# Chess Studio Lite vs Chess

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Chess Studio Lite at none against Chess's 1. Chess Studio Lite also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 4 months). Chess's advantage is review sentiment (88% vs 64%) and rating (4.6 vs 4.4). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Chess sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Chess Studio Lite asks for nothing beyond the download.

Chess holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chess has 60 ratings behind it against 11, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 64% of Chess Studio Lite's written reviews are positive against 88% of Chess's.

Chess Studio Lite ships an update fortnightly, Chess every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess Studio Lite | Chess |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-studio-lite/id694586937/reviews) | **[4.6 (60 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-simple-defense/id1152972555/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 11 | **60** |
| Positive reviews | 63.6% of reviews | **87.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 237 MB | 42 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **8.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Giordano Vicoli](https://appshunter.io/developer/460922805) | [Chess King](https://appshunter.io/developer/1096660597) |

## What reviewers say

### Chess Studio Lite

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-studio-lite/id694586937)

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:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Chess

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-simple-defense/id1152972555)

Master defensive chess skills with over 3000 interactive exercises. This app acts as a personal coach, providing hints and explanations to improve your game. It's designed for beginners to consolidate fundamental defensive tactics.

**Highlights:** Over 3000 defensive exercises, Interactive coach with hints and explanations, Improve defensive tactics, Track ELO rating changes, Offline play capability, Play positions against computer

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full course | $3.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chess Studio Lite free?

Chess Studio Lite is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Chess free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Chess Studio Lite or Chess?

Chess is rated higher. Chess Studio Lite averages 4.4 out of 5 from 11 ratings, while Chess averages 4.6 from 60 ratings.

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

Neither Chess Studio Lite nor Chess shows ads.

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

Chess Studio Lite ships an update fortnightly, and Chess every 4 months. Most recently, Chess Studio Lite was updated on October 7, 2026 and Chess on October 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.*