# Chess Studio vs OpenFile Chess

The clearest difference is review sentiment: OpenFile Chess at 100% against Chess Studio's 60%. Chess Studio's advantage is iOS requirement (9.0 vs 16.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Chess Studio sells 23 one-off in-app purchases and OpenFile Chess sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Chess Studio ships an update every 2 months, OpenFile Chess every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess Studio | OpenFile Chess |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[5.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/openfile-chess/id6759627581/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **5** |
| Positive reviews | 60.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 11 MB | 82 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Gambit Publications](https://appshunter.io/developer/689948994) | [Hriday Bhambhvani](https://appshunter.io/developer/1879897859) |

## 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 (23)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Gambit Free Samples | Free | one-time |
| How to Beat Your Dad at Chess | $9.99 | one-time |
| Win with the Stonewall Dutch | $9.99 | one-time |
| 50 Essential Chess Lessons | $10.99 | one-time |
| Idiot-Proof Chess Repertoire | $10.99 | one-time |
| Win with the London System | $11.99 | one-time |
| Learn Chess Tactics | $11.99 | one-time |
| Understanding the Chess Openings | $11.99 | one-time |
| A Simple Chess Opening Repertoire for White | $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 |
| Mastering the Chess Openings Volume 2 | $13.99 | one-time |
| A Strategic Chess Opening Repertoire for White | $14.99 | one-time |
| John Nunn's Chess Course | $14.99 | one-time |
| Fundamental Chess Openings | $14.99 | one-time |
| Fundamental Chess Endings | $14.99 | one-time |
| How to Play Chess Endgames | $14.99 | one-time |
| Nunn's Chess Endings Volume 1 | $14.99 | one-time |
| Nunn's Chess Endings Volume 2 | $14.99 | one-time |
| Mammoth Book of Greatest Games | $14.99 | one-time |


### OpenFile Chess

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/openfile-chess/id6759627581)

This app combines a chess puzzle trainer with an interactive e-reader for classic chess books. It features spaced repetition for puzzle training, thematic decks, and engine analysis. Users can also read and step through classic chess books with move-by-move annotations.

**Highlights:** Spaced repetition puzzle trainer, Themed puzzle decks, Interactive chess book reader, Stockfish 17 analysis, Move-by-move annotations, Explore alternate lines

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 30-Day Rental | $3.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Access | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chess Studio free?

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

### Is OpenFile Chess free?

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

### Do Chess Studio or OpenFile Chess have ads?

Neither Chess Studio nor OpenFile Chess shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Chess Studio or OpenFile Chess?

Chess Studio ships an update every 2 months, and OpenFile Chess every 5 weeks. Most recently, Chess Studio was updated on October 13, 2026 and OpenFile Chess on September 24, 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.*