Comparison

Chess Studio Lite vs Chess Plus

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Chess Studio Lite

Manage and analyze chess games and databases in PGN format. Study openings, practice against engines, and solve puzzles with advanced analysis tools. Supports multiple devices and cloud storage integration.

Highlights
  • PGN database management
  • Game analysis with Stockfish 18
  • Opening book creation and import
  • Diagram recognition
  • Cloud storage integration
  • Play against engine (standard & Chess 960)
Features
Read full description

Chess Studio is the first and only application for iPhone and iPad able to completely manage chess database and games in PGN format. Chess Studio is an application designed and built for those players who really want to deepen their knowledge in the field of chess, studying chess regularly and participate in tournaments. Chess Studio allows you to: • Read database and games in PGN format (also with extended notation of moves). • Create, delete and modify folders and databases. • View games with annotations and textual comments and keep track of the displayed games. • Use a double chessboard on the same screen for better game analysis. • Visualize moves and variants in compact mode or indented mode. • Modify existing games with move annotation and textual comments. • Insert new games and positions. • Insert moves with annotations and textual comments. • Insert variation, subvariations etc. • Insert and visualize graphical annotation (colored arrows and highlighted squares). • Share Databases and Games through Airdrop. • Download chess database from internet. • Download chess database from PGN Mentor site. • Import games, database and Opening Books from other applications. • Merge two or more databases. • Copy/Paste games and positions. • Analyze games with Stockfish 19 Engine with the support of the Neural Networks (up to 5 lines of analysis simultaneously) and see the results also through the Engine Evaluation Bar. • See graphic visualization of moves suggested by Stockfish 19 engine. • See Win-Draw-Loss (WDL) probabilities during engine analysis. • Replay games automatically. • Visualize Pawn structure. • Manage Variations and sub-variatons: delete and promote variations. • Read the weekly Magazine The Week In Chess and download the games. • Uploading and Downloading PGN database to/from Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive. • Three different modes for moving pieces. • Analyse endgames with Endgame Tablebases. • Analyse and study Chess Openings. • Creation and management of Opening Books in Polyglot format. • Import and management of ChessBase Opening Books (ctg, cto, ctb format). • Automatically classify a database according to ECO code. • Replay, enter and analyze Chess 960 games (Fischer Random Chess). • Play against the engine both in standard mode and in Chess 960 mode. • Solving Puzzles. • Diagram Recognition: this feature allows the user to take and/or upload photos of chess diagrams and convert them into PGN format positions. Other features and technical details: • Modify the board size tapping on the board or through the Settings menu. • Professional chess fonts and figurines for moves notation and annotation. • Preview of the game in the board tapping the Info button. • Advanced search feature. • Visualization of ECO code and Opening during game replay or game insertion. • Visualization of Book Openings during game replay or game insertion. • Complete management of Null Moves with Tutorial. • Portrait/Landscape mode for all devices. • Support of Slide Over and Split View mode. • Function to move up within variants and subvariants. • Online manual frequently updated. • iOS 26 compatible and optimized for all the devices. • Sharing of databases across devices via iCloud Drive. • Sound option. • Support for iPad Pro Keyboard or bluetooth keyboard. • VoiceOver/Accessibility support. • Direct contact via email with the developer. • Languages: English, Italian, Spanish and German. Complete description at the following address: https://chessstudio.wordpress.com/chess-studio/ The application is continuously updated with new features and improvements. Chess Studio Lite is a smaller version of Chess Studio where some features are limited. To view the terms of service visit https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ No registration! No advertising! No sharing of personal data! If you own an iMac or a MacBook try the new Chess Lab!

About

Chess Plus

Engage in classic board game fun with multiple play modes. Challenge friends, compete globally, or play solo against AI. Offers social features and detailed player statistics.

Highlights
  • Multiplayer and single-player modes
  • Ranked and casual play
  • Monthly leaderboards and trophies
  • Private messages and chat
  • Offline mode
  • 100 skill levels
  • Customizable board and pawns
Features
Read full description

Play Checkers Plus online completely free, your enjoyment is guaranteed! Private messages, chat, monthly trophies, badges, personal statistics and much more awaits you! Compete for the monthly leaderboards in the multiplayer mode or play for fun and meet new people in the social mode. You can also challenge your friends… or single play against the PC. Don´t wait any longer and join our fun community with millions of players all around the world. Types: Italian | English | Spanish | Brazilian | Canadian | Russian | International Develop your playing ability even more with: • 100 skill levels • 3 levels of difficulty in single player mode • 27 badges to win • Playing statistics to check on your progress • Offline mode to play when you're travelling or stuck with no reception If you are more the competitive type: • Play the ranked multiplayer mode • Compete for the monthly and global leaderboards and win one of our trophies • ELO system for ranking calculations just like the real world champions! If you'd like to be more social, take advantage of: • Private matches against friends (up to 4 players) • Private messages with other players • Chat to communicate with your game opponents • Rooms to find new opponents and meet new people from all over the world • Invites to challenge your Facebook® friends • Internal friendships system within the game Personalise your game freely with: • Different graphics for chessboards and pawns Play from your smartphone or tablet, in horizontal or vertical mode, Checkers Plus will win you over with its speed, fluidity and precision. You will feel as if you´re playing with your friends! Start playing directly in single player mode without even registering, or log in via Facebook®, Google® or email to play the social and competitive matches! Remember that you can play Checkers Plus completely free. Subscription: "Upgrade to Gold" to remove ads and unlocking other features like uploading your own profile pic and having access to an unlimited number of private messages, friends, blocked users and recent opponent list. Length: 1 week or 1 month Price: €1,49 per week or €3,99 per month The payment will be charged directly to your Google® account once the purchase is confirmed. it will be up for renewal within 24h prior to the end of the current period and will identify the cost of renewal. The auto-renewal can be turned off in your account settings after its first purchase. Give our Gold subscription a try with our 7 day free trial. These prices are for EU customers. Pricing in other countries may vary and actual charges may be converted to your local currency depending on the country of residence. Visit www.spaghetti-interactive.it and find all our fun classic Italian card games: scopa, briscola, burraco, scopone, tressette, traversone, rubamazzo, assopiglia and scala40. You will also find other board games like chess! Join our Facebook® community on https://www.facebook.com/spaghettiinteractive For support, email supporto@spaghetti-interactive.it Terms and conditions: https://www.checkersplus.com//terms_conditions.html Privacy policy: https://www.checkersplus.com/privacy.html NOTE: the game is aimed at an adult audience and it is NOT categorised as a real betting game, it is not possible to win real money or prizes by using this app. Playing Checkers Plus often does not correspond with a real advantage in betting sites where this game can be found.

Screenshots

Chess Studio Lite4 screens
Chess Plus4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Chess Studio Lite at none against Chess Plus's 15. Chess Studio Lite also leads on ads (none vs shown). Chess Plus's advantage is review sentiment (75% vs 64%). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Chess Plus sells 14 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days. Chess Studio Lite asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Chess Plus holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 11 and 27 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 64% of Chess Studio Lite's written reviews are positive against 75% of Chess Plus's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Chess Studio Lite ships an update fortnightly, Chess Plus every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Chess Studio Lite versus Chess Plus: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterChess Studio LiteChess Plus
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (11 ratings)4.6 (27 ratings) — better
Positive reviews63.6% of reviews75.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings1127 — better
Update frequencyFortnightlyEvery 9 days — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.015.0
Further details — not scored
Size237 MB198 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperGiordano VicoliSpaghetti Interactive

Customer experience

Chess Studio Lite

All ratings11 ratings
Positive81.8%
Neutral9.1%
Negative9.1%
Written reviews11 reviews
Positive63.6%
Neutral18.2%
Negative18.2%

Chess Plus

All ratings27 ratings
Positive92.6%
Neutral0.0%
Negative7.4%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive75.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative25.0%

In-app purchases

None

Chess Studio Lite

No in-app purchases

14 purchases

Chess Plus

Subscriptions4
  • Weekly Gold subscription7 Days trial$0.997 Days
  • Monthly Gold subscription7 Days trial$3.991 Month
  • Monthly Gold subscription1 Month trial$3.991 Month
Show 1 more
  • Yearly Gold subscription$34.991 Year
One-time10
  • 500 Gems$0.99
  • Piggy Bank$0.99
  • 1300 Gems$1.99
Show 7 more
  • Rimozione Pubblicità2 variants$2.99
  • Rimozione Pubblicità (1 anno)$2.99
  • Remove Ads$3.99
  • 3500 Gems$3.99
  • 9000 Gems$8.99
  • 20000 Gems$17.99
  • 60000 Gems$44.99

Questions

Is Chess Studio Lite free?
Chess Studio Lite is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Chess Plus free?
Chess Plus is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Chess Studio Lite or Chess Plus?
Chess Plus is rated higher. Chess Studio Lite averages 4.4 out of 5 from 11 ratings, while Chess Plus averages 4.6 from 27 ratings.
Do Chess Studio Lite or Chess Plus have ads?
Chess Plus shows ads; Chess Studio Lite does not.
Which is updated more often, Chess Studio Lite or Chess Plus?
Chess Studio Lite ships an update fortnightly, and Chess Plus every 9 days. Most recently, Chess Studio Lite was updated on October 7, 2026 and Chess Plus on October 13, 2026.

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