# dotChess vs Zenmate

The clearest difference is update cadence: dotChess at every 5 days against Zenmate's every 6 weeks. dotChess also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

dotChess ships an update every 5 days, Zenmate every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | dotChess | Zenmate |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dotchess/id6758965852/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **2** | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 days** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 193 MB | 4 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Thomas Baric](https://appshunter.io/developer/1872894014) | [Timothy Nice](https://appshunter.io/developer/1717668220) |

## What reviewers say

### dotChess

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dotchess/id6758965852)

Engage in classic chess matches with friends, AI opponents, or players globally. This modern application allows you to track your statistics, communicate during games, and resume play across multiple devices.

**Highlights:** Play live games with friends, Challenge AI bots, Global matchmaking, Account creation and stat tracking, In-game chat, Cross-device play

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Zenmate

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zenmate-mindful-chess/id6776354031)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is dotChess free?

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

### Is Zenmate free?

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

### Do dotChess or Zenmate have ads?

Neither dotChess nor Zenmate shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, dotChess or Zenmate?

dotChess ships an update every 5 days, and Zenmate every 6 weeks. Most recently, dotChess was updated on September 29, 2026 and Zenmate on October 1, 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.*