# Chess vs ChessLink App

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Chess at 92% against ChessLink App's 0%. Chess also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 3 months) and rating (4.7 vs 4.4). ChessLink App's advantage is price (Free vs $3.99) and in-app purchases (none vs 2). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

ChessLink App is free to download; Chess costs $3.99 up front. Chess sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. ChessLink App asks for nothing beyond the download.

Chess holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chess has 118 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 92% of Chess's written reviews are positive against 0% of ChessLink App's.

Chess ships an update fortnightly, ChessLink App every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess | ChessLink App |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $3.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.7 (118 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-studio/id684224545/reviews)** | [4.4 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chesslink-app/id1547075731/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **118** | 8 |
| Positive reviews | **92.0% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 237 MB | 6 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Giordano Vicoli](https://appshunter.io/developer/460922805) | [Juergen Precour](https://appshunter.io/developer/1547075733) |

## 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


### ChessLink App

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chesslink-app/id1547075731)

Connect your electronic chessboard to play chess games on Lichess or against a local partner or engine. LEDs on the board display opponent moves, providing an authentic over-the-board experience. Setup is quick and easy.

**Highlights:** Play on your physical chessboard, Connects to electronic boards, LEDs indicate opponent moves, Play on Lichess, Local playing partner option, Chess engine integration

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chess free?

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

### Is ChessLink App free?

ChessLink App is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Chess or ChessLink App?

Chess is rated higher. Chess averages 4.7 out of 5 from 118 ratings, while ChessLink App averages 4.4 from 8 ratings.

### Do Chess or ChessLink App have ads?

Neither Chess nor ChessLink App shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Chess or ChessLink App?

Chess ships an update fortnightly, and ChessLink App every 3 months. Most recently, Chess was updated on October 14, 2026 and ChessLink App on October 6, 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.*