# Chess vs Chess Middlegame V

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Chess at 92% against Chess Middlegame V's 0%. Chess also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 4 months) and ratings volume (118 vs 20). Chess Middlegame V's advantage is price (Free vs $3.99) and rating (5.0 vs 4.7). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Chess Middlegame V is free to download; Chess costs $3.99 up front. Chess sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and Chess Middlegame V sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Chess Middlegame V holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chess has 118 ratings behind it against 20, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 92% of Chess's written reviews are positive against 0% of Chess Middlegame V's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Chess ships an update every 2 weeks, Chess Middlegame V every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess | Chess Middlegame V |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $3.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.7 (118 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-studio/id684224545/reviews) | **[5.0 (20 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-middlegame-v/id1140427317/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **118** | 20 |
| Positive reviews | **92.0% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 237 MB | 44 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **8.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Giordano Vicoli](https://appshunter.io/developer/460922805) | [Chess King](https://appshunter.io/developer/1096660597) |

## What reviewers say

### Chess

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

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 Middlegame V

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-middlegame-v/id1140427317)

Master chess middlegame strategies with interactive lessons and over 400 exercises. Learn typical plans and methods in popular openings, with hints and refutations to improve your game. Track your ELO rating as you progress through structured content.

**Highlights:** Interactive theoretical lessons, Over 500 games/lectures, 400+ problem-solving exercises, Hints and refutations for mistakes, ELO rating tracking, Offline play capability, Tablet optimized

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full course | $7.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chess free?

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

### Is Chess Middlegame V free?

Chess Middlegame V is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Chess or Chess Middlegame V?

Chess Middlegame V is rated higher. Chess averages 4.7 out of 5 from 118 ratings, while Chess Middlegame V averages 5.0 from 20 ratings.

### Do Chess or Chess Middlegame V have ads?

Neither Chess nor Chess Middlegame V shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Chess or Chess Middlegame V?

Chess ships an update every 2 weeks, and Chess Middlegame V every 4 months. Most recently, Chess was updated on November 1, 2026 and Chess Middlegame V on October 21, 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.*