Comparison

zChess vs Chesswise

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

Head to head

Study Chess Openings

Play chess with AI guidance

Free

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About

zChess

Read full description

zChess is an opening and tactic training app that teaches openings through interactive spaced repetition training sessions and chess puzzles. End User License Agreement: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://zchess.app/privacy.html

About

Chesswise

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AI Chess Coach is a focused chess app for learning while you play. Play against a Stockfish-powered opponent, choose your side, adjust engine strength, and get help from an AI chess mentor when you need it. The AI mentor can explain the current position, suggest plans, and highlight immediate threats using the board state, move history, and engine recommendation. Features: - Play as White or Black - Adjustable engine difficulty - Stockfish-powered move generation - AI mentor explanations

Screenshots

zChess3 screens

Chesswise3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Chesswise at none against zChess's 2. On price, update cadence, ads 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. zChess sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Chesswise asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

zChess ships an update every 9 days, Chesswise fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 5 level

zChess versus Chesswise: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
Parameter	zChess	Chesswise
Price	Free	Free
Update frequency	Every 9 days — better	Fortnightly
Ads	No	No
In-app purchases	Yes	No — better
Devices	iPhone, iPad — better	iPhone
Requires iOS	26.0 — better	26.1
Further details — not scored
Size	14 MB	93 MB
Age rating	4+	4+
Developer	Benjamin Zobrist	Cuong Nguyen

In-app purchases

2 purchases

zChess

Subscriptions2

Monthly Access$4.991 Month
Yearly Access$49.991 Year

None

Chesswise

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is zChess free?

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

Is Chesswise free?

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

Do zChess or Chesswise have ads?

Neither zChess nor Chesswise shows ads.

Which is updated more often, zChess or Chesswise?

zChess ships an update every 9 days, and Chesswise fortnightly. Most recently, zChess was updated on October 15, 2026 and Chesswise on October 12, 2026.