# ChessScroll vs ZugZwang

The clearest difference is review sentiment: ZugZwang at 40% against ChessScroll's 0%. ZugZwang also leads on monetization model (freemium vs subscription) and update cadence (weekly vs fortnightly). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. ChessScroll sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month and ZugZwang sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ChessScroll ships an update fortnightly, ZugZwang weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ChessScroll | ZugZwang |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chessscroll-earn-your-scroll/id6789703834/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **2** | — |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | **40.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Freemium** |
| Size | 100 MB | 39 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [MICHAŁ ROSTKOWSKI](https://appshunter.io/developer/1888939019) | [DaDaMa Ug (haftungsbeschränkt)](https://appshunter.io/developer/1852993941) |

## What reviewers say

### ChessScroll

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chessscroll-earn-your-scroll/id6789703834)

This app locks distracting applications behind chess puzzles. Solve a puzzle to earn minutes of screen time for your chosen apps. It aims to reduce screen time by integrating practice into existing habits.

**Highlights:** App locking with chess puzzles, Customizable scroll time per puzzle, Offline puzzle functionality, Personalized puzzle difficulty, Privacy-focused, no account needed, Reduces screen time through habit integration

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Membership | $7.99 | per month |
| Annual Membership | $39.99 | per year |


### ZugZwang

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zugzwang-chess-screen-time/id6808323304)

This app blocks distracting applications and websites, requiring users to solve a chess puzzle to gain temporary access. It offers a personalized rating system and strict mode for enhanced focus. Your progress is saved to your account and syncs across devices.

**Highlights:** Block apps, categories, and websites, Solve chess puzzles for access, Personalized Elo puzzle rating, Strict mode for enhanced focus, Cross-device progress syncing, No ads

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $7.99 | per month |
| Yearly | $14.99 | per year |
| Yearly | $19.99 | per year |
| Yearly | $29.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ChessScroll free?

ChessScroll is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is ZugZwang free?

ZugZwang is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do ChessScroll or ZugZwang have ads?

Neither ChessScroll nor ZugZwang shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ChessScroll or ZugZwang?

ChessScroll ships an update fortnightly, and ZugZwang weekly. Most recently, ChessScroll was updated on October 21, 2026 and ZugZwang on October 24, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*