# Chess vs Chess Openings Explorer Pro

Chess and Chess Openings Explorer Pro both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 92% of Chess's written reviews are positive against 53% of Chess Openings Explorer Pro's. Chess Openings Explorer Pro's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and iOS requirement (10.0 vs 15.0). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Chess costs $3.99 and Chess Openings Explorer Pro $3.99 up front. Chess sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Chess Openings Explorer Pro asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Chess against 4.6 for Chess Openings Explorer Pro. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 118 and 349 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 92% of Chess's written reviews are positive against 53% of Chess Openings Explorer Pro's.

Chess ships an update fortnightly, Chess Openings Explorer Pro every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess | Chess Openings Explorer Pro |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $3.99 | $3.99 |
| Rating | **[4.7 (118 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-studio/id684224545/reviews)** | [4.6 (349 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-openings-explorer-pro/id1083431778/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 118 | **349** |
| Positive reviews | **92.0% of reviews** | 53.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | #166 | **#131** |
| Size | 237 MB | 40 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **10.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Giordano Vicoli](https://appshunter.io/developer/460922805) | [Emmanuel Mathis](https://appshunter.io/developer/892041879) |

## What reviewers say

### Chess

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-studio/id684224545)

**Currently charting:** #166 Top Paid · Board (US App Store)

Manage and study chess databases and games in PGN format with advanced analysis tools. Supports game creation, modification, and import from various sources. Includes engine analysis, opening book management, and puzzle training.

**Highlights:** PGN database and game management, Create, modify, and import games, Advanced engine analysis with Stockfish, Opening book and ChessBase support, Chess 960 (Fischer Random) support, Diagram recognition for PGN conversion, Puzzle training and online play

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Premium Subscription | $0.99 | per month |
| Yearly Premium Subscription | $8.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Powerful chess database features
- 👍 Comprehensive analysis tools
- 👍 Excellent PGN management
- 👍 Great value for price
- 👍 Frequent updates and improvements

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Steep learning curve
- 🐛 Occasional crashes
- 🐛 Unintuitive interface
- 🐛 Some users find it confusing
- 🐛 Missing dark mode

**Reported bugs**

- Problem saving updated game data
- Engine stopped working after 30 seconds
- App crashes when adding annotations without hitting 'edit mode' first
- Crash opening .pgn in landscape mode
- Crashes when selecting a cell with 0 games associated

**Requested features**

- Add dark mode
- Add board flip button
- Improve interface for screen reader users
- Add private game feature with code
- Add computer whole game analysis with annotations


### Chess Openings Explorer Pro

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-openings-explorer-pro/id1083431778)

**Currently charting:** #131 Top Paid · Board (US App Store)

Master chess openings with a comprehensive dictionary and analysis of over 2 million Grandmaster games. Test your knowledge with interactive quizzes and analyze positions using a powerful built-in engine.

**Highlights:** Chess opening dictionary, Grandmaster game analysis, Interactive quiz modes, Position win/loss/draw stats, Built-in chess engine, PGN export

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 📚 Extensive database of grandmaster games (2 million+)
- 🎯 Intuitive opening explorer interface
- 📊 Clear visualization of move statistics and win rates
- 🎮 Easy access to replay master games
- 💡 Practical and pedagogical approach to learning openings

**What reviewers complain about**

- ⚠️ Limited depth - only covers ~5 moves in most lines
- ❌ Lacks built-in chess engine for analysis
- 😕 Confusing user interface for beginners
- 📖 Insufficient documentation and help instructions
- 🤷 Unclear what statistics and percentages mean

**Reported bugs**

- Games fail to load with 'failed to load games' error
- Wrong position displayed when accessing games from position
- Text truncation on opening names (iPhone)
- Incompatibility with older devices (iPad 4)
- App crashes or freezes

**Requested features**

- Built-in chess engine for position evaluation
- Ability to play own moves and get engine feedback
- Play openings against computer opponent
- PGN import functionality
- Quiz mode by opening


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chess free?

Chess costs $3.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is Chess Openings Explorer Pro free?

Chess Openings Explorer Pro costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Chess or Chess Openings Explorer Pro?

Chess is rated higher. Chess averages 4.7 out of 5 from 118 ratings, while Chess Openings Explorer Pro averages 4.6 from 349 ratings.

### Do Chess or Chess Openings Explorer Pro have ads?

Neither Chess nor Chess Openings Explorer Pro shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Chess or Chess Openings Explorer Pro?

Chess ships an update fortnightly, and Chess Openings Explorer Pro every 3 weeks. Most recently, Chess was updated on October 18, 2026 and Chess Openings Explorer Pro on October 17, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Chess or Chess Openings Explorer Pro?

Chess currently peaks at #166 in the App Store charts, and Chess Openings Explorer Pro at #131. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*