Chess Studio Lite vs ChessRecall
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- PGN database management
- Game analysis with Stockfish 18
- Opening book creation and import
- Diagram recognition
- Cloud storage integration
- Play against engine (standard & Chess 960)
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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!
ChessRecall
Master chess openings with spaced repetition and interactive practice. Build a stronger repertoire by studying, practicing, and reviewing lines at the optimal time. Track your progress and analyze positions with Stockfish.
- Spaced repetition for openings
- Interactive chessboard practice
- Explore and organize opening lines
- Stockfish analysis
- PGN import/export
- Progress tracking
- Personalized training routine
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ChessRecall helps you master chess openings through spaced repetition, interactive practice, and smart progress tracking. Build a stronger opening repertoire by studying the lines you want to remember, practicing them on a chessboard, and reviewing them at the right time. Whether you are learning your first openings or refining a complete repertoire, ChessRecall turns opening study into a focused training routine. KEY FEATURES • Train chess openings with spaced repetition Review the lines that need attention and reinforce them before you forget. • Practice on an interactive chessboard Train move by move and build long-term memory for your opening repertoire. • Explore opening lines Navigate variations, study positions, add comments, and organize your repertoire. • Stockfish analysis Evaluate positions and understand the quality of different moves. • PGN import and export Bring your own opening lines into the app and keep your repertoire organized. • Progress tracking Follow your streaks, weekly activity, opening mastery, milestones, and training statistics. • Built for serious chess improvement Use ChessRecall as your personal chess opening trainer for daily practice, review, and preparation. Chess openings are easier to remember when you study them consistently. ChessRecall combines opening training, spaced repetition, analysis, and progress tracking to help you build a repertoire that lasts. Start training your chess openings today. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://chess-recall.com/privacy/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Chess Studio Lite at 64% against ChessRecall's 0%. Chess Studio Lite also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 6 weeks). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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
Both are free to download. ChessRecall sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Chess Studio Lite asks for nothing beyond the download.
Chess Studio Lite ships an update fortnightly, ChessRecall every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Chess Studio Lite | ChessRecall |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.4 (11 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 63.6% of reviews — better | 0.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 11 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly — better | Every 6 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Freemium |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 237 MB | 192 MB |
| Age rating | +4 | 4+ |
| Developer | Giordano Vicoli | Ivan de Jesus Rodriguez Tovar |
Customer experience
Chess Studio Lite
ChessRecall
In-app purchases
Chess Studio Lite
No in-app purchases
ChessRecall
- Monthly Premium$4.991 Month
- Yearly Premium7 Days trial$29.991 Year
Questions
Is Chess Studio Lite free?
Is ChessRecall free?
Do Chess Studio Lite or ChessRecall have ads?
Which is updated more often, Chess Studio Lite or ChessRecall?
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