Comparison

ChessFlare vs ChessMonitor

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

ChessFlare

Master chess with structured courses on openings, endgames, and strategy. Build and organize your repertoire, memorize lines with spaced repetition, and analyze your games to identify and fix mistakes. Track progress with detailed statistics and train on your weaknesses with targeted sessions.

Highlights
  • Structured chess courses
  • Opening repertoire management
  • Spaced repetition memorization
  • Game analysis and review
  • Detailed progress statistics
  • Interactive move tree exploration
  • Cross-device synchronization
Features
Read full description

Learn chess in depth with complete COURSES on openings, endgames, strategy, and the key concepts of the game. Improve step by step with structured content tailored to your level, helping you better understand and apply the right ideas in your games. CREATE AND ORGANIZE YOUR REPERTOIRE Easily build and manage your opening and study database: import and edit PGN files, organize your lines into clear variations and chapters, and add annotations and comments. Everything is gathered in one powerful and intuitive space. MEMORIZE FASTER WITH SPACED REPETITION Turn your lines into lasting reflexes with a smart spaced repetition system based on SM2. Reviews are automatically scheduled at the right time and adapt to your performance, helping you learn efficiently without overload and retain key openings over time. ANALYZE YOUR GAMES AND FIX YOUR MISTAKES Turn every game into an opportunity to improve by syncing your games from Chess.com and Lichess. Identify key moments, spot important mistakes, and focus on what truly helps you progress. GAME REVIEW After each game, get a clear and useful summary: key moments, decisive mistakes, and practical suggestions for improvement. Quickly understand what made the difference and adjust your play. DETAILED STATISTICS Track your progress with precise data: success rate by opening, types and frequency of mistakes, and performance trends over time. Clearly identify your strengths and areas for improvement. TRAIN ON YOUR WEAKNESSES Stop wasting time on generic exercises. Work directly on your weak points with targeted sessions and a personalized approach tailored to your level. EXPLORE YOUR LINES WITH AN INTERACTIVE TREE Visualize and understand all your lines with a clear interface featuring an interactive move tree, built-in Stockfish analysis, and easy exploration of key positions. Make better decisions by truly understanding your openings. SYNC ACROSS ALL YOUR DEVICES Work anytime, anywhere, on desktop or mobile. Your data is synchronized in real time in the cloud, allowing you to switch seamlessly between study and training. Your progress is always up to date and accessible. PLAY MODE Practice directly on the board with a dedicated Play mode designed to help you apply what you learn in real game situations. Train against positions, test your understanding, and turn theory into practical chess skills. A COMPLETE WORKFLOW TO IMPROVE Unlike traditional tools, ChessFlare brings everything together in one system: repertoire creation, learning, review, analysis, and progress tracking. Improve faster with a clear and efficient workflow. WHO IS CHESSFLARE FOR? ChessFlare is designed for beginners and advanced players, competitive players who want to structure their preparation, coaches and students, as well as anyone passionate about openings and game analysis. Terms of Use : https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

ChessMonitor

Read full description

ChessMonitor is your complete chess preparation and analytics platform. Prepare smarter. Analyze deeper. Improve faster. ALL YOUR GAMES IN ONE PLACE Connect your Chess.com and Lichess accounts or even upload your own games to unlock powerful analysis tools. Explore your openings, review past performances, and understand your strengths and weaknesses in one unified dashboard. ACCESS BILLIONS OF ONLINE GAMES Search players across platforms and prepare specifically for your next opponent. Bookmark players, study their openings, and discover patterns in their playing style. ULTRA DATABASE - 10 MILLION GAMES Check out our large collection of over-the-board, correspondence, and tournament games. Study legends like Magnus Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura, or research local tournament opponents. STOCKFISH 18 Use the latest Stockfish 18, the strongest chess engine in the world, on your phone. Get the best evaluations whether you’re reviewing critical moments or preparing opening lines. AND MUCH MORE TO IMPROVE YOUR CHESS Opponent statistics, preparation tools, opening explorers, performance tracking and progress insights as well as player bookmarks and much more. Whether you’re preparing for your next tournament, studying your rivals, or simply trying to improve, ChessMonitor gives you the tools professionals use: all in one place on your phone. Level up your chess preparation with real data. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://www.chessmonitor.com/privacy

Screenshots

ChessFlare4 screens
ChessMonitor4 screens

Verdict

The call

ChessFlare and ChessMonitor are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters — price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. ChessFlare sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $6.49 per month and ChessMonitor sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ChessFlare ships an update fortnightly, ChessMonitor every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 8, 2026 respectively.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
ChessFlare versus ChessMonitor: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterChessFlareChessMonitor
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (2 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews77.3% of reviews—
Number of ratings2 — better—
Update frequencyFortnightly — betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.415.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size101 MB117 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBastien VanhoveChessMonitor UG (haftungsbeschrankt)

In-app purchases

8 purchases

ChessFlare

Subscriptions7
  • Pro Monthly$6.491 Month
  • ChessFlare Pro Yearly$12.991 Year
  • ChessFlare Pro Yearly$22.991 Year
Show 4 more
  • ChessFlare Creator Referral -50%1 Month trial$24.991 Year
  • ChessFlare Pro Yearly$24.991 Year
  • ChessFlare Pro Yearly$39.991 Year
  • Pro Yearly7 Days trial$49.991 Year
One-time1
  • Pro Lifetime$110.99
2 purchases

ChessMonitor

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly$7.991 Month
  • Yearly$79.991 Year

Questions

Is ChessFlare free?
ChessFlare is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is ChessMonitor free?
ChessMonitor is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do ChessFlare or ChessMonitor have ads?
Neither ChessFlare nor ChessMonitor shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ChessFlare or ChessMonitor?
ChessFlare ships an update fortnightly, and ChessMonitor every 3 weeks. Most recently, ChessFlare was updated on September 23, 2026 and ChessMonitor on September 8, 2026.

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