Comparison

Chess Pro Trainer™ vs PGN Chess Recorder

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

Head to head
About

Chess Pro Trainer™

This app enhances tactical vision and calculation in chess through realistic in-game simulations. It teaches players when and how to spot tactical opportunities, unlike traditional puzzle apps. Features include an advanced move evaluation system and various training modules for different aspects of tactical play.

Highlights
  • Realistic in-game tactical simulation
  • Advanced Alternate Acceptable Move system
  • Tactics Recognition Training
  • Genius Training for aggressive play
  • Checks and Coordinated Squares Training
  • Unprotected Pieces Training
  • Stockfish-powered Analysis Board
Features
Read full description

Are you able to solve chess puzzles but struggle to find those same tactics in your own games? Or are you simply looking to improve your tactical awareness? Then Chess Pro Trainer is for you. Chess Pro Trainer is unlike any chess training app available today. It is designed to improve your tactical vision, calculation, pattern recognition, and overall chess strength through realistic in-game simulation training. Most puzzle apps teach you HOW to solve tactics. Chess Pro Trainer teaches you HOW and WHEN to look for them. In traditional puzzle apps, you know a tactic exists before you make your first move. In real games, nobody tells you a tactic is there. Chess Pro Trainer recreates that experience by presenting positions from real games where tactical opportunities may appear immediately or several moves later. This creates a realistic training environment that directly improves practical over-the-board and online play. The app also features an advanced Alternate Acceptable Move system. Rather than simply marking moves right or wrong, users can earn credit for finding Valid, Equal, or even Better moves than those played in the original game. This rewards creativity, strong decision-making, and deeper calculation. CORE TRAINING MODULES • Tactics Recognition Training Train both tactical awareness and tactical calculation through a unique two-phase training system. • Genius Training Develop attacking instincts through aggressive sacrifice positions and high-level tactical play. • Checks Training Master the ability to identify every possible check in a position. • Coordinated Squares Training Learn to recognize key action squares that often serve as the foundation of powerful tactics. • Unprotected Pieces Training Develop the ability to identify vulnerable pieces using a deeper definition of what "unprotected" truly means. ADDITIONAL FEATURES • Stockfish-powered Analysis Board • Global Leaderboards • Detailed Statistics Tracking • Multiple Difficulty Levels • Board Themes and Sound Customization • Learning Coordinates Module • Random Position Generator • Regular Content Updates Whether you are a beginner or an advanced player, Chess Pro Trainer provides a focused and efficient way to improve your chess skills through realistic tactical training. This is not just another puzzle app. This is a complete tactical training system. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

PGN Chess Recorder

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Chess Recorder lets you record chess games by speaking your moves. Say square names, pieces, captures, castling, and undo in plain language — the board updates live, the move list builds as you play, and you can export everything as PGN. Built to capture PGN from games on older chess computers and devices that don’t offer export capabilities— and just as useful for over-the-board play, training, and quick analysis on iPhone and iPad. VOICE DICTATION • On-device speech recognition tuned for chess moves • Support for English and German language dictation • Live transcript while you record • Teach custom phrases when recognition misses something • Optional touch input when you prefer to tap moves instead BOARD & NOTATION • Clear interactive board with move navigation and scrubbing • ECO code and opening name as you play • Browse opening continuations from the current position • Multi-game archive with PGN copy and export • Flip the board and customize colors, coordinates, piece size, and many more ENGINE ANALYSIS • On-device Stockfish analysis via LucidEngine • Evaluation, win probability, main line, and best-move arrow • Each display option can be turned on or off MOVE QUALITY • Background assessment of played moves • Inaccuracy, mistake, blunder, and miss marks in the move list • Accuracy summary with charts for White and Black • Optional assessment symbols in exported PGN When supported, speech recognition runs on your device. Microphone access is used only for move dictation. Chess Recorder is free and open source (GPLv3).

Screenshots

Chess Pro Trainer™4 screens
PGN Chess Recorder4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: PGN Chess Recorder at none against Chess Pro Trainer™'s 5. PGN Chess Recorder also leads on update cadence (daily vs every 3 days). Chess Pro Trainer™'s advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 26.5). On price, ads 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. Chess Pro Trainer™ sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. PGN Chess Recorder asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Chess Pro Trainer™ ships an update every 3 days, PGN Chess Recorder daily. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Chess Pro Trainer™ versus PGN Chess Recorder: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterChess Pro Trainer™PGN Chess Recorder
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (14 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings14 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 daysDaily — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreemium—
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better26.5
Further details — not scored
Size474 MB113 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperChess With Coach Mark, LLC.Philipp Guntermann

In-app purchases

5 purchases

Chess Pro Trainer™

Subscriptions2
  • Pro Monthly$2.991 Month
  • Pro Annual$29.991 Year
One-time3
  • Pro Lifetime1$99.99
  • Pro Lifetime 2 Licenses$149.99
  • Pro Lifetime4$199.99
None

PGN Chess Recorder

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Chess Pro Trainer™ free?
Chess Pro Trainer™ is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is PGN Chess Recorder free?
PGN Chess Recorder is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Chess Pro Trainer™ or PGN Chess Recorder have ads?
Neither Chess Pro Trainer™ nor PGN Chess Recorder shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Chess Pro Trainer™ or PGN Chess Recorder?
Chess Pro Trainer™ ships an update every 3 days, and PGN Chess Recorder daily. Most recently, Chess Pro Trainer™ was updated on October 22, 2026 and PGN Chess Recorder on October 7, 2026.

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