Comparison

FirstMoves vs London System Chess

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

Head to head
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.

About

London System Chess

Master a single chess opening with interactive lessons and daily reviews. Practice against AI, solve puzzles, and analyze your own games to improve your play. Designed for all levels, it offers a focused learning experience without ads or tracking.

Highlights
  • Interactive lessons on the London System
  • Daily spaced-repetition reviews
  • Sparring against six engine levels
  • Daily chess puzzles and timed challenges
  • Analysis of your own game PGNs
  • Progress tracking on device
Features
Read full description

Out of book by move 5? Tired of learning an opening, then forgetting it by your next game? London System Chess teaches you one solid setup for White that you can play against almost anything: 1…d5, 1…Nf6, the Dutch, the King's Indian and more. Less theory to learn, and more games that start the way you want. HOW IT WORKS 1. Learn: short, interactive lessons where you play every move yourself. Bertie, your bowler-hatted coach, explains why each move works and grades it with the symbols players know: !!, !, !? and ?. 2. Remember: the Commute is a 5-minute daily review that brings each position back right before you'd forget it. It runs on FSRS, a modern spaced-repetition algorithm, so your time goes to the moves you're about to lose. 3. Play: spar against six engine levels, solve daily puzzles, race the clock in Rush Hour and check your real games. THE WHOLE LONDON, FROM FIRST MOVE TO GRANDMASTER IDEAS • 95 lessons in 12 lines: Foundations, Classical, Symmetry and Counterstrike against 1…d5, Trap Street, Fianchetto, the Offbeat Express for the Dutch and other surprises, Endgame Junction, Jobava, Attack, Model Games and the Grandmaster Line. • Every line checked with Stockfish. • Your repertoire as one move tree. Tap any branch to replay it and see what you remember. SEE WHERE YOUR OWN GAMES GO WRONG Game Checkup reads your Chess.com games, or a PGN from anywhere, and shows the exact move where you left the book, next to the London move. Add a slip to your next Commute with one tap, so the same mistake doesn't happen twice. PRACTICE THAT FEELS LIKE PLAY • Rush Hour: 60 seconds. How many London moves can you find? • Mind the Gap: daily puzzles where Black slips up and you punish it. • Sparring Partner: full games against six levels, from Tourist to Grandmaster, with an evaluation bar beside the board. Your opponent plays real London theory. • Climb the ranks from Pawn to Grandmaster, set a daily goal and keep your streak alive. BUILT FOR YOUR LEVEL AND YOUR DAY Brand new or rated 1700, you start with the lessons that fit your level. A lesson takes 3 to 15 minutes, and the daily review about five. No account, no ads, no tracking: your progress stays on your device. START FREE 20 lessons are free: most of the Foundations Line and the first lesson of every other line. So are the daily Commute, the daily puzzle, three Rush Hour runs a day, three sparring levels and Game Checkup. The Season Ticket unlocks all 95 lessons, every puzzle, unlimited Rush Hour, all six engine levels and the premium boards. Choose yearly with a 7-day free trial, monthly, or pay once for lifetime access. Your first London moves take three minutes. All aboard. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

FirstMoves4 screens
London System Chess4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: FirstMoves at 15.1 against London System Chess's 18.0. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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. FirstMoves sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and London System Chess sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
FirstMoves versus London System Chess: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFirstMovesLondon System Chess
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—2 — better
Update frequency—Every 5 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
Monetization—Freemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.1 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size39 MB16 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJEFFREY ROBERT SANCHEZBohdan Ivanchenko

In-app purchases

2 purchases

FirstMoves

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

London System Chess

Subscriptions2
  • Season Ticket (Monthly)$7.991 Month
  • Season Ticket (Yearly)7 Days trial$39.991 Year
One-time1
  • Season Ticket (Lifetime)$89.99

Questions

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

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