SmallFish Chess for Stockfish vs ChessMatch2
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
SmallFish Chess for Stockfish
This chess application leverages the powerful Stockfish engine to help you analyze your games, study strategic thinking, and track your progress. It offers detailed game reviews, graphical evaluations, and access to opening books and endgame tablebases.
- Blunder checking
- Multiple line analysis
- Graphical game evaluation
- Endgame tablebase
- Opening books
- Import from Chess.com and Lichess
- Dark mode support
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SmallFish is a project based on the Stockfish chess engine. It uses the latest Stockfish chess engine (Stockfish 19), rated about Elo 3600+ and is the strongest chess app on the App Store. SmallFish offers you three distinct ways to improve your game. You can review your game with comments, or study how Stockfish thinks, or track your progress. No in-app purchase, no ads, no data tracking. SmallFish is simply amazing. It's small but powerful, you'll be surprised. Features --------- - Blunder checking - Multiple line analysis - Graphical evaluation of your game - Game previews - Dark mode support - Endgame tablebase - Opening books - Import from Chess.com and Lichess Why not just download and try it yourself?
ChessMatch2
Engage in real-time or correspondence chess matches remotely. Replay games with variable speed and interactive annotation, or practice speed chess with adjustable time delays. Features over 230 annotated matches and openings.
- Remote real-time chess via FaceTime screen sharing
- Correspondence chess via text or email
- Variable speed annotated match replay
- Fully interactive chessboard with Z-Override
- Over 230 annotated matches and openings
- Adjustable time delay for speed chess practice
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>>>Welcome to ChessMatch2++ -> Chess Club of Champions!!~ ->Featuring VARIABLE SPEED Annotated Match REPLAY & Fully INTERACTIVE Chessboard w/ Z-Override -Play Chess REMOTELY in Real-Time via FaceTime Screen Sharing from ANYWHERE in the Entire WORLD!~ FaceTime Chess!! -> to Play Chess via FaceTime Screen Sharing: [Connect via FaceTime] -> [Select "SHARE MY SCREEN" Option] -> [Press NEW Button] -> [Create New Annotated MOVES LIST Match] or [Tap Chess Pieces to MOVE] >>> it's so EASY!~ -Play CORRESPONDENCE Chess via TextMessage or Email -> w/ Algebraic Notation Match Moves Lists or by using GALLERY of Chessboards ->With Over 230+ Annotated Matches & Chess Openings Included, there is Plenty of Room to Grow [Press GAMES -> Select a Match -> Press REPLAY to Move the Chess Pieces Automatically!~ ] 1) GAMES -> ALGEBRAIC NOTATION Play:......COPY & PASTE Entire Chess Matches into the "MATCH MOVES LIST" ****Tap "LOAD" button to Update MOVES List Changes ****Use "Qa1c3Z" notation style to OVERRIDE Normal Play......add or remove ANY Chess pieces.....Intended for Use by PROMOTED PAWNS....add a "Z" ***Navigate Match MOVES using Forwards & Backwards --> ARROW Buttons......Tap "GALLERY" Button to EXIT REPLAY Mode ******Go FAST, Go Slow or even Go Backwards!~ 2) GALLERY of Chessboards......just like a REAL Chess Set........just TAP "FROM" Square & "TO" Square ***to SAVE Progress -> Press COPY....*GALLERY Chessboards RETURN to ORIGINAL Mint Condition on Exit ***Navigate Stored CHESS GAMES using ARROW Buttons ......Add Pieces by Tapping Mountain for MENU -> MOUNTAIN Menu (Icon) -> REPLAY Variable Speed Adjust (ex. 0.089) / SILENT Option / Purple & Red Pieces for Manual Chessboard Demonstrations -ChessMatch2 is Designed to use Standard FIDE Formatting....[*Z-Override for PAWNs which have been PROMOTED] **Q = Queen, K = King, B = Bishop, R = Rook, N = Knight & (P = Pawn for Z-Override Moves) **Promoted Pawn Pieces use the simple “Qa1c3Z” format -> [Chess Piece + SquareOne + SquareTwo + Z] -MATCH NOTES TextField is Provided for COMMENTARY Purposes ONLY & Plays NO ROLE in Actually Moving the Chess Pieces -Practice Speed Chess Decision Making & Convenience with ADJUSTABLE Time Delay REPLAY (located in Mountain Menu) **If a Chess Piece is NOT Moving…or is Coming Back to Life…..check for NOTATION Formatting Error or Match Rule Breaking issue ***Common Notation MIstakes: 1) not including “x” in Qxd3 -> when Capturing a Piece, 2) Illegal Move without Using Z-Override -> Pawn Moving too many Squares / Knight moving to illegal Square / Row Numbering 1 - 8 / etc ***Common Wrong Piece Moved Issue: Two Knights & Two Rooks OVERLAP -> If Both Knights or Both Rooks can Legally Move to the Square, just Add Initial ROW or COLUMN Designator to Specify Desired ACTIVE Chess Piece -> ex. Rxdb3 or Rx4b3 ->To Force an illegal Chess Move, use the Qb3d5Z style OVERRIDE method provided….ChessMatch2 is great for Special Demonstrations & Student Instruction -> for iPads: ADVANCE Chess Pieces by Tapping the Left & Right Edges of the Screen when Enjoying an Annotated ChessMatch in LANDSCAPE Mode! **Playing via MOVES LIST MATCH is Recommended -> [Modify MOVES LIST] -> [Press LOAD Button] -> [Press REPLAY Button] -> [Enjoy!] -> [Repeat] **to Adjust Annotated Match REPLAY Speed: [Press GAMES] -> [Press OPTIONS] -> [Scroll Down & Press "Mountain MENU"] -> [Modify Decimal Number -> Smaller is Faster!] -> [Press REPLAY] ***During a Moves List Match, ALL of the Chess Pieces can be Moved or Modified without Interfering with the Match -> this makes ChessMatch2 Perfect for Demonstrations / Departures / Practice / & LEARNING -> or even Do-Over's!~ -> Chess CLOCK -> Fischer Increment / Bronstein Delay / Sudden Chess / & US Delay! -> [GAMES] -> [OPTIONS] -> [Chess CLOCK] -> the Chessboard dates back to the 1600s & the Oldest Match is from 1475 ----------> ChessMatch2 is your BEST MOVE!++
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ratings volume: SmallFish Chess for Stockfish at 4.5K against ChessMatch2's 1. SmallFish Chess for Stockfish also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs every 9 days) and chart position (#22 vs unranked). ChessMatch2's advantage is price ($0.99 vs $4.99) and rating (5.0 vs 4.8). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model 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
SmallFish Chess for Stockfish costs $4.99 and ChessMatch2 $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
ChessMatch2 holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SmallFish Chess for Stockfish has 4.5K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.
SmallFish Chess for Stockfish ships an update every 3 days, ChessMatch2 every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on November 9, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | SmallFish Chess for Stockfish | ChessMatch2 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $4.99 | $0.99 — better |
| Rating | 4.8 (4.5K ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 79.1% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 4.5K — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 days — better | Every 9 days |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | #22 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 195 MB | 16 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Ted Wong | Jack McCormack |
Customer experience
SmallFish Chess for Stockfish
ChessMatch2
Bugs and requests
SmallFish Chess for Stockfish
Reported bugs
4 issues- 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
5 requests- 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
ChessMatch2
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
SmallFish Chess for Stockfish
No in-app purchases
ChessMatch2
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is SmallFish Chess for Stockfish free?
Is ChessMatch2 free?
Which has better reviews, SmallFish Chess for Stockfish or ChessMatch2?
Do SmallFish Chess for Stockfish or ChessMatch2 have ads?
Which is updated more often, SmallFish Chess for Stockfish or ChessMatch2?
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