# MaiChess AI vs ChessLab

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: ChessLab at none against MaiChess AI's 2. ChessLab also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months). MaiChess AI's advantage is iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.0). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. MaiChess AI sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. ChessLab asks for nothing beyond the download.

MaiChess AI ships an update every 2 months, ChessLab weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | MaiChess AI | ChessLab |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Weekly** |
| Size | 185 MB | 169 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [AI MindsLab](https://appshunter.io/developer/1836851407) | [Thierry Maeder](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896297738) |

## What reviewers say

### MaiChess AI

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/maichess-ai/id6751793486)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| MCTS AI Premium | $2.99 | one-time |
| Mini Games | $4.99 | one-time |


### ChessLab

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chesslab/id6793097336)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is MaiChess AI free?

MaiChess AI is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is ChessLab free?

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

### Do MaiChess AI or ChessLab have ads?

Neither MaiChess AI nor ChessLab shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, MaiChess AI or ChessLab?

MaiChess AI ships an update every 2 months, and ChessLab weekly. Most recently, MaiChess AI was updated on October 9, 2026 and ChessLab on October 24, 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.*