# Checkmate Master vs Chessferatu

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Checkmate Master at none against Chessferatu's 3. Checkmate Master also leads on ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Chessferatu sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Checkmate Master asks for nothing beyond the download.

Checkmate Master ships an update fortnightly, Chessferatu every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Checkmate Master | Chessferatu |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chessferatu/id6767737492/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **4** |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | — | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 29 MB | 354 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [TB SOFT(SK)](https://appshunter.io/developer/495095043) | [Half-Cocked Studios](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896504941) |

## What reviewers say

### Checkmate Master

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/checkmate-master/id6756158797)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Chessferatu

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chessferatu/id6767737492)

Learn and practice chess openings through a gamified experience with eerie rivals and high-stakes decisions. Study, battle, and improve with focused play modes, detailed move analysis, and lifetime stats. Features a distinctive horror-inspired presentation for a unique training approach.

**Highlights:** Gamified chess learning, Offline capability, Study opening lines, Battle mode for openings, Detailed move analysis, Lifetime stats tracking, Horror-inspired presentation

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock All Opponents | $4.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads | $4.99 | one-time |
| Magic Keyring | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Checkmate Master free?

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

### Is Chessferatu free?

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

### Do Checkmate Master or Chessferatu have ads?

Chessferatu shows ads; Checkmate Master does not.

### Which is updated more often, Checkmate Master or Chessferatu?

Checkmate Master ships an update fortnightly, and Chessferatu every 2 weeks. Most recently, Checkmate Master was updated on October 10, 2026 and Chessferatu on October 5, 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.*