# Chess vs Verbal Chess

The clearest difference is price: Verbal Chess at Free against Chess's $3.99. Chess's advantage is rating (4.7 vs 3.5) and ads (none vs shown). On review sentiment, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Verbal Chess is free to download; Chess costs $3.99 up front. Chess sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and Verbal Chess sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Chess holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chess has 116 ratings behind it against 13, 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 86% of Verbal Chess's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess | Verbal Chess |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $3.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.7 (116 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-studio/id684224545/reviews)** | [3.5 (13 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/verbal-chess/id1602860192/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **116** | 13 |
| Positive reviews | **92.0% of reviews** | 85.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 237 MB | 90 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | +4 | 4+ |
| Developer | [Giordano Vicoli](https://appshunter.io/developer/460922805) | [Conceptual Software, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1229226443) |

## 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


### Verbal Chess

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/verbal-chess/id1602860192)

Play chess using only your voice, making it accessible for everyone. Control every aspect of the game, from moves to navigation, without touching the screen. Ideal for multitasking or those with physical limitations.

**Highlights:** Voice-controlled gameplay, Hands-free operation, Accessible for physical limitations, Blindfold chess mode, Full app navigation by voice, Play against AI or global players

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Verbal Chess - Monthly | $0.99 | per month |
| Verbal Chess - Annual | $4.99 | per year |
| Verbal Chess - Perpetual | $14.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chess free?

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

### Is Verbal Chess free?

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

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

Chess is rated higher. Chess averages 4.7 out of 5 from 116 ratings, while Verbal Chess averages 3.5 from 13 ratings.

### Do Chess or Verbal Chess have ads?

Verbal Chess shows ads; Chess does not.

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

Chess ships an update fortnightly, and Verbal Chess fortnightly. Most recently, Chess was updated on September 22, 2026 and Verbal Chess on September 10, 2026.

---

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