Comparison

Calvin Chess Trainer vs FirstMoves

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

Head to head
About

Calvin Chess Trainer

Features
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Master the chessboard from the ground up! Calvin Chess Trainer turns board fundamentals into engaging, hands-on drills designed for young learners. Chess Notation Trainer Learn files, ranks, and square names by tapping the board. Three modes let you progress at your own pace: Explore to discover, Practice to build confidence, and Speed Round to test your skills under a 30-second timer. Hear every square spoken aloud as you tap, reinforcing coordinate recognition through sight and sound. Move Trainer Read standard chess notation and find the correct move on an interactive board. Drag and drop pieces to solve 500 curated puzzles from the Lichess database. Incorrect? An arrow shows you where the piece should have gone so you learn from every attempt. Chess Vision Drills Build board visualization skills with four unique drills: Forks & Skewers — find the square where a piece attacks two targets at once Knight Sight — locate all squares a knight can reach in one jump Knight Flight — navigate a knight to a target in the fewest moves Pawn Attack — guide a piece through a field of enemy pawns to the other side Built for Kids Audio feedback on every tap — files, ranks, and piece names spoken clearly Streak counter with milestone celebrations at 5, 10, 15, and 20 Personal best tracking across every drill, mode, and difficulty Hard Mode flips the board to black's perspective for an extra challenge 25+ board themes and 28 piece sets to make it your own No ads. No in-app purchases. Just chess. Whether your child is just learning the names of the squares or sharpening their tactical vision, Calvin Chess Trainer makes every drill feel like a game. From Internut Education.

About

FirstMoves

Features
Read full description

============================== Master chess openings and take your game to the next level with FirstMoves — the interactive chess opening trainer designed for players of all skill levels. LEARN OPENINGS THE RIGHT WAY Stop memorizing moves you don't understand. FirstMoves teaches you the "why" behind every move with clear explanations that help you remember and apply what you learn in real games. FEATURES • 50+ Chess Openings — From beginner-friendly openings like the Italian Game and London System to advanced lines like the Sicilian Najdorf and King's Indian Defense. • Interactive Lessons — Step through each opening move-by-move on a beautiful, responsive chessboard. See the position develop as you learn. • Move Explanations — Understand the purpose of every move. Learn the ideas, plans, and tactics behind each opening. • Progress Tracking — Track which openings you've studied and your mastery level. Pick up right where you left off. • Offline Mode (Premium) — Download openings and study anywhere, even without an internet connection. • Difficulty Levels — Openings are categorized as Beginner, Intermediate, or Advanced so you can find the right challenge. OPENINGS INCLUDED White Openings: • Italian Game & Giuoco Piano • Ruy Lopez (Spanish Opening) • Queen's Gambit • London System • King's Indian Attack • English Opening • And many more... Black Defenses: • Sicilian Defense (multiple variations) • French Defense • Caro-Kann Defense • King's Indian Defense • Nimzo-Indian Defense • Dutch Defense • And many more... PREMIUM SUBSCRIPTION Upgrade to Premium for unlimited access: • Unlimited study sessions (no daily limits) • Access to all 50+ openings • Offline mode — learn anywhere • Detailed analytics and progress tracking • Full move explanations for every line SUBSCRIPTION DETAILS • Payment will be charged to your Apple ID account at confirmation of purchase • Subscription automatically renews unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period • Manage and cancel subscriptions in your App Store account settings Whether you're preparing for your first tournament or looking to expand your repertoire, FirstMoves helps you build a solid opening foundation. Download now and make your first moves count.

Screenshots

Calvin Chess Trainer4 screens
FirstMoves4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Calvin Chess Trainer at none against FirstMoves's 2. On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price Ā· Rating Ā· Positive reviews Ā· Number of ratings Ā· Update frequency Ā· Ads Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Monetization Ā· Best chart rank Ā· Devices Ā· Requires iOS

CostPrice Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Ads Ā· Monetization

Both are free to download. FirstMoves sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Calvin Chess Trainer asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard1 real difference Ā· 5 level
Calvin Chess Trainer versus FirstMoves: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCalvin Chess TrainerFirstMoves
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 5 days—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.0 — better15.1
Further details — not scored
Size215 MB39 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDAVID MARKLEJEFFREY ROBERT SANCHEZ

In-app purchases

None

Calvin Chess Trainer

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

FirstMoves

Subscriptions2
  • FirstMoves Premium Monthly$4.991 Month
  • FirstMoves Premium Yearly$29.991 Year

Questions

Is Calvin Chess Trainer free?
Calvin Chess Trainer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is FirstMoves free?
FirstMoves is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Calvin Chess Trainer or FirstMoves have ads?
Neither Calvin Chess Trainer nor FirstMoves shows ads.

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