**

- Add draw conditions and stalemate rules
- Implement online/multiplayer mode
- Provide more difficulty settings
- Allow custom piece arrangements
- Sync progress across devices


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SmallFish Chess for Stockfish free?

SmallFish Chess for Stockfish costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Really Bad Chess free?

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

### Which has better reviews, SmallFish Chess for Stockfish or Really Bad Chess?

SmallFish Chess for Stockfish is rated higher. SmallFish Chess for Stockfish averages 4.8 out of 5 from 4.5K ratings, while Really Bad Chess averages 3.8 from 1.6K ratings.

### Do SmallFish Chess for Stockfish or Really Bad Chess have ads?

Really Bad Chess shows ads; SmallFish Chess for Stockfish does not.

### Which is updated more often, SmallFish Chess for Stockfish or Really Bad Chess?

SmallFish Chess for Stockfish ships an update every 8 days, and Really Bad Chess every 3 weeks. Most recently, SmallFish Chess for Stockfish was updated on September 22, 2026 and Really Bad Chess on September 23, 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.*