Chessbits vs Zenmate
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side โ with what reviewers say about each.
Chessbits
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Fetch interesting game bits from the cloud See color coded game notation to identify good moves, blunders and transpositions Show or hide the game evaluation at any time Hide the pieces at any time to play blindfold Change moves as often as you wish Change sides at any time to play from the Stockfish position Create and play your own positions Choose any Chess960 starting position or let the app choose one randomly Choose to receive a warning if you make a weak move Choose to announce draw by 50 move rule Choose to announce draw by repetition Use dark or light mode along with a selection of board colors
Zenmate
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Zenmate is a calm, beautifully designed chess app built for focused play. Play a quiet game against the AI, start a match with friends through Game Center, or pass-and-play on one device. Zenmate keeps the interface simple and refined so the board stays central and every move has room to breathe. Features: - Play vs AI with multiple difficulty levels - Play with friends using Game Center - Local 2-player pass-and-play - Light and dark mode - Optional board coordinates - Flip board support - Clean timers and move-focused gameplay A quiet game of kings. Designed to slow you down, one move at a time.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Zenmate at 17.0 against Chessbits's 26.0. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Chessbits ships an update every 3 weeks, Zenmate every 6 weeks. Both last shipped on October 25, 2026.
| Parameter | Chessbits | Zenmate |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks โ better | Every 6 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | 17.0 โ better |
| Further details โ not scored | ||
| Size | 104 MB | 4 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | David Sybert | Timothy Nice |
In-app purchases
Chessbits
No in-app purchases
Zenmate
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Chessbits free?
Is Zenmate free?
Do Chessbits or Zenmate have ads?
Which is updated more often, Chessbits or Zenmate?
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