# Chess vs Chess Vision

The clearest difference is price: Chess Vision at Free against Chess's $3.99. Chess Vision also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and review sentiment (100% vs 92%). Chess's advantage is rating (4.7 vs 3.9) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 7 months). On ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

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

Chess holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chess has 118 ratings behind it against 11, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 92% of Chess's written reviews are positive against 100% of Chess Vision's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Chess ships an update fortnightly, Chess Vision every 7 months. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess | Chess Vision |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $3.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.7 (118 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-studio/id684224545/reviews)** | [3.9 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-vision/id1547932501/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **118** | 11 |
| Positive reviews | 92.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 7 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#79** | — |
| Size | 237 MB | 9 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **14.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Giordano Vicoli](https://appshunter.io/developer/460922805) | [Eli Levin](https://appshunter.io/developer/1514907162) |

## What reviewers say

### Chess

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

**Currently charting:** #79 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 Vision

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-vision/id1547932501)

This app overlays visual cues onto a chess board to highlight tactical opportunities. It's designed for players who understand piece movement but want to improve their strategic winning abilities.

**Highlights:** Real-time visual tactical markers, Learn winning strategies, Enhance strategic play, Suitable for intermediate players

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chess free?

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

### Is Chess Vision free?

Chess Vision is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Chess or Chess Vision?

Chess is rated higher. Chess averages 4.7 out of 5 from 118 ratings, while Chess Vision averages 3.9 from 11 ratings.

### Do Chess or Chess Vision have ads?

Neither Chess nor Chess Vision shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Chess or Chess Vision?

Chess ships an update fortnightly, and Chess Vision every 7 months. Most recently, Chess was updated on October 14, 2026 and Chess Vision on October 7, 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.*