# Notation vs ChessMate

The clearest difference is price: ChessMate at Free against Notation's $2.99. ChessMate also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.6). Notation's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 6) and update cadence (every 4 days vs every 2 weeks). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

ChessMate is free to download; Notation costs $2.99 up front. ChessMate sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Notation asks for nothing beyond the download.

Notation ships an update every 4 days, ChessMate every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Notation | ChessMate |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $2.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.6 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notation-chess-coach/id6759826744/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **5** | — |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Paid | — |
| Best chart rank | **#104** | — |
| Size | 427 MB | 11 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Darren Cox](https://appshunter.io/developer/1874926497) | [Wolf Technologies Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1893245521) |

## What reviewers say

### Notation

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notation-chess-coach/id6759826744)

**Currently charting:** #104 Top Paid · Board (US App Store)

This app provides in-depth chess coaching by explaining moves and patterns using advanced AI and established coaching theories. It offers detailed game reviews, player profiling, and opponent scouting, all processed on your device for privacy.

**Highlights:** On-device AI analysis, Multiple coaching frameworks, Detailed game reviews, Player style profiling, Opponent scouting, Physical board integration, Privacy-focused design

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### ChessMate

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chessmate-master-chess/id6762457428)

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

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Gold Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| Platinum Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Diamond Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Gold Yearly | $29.99 | per year |
| Platinum Yearly | $49.99 | per year |
| Diamond Yearly | $99.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Notation free?

Notation costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is ChessMate free?

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

### Do Notation or ChessMate have ads?

Neither Notation nor ChessMate shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Notation or ChessMate?

Notation ships an update every 4 days, and ChessMate every 2 weeks. Most recently, Notation was updated on October 17, 2026 and ChessMate on October 8, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*