# Checkmate vs Heatmap Chess

The clearest difference is ads: Checkmate at none against Heatmap Chess's shown. Checkmate also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months). Heatmap Chess's advantage is iOS requirement (13.4 vs 18.2). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Checkmate sells 4 one-off in-app purchases and Heatmap Chess sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Checkmate ships an update fortnightly, Heatmap Chess every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Checkmate | Heatmap Chess |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/checkmate-chess-puzzles/id6755747166/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **2** | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 2 MB | 19 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.2 | **13.4** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Emotion Computer](https://appshunter.io/developer/1804679421) | [Utku Kucu](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896253523) |

## What reviewers say

### Checkmate

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/checkmate-chess-puzzles/id6755747166)

Sharpen your chess tactics with a daily "Mate in X" puzzle. Each challenge is drawn from real games and offers instant feedback on your moves. Perfect for quick daily practice or in-depth tactical training.

**Highlights:** Daily Mate in X challenges, Instant move feedback, AI Trainer for scenarios, Real chess positions, Tactical vision sharpening

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Coin Bundle Small | $2.99 | one-time |
| Coin Bundle Medium | $4.99 | one-time |
| Coin Bundle Large | $9.99 | one-time |
| Coin Bundle Extreme | $19.99 | one-time |


### Heatmap Chess

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/heatmap-chess/id6766252248)

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock Everything | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Checkmate free?

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

### Is Heatmap Chess free?

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

### Do Checkmate or Heatmap Chess have ads?

Heatmap Chess shows ads; Checkmate does not.

### Which is updated more often, Checkmate or Heatmap Chess?

Checkmate ships an update fortnightly, and Heatmap Chess every 2 months. Most recently, Checkmate was updated on October 7, 2026 and Heatmap Chess on October 13, 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.*