Comparison

ChessFlex vs Chessbook PGN Library

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

Head to head
About

ChessFlex

Play chess with friends or AI without accounts or servers. Features a FIDE-formula rating system and asynchronous play. Offers an optional one-time unlock for in-depth game analysis and coaching.

Highlights
  • Play with friends via QR code or iMessage
  • Human-like AI bots with adjustable ELO
  • FIDE-formula rating system
  • Asynchronous and timed game modes
  • No chat, only chess notation
  • Private by design, no accounts or tracking
  • Optional game analysis and coaching unlock
Features
Read full description

ChessFlex is chess stripped back to the game. No accounts, no servers, no chat — just the board, the friends you choose, and a real rating that's yours. PLAY YOUR CIRCLE Connect by trading a QR code, in person or over iMessage. No global matchmaking, no strangers, no friend requests. The people across the board are people you picked. HUMANS — OR HUMAN-LIKE BOTS Five built-in bots from 400 to 2000 ELO play like real people at that level: they make human mistakes, not random ones. A real game and a real rating from your very first move. And when you've beaten them all, there's King — our own engine at full strength, and not human-like at all. FIDE-FORMULA RATING Every game updates your rating with the standard FIDE formula. It's your history, not your ceiling — anyone can challenge anyone, and a 1200 taking on a 2000 is courage, not a mistake. PLAY AT YOUR PACE Async by default — make a move, put your phone away, pick it up hours later. Or set a clock: Blitz, Rapid, Classical, or multi-day correspondence. THE BOARD IS THE CONVERSATION There's no chat box, ever. Players speak only in standard chess annotation symbols — !! for a brilliant move, ? for a mistake. Nothing personal can be exchanged, so there's nothing to moderate, and it's cross-language by default. PRIVATE BY DESIGN No email, no sign-up, no tracking, no ads. Your identity is your device; your games live on your device and travel only between you and your opponent. CHESSFLEX STUDY (optional) A one-time unlock that turns every game into a lesson: move-by-move analysis, win-chance insight in plain language, guided openings, and practice positions. Scan a chess diagram from a screenshot and play it out, or have the coach read its suggested line aloud. Playing, ratings, and opening names stay free, always. From Labham LLC. A sibling to LexFlex.

About

Chessbook PGN Library

Features
Read full description

Chessbook PGN Library is a private chess notebook for players who want to review their own games without a social feed or cloud account. WHY CHESSBOOK - Paste standard PGN and keep the tag roster, movetext, comments, NAGs, and variations readable. - Browse your personal game library by opponent, result, ECO code, opening name, and move count. - Mark critical positions with a ply number, note, and chess glyph so the lesson is easy to revisit. - Review your opening results by ECO and root move pattern. - Keep a repertoire list for the lines you are studying. - Store everything on device with SwiftData. No account, no ads, no analytics SDK. FREE TIER - Store up to 50 games. - Import PGN, browse the move list, write notes, and mark positions. CHESSBOOK PRO - Unlimited games. - Opening-tree review. - Repertoire tracker. - Position diagrams. - PGN export. - Monthly and yearly auto-renewing subscription options. Chessbook is built for over-the-board and online players who want a calm, private place to remember what actually happened in their games. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

ChessFlex4 screens
Chessbook PGN Library4 screens

Verdict

The call

ChessFlex and Chessbook PGN Library 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 · 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. ChessFlex sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Chessbook PGN Library sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
ChessFlex versus Chessbook PGN Library: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterChessFlexChessbook PGN Library
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 9 days—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.6 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size13 MB4 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperLabham LLCMitaanshu Agarwal

In-app purchases

1 purchases

ChessFlex

One-time1
  • ChessFlex Study$7.99
2 purchases

Chessbook PGN Library

Subscriptions2
  • Chessbook Pro Monthly7 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • Chessbook Pro Yearly7 Days trial$59.991 Year

Questions

Is ChessFlex free?
ChessFlex is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Chessbook PGN Library free?
Chessbook PGN Library is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do ChessFlex or Chessbook PGN Library have ads?
Neither ChessFlex nor Chessbook PGN Library shows ads.

Other comparisons