Comparison

GarryChess vs Chess Variants Studio

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

Head to head
About

GarryChess

Engage in personalized chess training with AI bots that mimic real player styles. Improve your game through courses, puzzles, and interactive analysis. Track your progress and explore community-created bots for a unique learning experience.

Highlights
  • Human-like AI chess bots
  • Personalized training courses
  • Tactical and positional puzzles
  • Style-based drills
  • Interactive game review
  • Community-created bots
  • Progress tracking
Features
Read full description

GarryChess is a personalized chess training app where you play against human-like AI chess bots inspired by real chess styles and backed by the latest research on human-like skill representation — from attacking like Mikhail Tal to mastering your own openings. Train through courses, dynamic puzzles, style-based drills, and interactive game review designed to make chess practice more engaging and realistic. Play quick games against unique opponents, explore community-created bots, analyze completed games, and track your improvement over time. Features: Play against chess bots with distinct and realistic playstyles Solve tactical and positional chess puzzles Practice dynamic training drills Courses to improve at chess through your preferred play-style Review and analyze completed games Explore community-created chess bots Track puzzle history and game progress Sign in with Apple or Google Manage your profile and account Unlike traditional chess engines, GarryChess focuses on style, personality, and human-like play to create a more engaging way to improve at chess.

About

Chess Variants Studio

Features
Read full description

Play any of nine variants of chess with 8 levels, 1200-2100, against the custom Pulsar engine. Review games with variant engine analysis. Styles supported are Chess960, Crazyhouse, Atomic, Losers, Giveaway, Three Checks, Advanced Pawns, Reversed Pawns and Random Pieces. The rules are included in-app. No signup. Ad Free. Works Offline. The playing program is one i've designed and tested at different levels on internet chess servers in order to come up with the ratings on the board. Ratings range from 1200 to 2100 or 2200 depending on variant. Try the app for free. There's 10 free plays of pure variants like atomic, crazyhouse and loser's and 10 free plays of chessic variants like chess960 and 30 free views of played games with analysis. A single one-time purchase unlocks unlimited play and variant engine analysis. Played games are logged and can also be viewed/analyzed. When reviewing the player's games, users can override the moves and start making their own moves. Back up to main line to undo. If the user goes looks at the Moves while reviewing, the game can be copied to the clipboard. The app comes with two skin themes, a reddish wood and a teal. Also here are multiple board and piece choices to choose from in settings.

Screenshots

GarryChess4 screens
Chess Variants Studio4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: GarryChess at none against Chess Variants Studio's 1. GarryChess also leads on update cadence (daily vs every 9 days). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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. Chess Variants Studio sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. GarryChess asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

GarryChess ships an update daily, Chess Variants Studio every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on August 1, 2026 and September 9, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
GarryChess versus Chess Variants Studio: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGarryChessChess Variants Studio
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (3 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings3 — better—
Update frequencyDaily — betterEvery 9 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS15.0 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size176 MB8 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJASON TYLER CARLSONMichael Adams

In-app purchases

None

GarryChess

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Chess Variants Studio

One-time1
  • Unlimited Plays and Views$3.99

Questions

Is GarryChess free?
GarryChess is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Chess Variants Studio free?
Chess Variants Studio is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do GarryChess or Chess Variants Studio have ads?
Neither GarryChess nor Chess Variants Studio shows ads.
Which is updated more often, GarryChess or Chess Variants Studio?
GarryChess ships an update daily, and Chess Variants Studio every 9 days. Most recently, GarryChess was updated on August 1, 2026 and Chess Variants Studio on September 9, 2026.

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