Comparison

LearnChess Academy vs FirstMoves

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

Head to head
About

LearnChess Academy

Features
Read full description

Stuck at the same rating? You play every day, but your rating hasn't moved in months. More games won't fix that. Knowing what to study next will. LearnChess is a chess academy with a coach who reads your games. START AT YOUR LEVEL ‣ The Academy: 6 levels, from learning the rules to 2000+ ‣ 52 units of lessons, drills, tests and play-outs ‣ Start where you are, not at lesson one LEARN FROM YOUR OWN GAMES ‣ Import your games from Lichess and Chess.com ‣ Knighty, your AI coach, reads them and picks the one thing to fix first ‣ Short guided sessions built from positions in your own games ‣ Puzzles made from your own mistakes UNDERSTAND, DON'T MEMORIZE ‣ 190 lessons: 111 openings, 32 endgames, 33 tactics, plus a beginner track ‣ Every idea explained in plain language ‣ Build your opening repertoire and re-test it every 90 days PRACTICE EVERY DAY ‣ Rated puzzles and themed drills (forks, mating patterns, zugzwang …) ‣ Stockfish analysis, free for everyone ‣ Take a screenshot of any board and analyze it COMMUNITY ‣ Publish your own puzzles, comment, and climb the leaderboard Five minutes on your commute or an hour of deep study: LearnChess meets you where you are. Free: 10 rated puzzles a day, every beginner lesson, a preview of every Academy unit and advanced lesson, 5 screenshot scans a day, Stockfish analysis, and your first Coach diagnosis. Knight ($4.99/mo): unlimited puzzles, a new Academy unit and advanced lesson every week, a weekly Coach session, and 10 AI messages a day. Queen ($14.99/mo or $89.99/yr): everything unlimited, with a Coach session every day. Subscriptions auto-renew at the end of each period (monthly or yearly) unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage in your App Store account settings. Terms: https://www.learnchess.ai/terms. Privacy: https://www.learnchess.ai/privacy.

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

LearnChess Academy4 screens
FirstMoves4 screens

Verdict

The call

LearnChess Academy and FirstMoves are too close to call on the numbers: across 5 compared parameters — price, ads, in-app purchases and device support among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

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. LearnChess Academy sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and FirstMoves sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
LearnChess Academy versus FirstMoves: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLearnChess AcademyFirstMoves
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyWeekly—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.115.1
Further details — not scored
Size129 MB39 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNikolas BurkJEFFREY ROBERT SANCHEZ

In-app purchases

3 purchases

LearnChess Academy

Subscriptions3
  • Knight$4.991 Month
  • Queen$14.991 Month
  • Queen$89.991 Year
2 purchases

FirstMoves

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

Questions

Is LearnChess Academy free?
LearnChess Academy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is FirstMoves free?
FirstMoves is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do LearnChess Academy or FirstMoves have ads?
Neither LearnChess Academy nor FirstMoves shows ads.

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