# SmallFish Chess for Stockfish vs Lichess

The clearest difference is price: Lichess at Free against SmallFish Chess for Stockfish's $4.99. SmallFish Chess for Stockfish's advantage is rating (4.8 vs 4.1) and review sentiment (79% vs 53%). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model and chart position there is nothing between them.

Lichess is free to download; SmallFish Chess for Stockfish costs $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

SmallFish Chess for Stockfish holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SmallFish Chess for Stockfish has 4.5K ratings behind it against 785, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 79% of SmallFish Chess for Stockfish's written reviews are positive against 53% of Lichess's.

SmallFish Chess for Stockfish ships an update every 4 days, Lichess fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SmallFish Chess for Stockfish | Lichess |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $4.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.8 (4.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smallfish-chess-for-stockfish/id675049147/reviews)** | [4.1 (785 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lichess/id1662361230/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **4.5K** | 785 |
| Positive reviews | **79.1% of reviews** | 53.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | **#18** | #44 |
| Size | 195 MB | 109 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ted Wong](https://appshunter.io/developer/570426131) | [LICHESS.ORG](https://appshunter.io/developer/968371783) |

## 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, #62 Top Paid · Strategy, #184 Top Paid · Games (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


### Lichess

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lichess/id1662361230)

**Currently charting:** #44 Top Free · Strategy (US App Store)

Play chess online with millions of users, participate in tournaments, solve puzzles, and analyze games. This free and open-source application offers a comprehensive chess experience for players of all levels, with features for learning and casual play.

**Highlights:** Real-time and correspondence chess, Arena tournaments, Chess puzzles, Game analysis with Stockfish, Interactive study feature, Chess clock

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great interface
- 🚀 Smooth performance
- 💡 Useful resources for learning and analysis

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional UI issues
- 💡 Room for more customization options

**Reported bugs**

- Swipe-to-go-back gesture interferes with piece placement

**Requested features**

- Name of opening in opening explorer
- Ability to add and subtract additional things on the homepage
- Reset/replay button on puzzles


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SmallFish Chess for Stockfish free?

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

### Is Lichess free?

Lichess is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

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

SmallFish Chess for Stockfish is rated higher. SmallFish Chess for Stockfish averages 4.8 out of 5 from 4.5K ratings, while Lichess averages 4.1 from 785 ratings.

### Do SmallFish Chess for Stockfish or Lichess have ads?

Neither SmallFish Chess for Stockfish nor Lichess shows ads.

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

SmallFish Chess for Stockfish ships an update every 4 days, and Lichess fortnightly. Most recently, SmallFish Chess for Stockfish was updated on November 1, 2026 and Lichess on October 30, 2026.

### Which is more popular, SmallFish Chess for Stockfish or Lichess?

SmallFish Chess for Stockfish currently peaks at #18 in the App Store charts, and Lichess at #44. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*