# Chess vs ChessBase Mobile Chess

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Chess at 92% against ChessBase Mobile Chess's 39%. Chess also leads on rating (4.7 vs 2.9) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 6 months). ChessBase Mobile Chess's advantage is price (Free vs $3.99). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

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

Chess holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 2.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chess has 116 ratings behind it against 18, 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 39% of ChessBase Mobile Chess's.

Chess ships an update fortnightly, ChessBase Mobile Chess every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess | ChessBase Mobile Chess |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $3.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.7 (116 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-studio/id684224545/reviews)** | [2.9 (18 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chessbase-mobile-chess/id6739000093/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **116** | 18 |
| Positive reviews | **92.0% of reviews** | 38.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 6 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 237 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | +4 | 4+ |
| Developer | [Giordano Vicoli](https://appshunter.io/developer/460922805) | [ChessBase GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/417720797) |

## 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


### ChessBase Mobile Chess

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chessbase-mobile-chess/id6739000093)

Access a vast chess game database, save and analyze your own games, and practice openings. This app offers advanced notation and sharing features, with a free tier and optional premium upgrades for more extensive cloud storage and search capabilities.

**Highlights:** Access 13+ million chess games, Save and sync personal game databases, Analyze games with built-in engine, Live opening book statistics, Create and practice opening repertoires, Advanced game notation and sharing, PGN file compatibility

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ChessBase Premium (Monthly) | $3.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chess free?

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

### Is ChessBase Mobile Chess free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Chess or ChessBase Mobile Chess?

Chess is rated higher. Chess averages 4.7 out of 5 from 116 ratings, while ChessBase Mobile Chess averages 2.9 from 18 ratings.

### Do Chess or ChessBase Mobile Chess have ads?

Neither Chess nor ChessBase Mobile Chess shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Chess or ChessBase Mobile Chess?

Chess ships an update fortnightly, and ChessBase Mobile Chess every 6 months. Most recently, Chess was updated on September 22, 2026 and ChessBase Mobile Chess on September 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.*