Comparison

Chess Studio Lite vs Chess Log

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 Log

Catalog, organize, and analyze your chess games with a clean interface. Save and annotate moves, explore openings, and get move suggestions to improve your play. Elevate your chess strategy with powerful analytical tools.

Highlights
  • Game catalog and organization
  • Detailed move annotation
  • Opening explorer
  • Move suggestions
  • PGN editor
Read full description

The ultimate chess game tracker, analyzer, and PGN editor. Easily catalog, organize, and analyze your chess games with a clean, intuitive interface. Save every game, tag key moments and revisit your moves to track improvement. Whether studying openings, mastering endgames or refining tactics, Chess Log provides powerful tools to elevate your game. Key features: - Game Catalog: Store and organize all your games in one place. - Detailed Annotation: Tag and annotate moves. - Opening Explorer: Compare your moves to peers and masters alike. - Move Suggestions: See top moves and find out where you or your opponent went wrong.

Screenshots

Chess Studio Lite4 screens
Chess Log4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Chess Log at 100% against Chess Studio Lite's 64%. Chess Studio Lite's advantage is rating (4.4 vs 4.0) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 6 weeks). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Chess Studio Lite holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chess Studio Lite has 11 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 64% of Chess Studio Lite's written reviews are positive against 100% of Chess Log's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Chess Studio Lite ships an update fortnightly, Chess Log every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and July 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Chess Studio Lite versus Chess Log: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterChess Studio LiteChess Log
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (11 ratings) — better4.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews63.6% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings11 — better1
Update frequencyFortnightly — betterEvery 6 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size237 MB198 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperGiordano VicoliLuis De Zutter

Customer experience

Chess Studio Lite

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

Chess Log

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Chess Studio Lite

No in-app purchases

None

Chess Log

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Chess Studio Lite free?
Chess Studio Lite is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Chess Log free?
Chess Log is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Chess Studio Lite or Chess Log?
Chess Studio Lite is rated higher. Chess Studio Lite averages 4.4 out of 5 from 11 ratings, while Chess Log averages 4.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Chess Studio Lite or Chess Log have ads?
Neither Chess Studio Lite nor Chess Log shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Chess Studio Lite or Chess Log?
Chess Studio Lite ships an update fortnightly, and Chess Log every 6 weeks. Most recently, Chess Studio Lite was updated on September 22, 2026 and Chess Log on July 6, 2026.

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