# Chess Studio vs PocketBook Reader

The clearest difference is chart position: PocketBook Reader at #159 against Chess Studio's unranked. Chess Studio's advantage is iOS requirement (9.0 vs 13.0). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Chess Studio sells 23 one-off in-app purchases and PocketBook Reader sells 41 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 9, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess Studio | PocketBook Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[4.5 (9.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocketbook-reader/id805488884/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **9.8K** |
| Positive reviews | **60.0% of reviews** | 54.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#159** |
| Size | 11 MB | 106 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Gambit Publications](https://appshunter.io/developer/689948994) | [Pocketbook International SA](https://appshunter.io/developer/1536135171) |

## 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 |


### PocketBook Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocketbook-reader/id805488884)

**Currently charting:** #159 Top Free · Book (US App Store)

This app is a versatile reader supporting 26 book and audio formats, including EPUB, PDF, and audiobooks. It offers features like PDF reflow, text-to-speech, cloud synchronization, and extensive customization options for a comfortable reading experience.

**Highlights:** Supports 26 book and audio formats, PDF Reflow function, Text-to-speech engine, Cloud synchronization service, Customizable interface and reading settings, Adobe DRM support

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

**In-app purchases (41)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| eBook | $0.99 | one-time |
| eBook (class A) | $0.99 | one-time |
| eBook | $1.99 | one-time |
| eBook (class B) | $1.99 | one-time |
| eBook | $2.95 | one-time |
| eBook | $2.99 | one-time |
| eBook (class C) | $2.99 | one-time |
| eBook | $3.99 | one-time |
| eBook: type 4.79 | $3.99 | one-time |
| eBook: type 4.19 | $3.99 | one-time |
| eBook (class D) | $3.99 | one-time |
| eBook (class Alt5) | $4.99 | one-time |
| eBook: type 5.39 | $4.99 | one-time |
| eBook (class F) | $4.99 | one-time |
| eBook: type 5.89 | $4.99 | one-time |
| eBook | $4.99 | one-time |
| eBook: type 5.09 | $4.99 | one-time |
| eBook (class G) | $5.99 | one-time |
| eBook | $5.99 | one-time |
| eBook: type 7.09 | $5.99 | one-time |
| eBook: type 7.19 | $5.99 | one-time |
| eBook: type 8.29 | $6.99 | one-time |
| eBook: type 7.59 | $6.99 | one-time |
| eBook | $7.99 | one-time |
| eBook: type 8.89 | $7.99 | one-time |
| eBook (class J) | $8.99 | one-time |
| eBook | $8.99 | one-time |
| eBook | $9.90 | one-time |
| eBook | $9.99 | one-time |
| eBook (class L) | $10.99 | one-time |
| eBook: type 13.9 | $11.90 | one-time |
| eBook | $11.99 | one-time |
| eBook: type 12.99 | $11.99 | one-time |
| eBook | $12.99 | one-time |
| eBook (class N) | $12.99 | one-time |
| eBook (class O) | $13.99 | one-time |
| eBook: type 17.9 | $14.90 | one-time |
| eBook | $14.99 | one-time |
| eBook (class R) | $16.99 | one-time |
| eBook (class T) | $18.99 | one-time |
| eBook (class W) | $21.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Convenient reading experience
- 🚀 Smooth scrolling
- 💡 Customizable settings (font, margin, etc.)
- 🔒 Supports DRM-protected content
- 👍 Intuitive user interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and freezes
- 🐛 Unreliable cloud sync
- 🐛 Inconsistent page rendering
- 🐛 Buggy text highlighting and annotation
- 🐛 Slow loading times

**Reported bugs**

- Books disappearing from library after login issues
- Inability to open DRM-protected PDFs
- Inconsistent behavior when switching between portrait and landscape modes
- Text-to-speech voice quality issues

**Requested features**

- Ability to organize books into custom folders
- Option to disable quick action zones
- Improved text-to-speech controls (seek, pause, etc.)
- Support for handwritten annotations with Apple Pencil
- Faster page turning and scrolling


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chess Studio free?

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

### Is PocketBook Reader free?

PocketBook Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do Chess Studio or PocketBook Reader have ads?

Neither Chess Studio nor PocketBook Reader shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Chess Studio or PocketBook Reader?

Chess Studio ships an update every 2 months, and PocketBook Reader every 2 months. Most recently, Chess Studio was updated on September 9, 2026 and PocketBook Reader 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.*