Comparison

Chess vs Chess Engine

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

Head to head
About

Chess

Features
Read full description

PROFESSIONAL ANALYSIS BOARD Turn your iPhone or iPad into a complete analysis board. Create, modify and analyze positions with our board editor. Study every game and take your chess to the next level. POSITION SCANNING Scan positions directly from photos or screenshots, in 2D and 3D. The app automatically recognizes the pieces and board layout. Ideal for studying real games or your own moves. POWERFUL ANALYSIS ENGINE Our advanced analysis engine evaluates each position with precision. Suggests the best moves, detects errors and displays strategic alternatives. PRACTICAL OPPORTUNITIES Discover the practical opportunities of each position. Identify tactics, strategic plans and key moves you can apply in your games. ADVANCED FEATURES + Complete opening books to study strategies from the initial phase of the game. + Database with more than 8 million games, updated weekly. + Download and upload .pgn files, share your analyses and save photos. + Share your studies with other players or coaches. PERSONALIZED ORGANIZATION Save all your games and analyses in your personal database. With an intuitive drag-and-drop system, organize your studies. COMPLETE AND FLEXIBLE ANALYSIS With interactive board, position scanning, powerful analysis engine and personalized organization, this app is the ultimate tool for chess analysis and training.

About

Chess Engine

Instantly analyze any chess board by scanning it to find the best next move. This tool uses advanced AI and a powerful chess engine to help you study, train, and improve your game. Digitize diagrams from books or review tournament games with confidence.

Highlights
  • Scan physical or digital chess boards
  • Instantly find the next best move
  • AI board recognition
  • Stockfish engine analysis
  • Digitize diagrams from books
  • Save and export to FEN/PGN
Features
Read full description

Capture any physical or digital chess board and instantly find the NEXT BEST MOVE. No more manual entry. No more guessing. Just scan, solve, and win. Stop wondering what you missed and start understanding why. ▶ Why Use ChessFox: Whether you are reading a chess book, playing a friend at a park, or reviewing a tournament game, ChessFox uses stockfish to "see" the board and provide instantly the next best move. - Total Confidence in Every Game: Never feel lost in a position again. Get the clarity of a 3500+ ELO engine analyzing your specific real-world setup. - Study Smarter, Not Harder: Instantly digitize diagrams from books or newspapers. Spend your time learning the theory, not setting up the pieces. - The Perfect Training Partner: Carry a Grandmaster in your pocket. Get hints, find blunders, and explore "what-if" scenarios on the fly. ▶ What Sets ChessFox Apart: - Board Recognition: Our AI identifies pieces and positions from any chess board. - Deep Engine Analysis: Powered by Stockfish, the world’s strongest chess engine, for precision accuracy. - Save & Export: Instantly convert scans to FEN or PGN to share with coaches or export to your favorite analysis tools. JOIN THOUSANDS OF IMPROVING PLAYERS From casual hobbyists to dedicated club players, ChessFox is the essential tool for anyone serious about improving their game. Stop playing in the dark and start seeing the board with total clarity. Download ChessFox now and find your next winning move. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Chess4 screens
Chess Engine4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Chess Engine at none against Chess's shown. Chess Engine also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement 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. Chess sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and Chess Engine sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Chess ships an update every 3 weeks, Chess Engine weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 7 level
Chess versus Chess Engine: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterChessChess Engine
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Number of ratings—1 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksWeekly — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
Monetization—Free with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details — not scored
Size146 MB129 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAlvaro RibesAbdullah Anwar

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Chess

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly$3.991 Month
  • Annual$17.991 Year
4 purchases

Chess Engine

Subscriptions3
  • ChessScan Pro Weekly7 Days trial$4.997 Days
  • ChessFox Pro Weekly$4.997 Days
  • ChessFox Pro Annually$19.991 Year
One-time1
  • ChessFox Pro Lifetime$29.99

Questions

Is Chess free?
Chess is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Chess Engine free?
Chess Engine is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Chess or Chess Engine have ads?
Chess shows ads; Chess Engine does not.
Which is updated more often, Chess or Chess Engine?
Chess ships an update every 3 weeks, and Chess Engine weekly. Most recently, Chess was updated on September 22, 2026 and Chess Engine on September 8, 2026.

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