# Chess Studio vs Bookshop.org

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Bookshop.org at none against Chess Studio's 10. Bookshop.org also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 2 months) and chart position (#185 vs unranked). Chess Studio's advantage is iOS requirement (9.0 vs 16.4). On price, review sentiment, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Chess Studio sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Bookshop.org asks for nothing beyond the download.

Chess Studio ships an update every 2 months, Bookshop.org every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess Studio | Bookshop.org |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[4.8 (2.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookshoporg-ebook-reader/id6465290096/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **2.3K** |
| Positive reviews | **58.1% of reviews** | 56.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | — | **#185** |
| Size | 11 MB | 111 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Gambit Publications](https://appshunter.io/developer/689948994) | [Bookshop, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1706515971) |

## What reviewers say

### Chess Studio

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-studio/id689948991)

Read chess books and instantly play through moves on screen. This app allows you to interact with chess e-books, automatically scrolling text and displaying positions on a board. Navigate variations, search content, and customize your reading experience.

**Highlights:** Play over moves on screen, Automatic text scrolling, Tap moves to display position, Navigate complex variations, Searchable content, Choice of layout options

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Gambit Free Samples | Free | one-time |
| How to Beat Your Dad at Chess | $9.99 | one-time |
| Win with the London System | $11.99 | one-time |
| Understanding Chess Endgames | $13.99 | one-time |
| Understanding Chess Middlegames | $13.99 | one-time |
| Understanding Chess Move by Move | $13.99 | one-time |
| Secrets of Modern Chess Strategy | $13.99 | one-time |
| Mastering the Chess Openings Volume 1 | $13.99 | one-time |
| John Nunn's Chess Course | $14.99 | one-time |
| Fundamental Chess Openings | $14.99 | one-time |


### Bookshop.org

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookshoporg-ebook-reader/id6465290096)

**Currently charting:** #185 Top Free · Book (US App Store)

Read your ebooks and discover new titles while supporting independent bookstores. All ebook purchases made through this platform directly benefit local bookshops, ensuring their continued success in the digital age.

**Highlights:** Read ebooks from your library, Browse millions of ebooks, Add titles to wishlist, Support local bookstores with purchases, Connect seamlessly with Bookshop

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Wonderful app
- 👍 Great alternative to Amazon
- 👍 Supports local bookstores
- 👍 Clean and pleasing interface
- 👍 Solid app for a new release

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Formatting issues (lack of italics, poor paragraph spacing, etc.)
- 🐛 Buggy page turning and navigation
- 🔧 Limited customization options (fonts, themes, brightness, etc.)
- 🔧 Missing essential features (highlighting, note-taking, search, etc.)

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to remember last page read
- Scrolling issues and unexpected page skipping
- Formatting problems (stripped italics, weird paragraph spacing)
- Settings not persisting between app sessions

**Requested features**

- More font and theme options
- Ability to adjust line spacing, margins, and other formatting
- Implement highlighting, annotation, and note-taking features
- Add search functionality
- Improve page turning and navigation


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chess Studio free?

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

### Is Bookshop.org free?

Bookshop.org is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Chess Studio or Bookshop.org have ads?

Neither Chess Studio nor Bookshop.org shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Chess Studio or Bookshop.org?

Chess Studio ships an update every 2 months, and Bookshop.org every 5 days. Most recently, Chess Studio was updated on November 1, 2026 and Bookshop.org on November 3, 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.*