Comparison

Chess vs Chess Challenge Elite

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

Head to head
About

Chess

Engage in chess with a comprehensive suite of tools for analysis, annotation, and online play. Explore game trees with side-lines, add detailed comments, and enjoy a stable FICS server connection. Features include a robust database, opening/endgame browsers, and training videos.

Highlights
  • Game tree representation with side-lines
  • Detailed game annotation
  • Stable FICS server communication
  • Enhanced FICS interface
  • Improved database and setup screen
  • Opening and endgame browser
  • Links to training videos
Features
Read full description

With Chess-wise 3 you can play chess, analyse games, annotate game notations, play online, solve exercises, watch training videos and much more. - Games are represented as trees, so they can have side-lines. This means when analysing moves, this will not anymore overwrite the moves of the main game - On the new annotation screen, you can add comments and !! - or ?? to the moves - The communication with the FICS server has been complete rewritten and is now much more stable - The FICS interface has more features (support for multiple accounts, iMessage-like chatting, friend list) - Improved database (re-order games in a PGN file) and setup screen (move pieces on the board) - Landscape views for the opening and endgame browser, showing the possible moves next to the board - Over 250 links to free training videos - Separate screen to select the pieces orientation, when playing with 2 players - Help file with tutorial for each major use case Each screen has been re-designed to give a better user experience, focussing on the main actions that people want to do on that screen. Any suggestions for further improvements (as well as bug reports) are welcome at info@chess-wise.com

About

Chess Challenge Elite

Engage in classic board game strategy against AI or a friend. Offers multiple difficulty levels, game modes, and customization options for pieces and boards. Track your progress with statistics and hints.

Highlights
  • 12 AI play levels
  • Casual and Pro modes
  • 2 player hot-seat
  • Chess stats and hints
  • Customizable boards and pieces
  • Sound effects
Features
Read full description

Chess is a board game for two players. It is played on a square board, made of 64 smaller squares, with eight squares on each side. Each player starts with sixteen pieces: eight pawns, two knights, two bishops, two rooks, one queen and one king. The goal of the game is for each player to try and checkmate the king of the opponent. Checkmate is a threat ('check') to the opposing king which no move can stop. It ends the game. During the game the two opponents take turns to move one of their pieces to a different square of the board. One player ('White') has pieces of a light color; the other player ('Black') has pieces of a dark color. There are rules about how pieces move, and about taking the opponent's pieces off the board. The player with white pieces always makes the first move. Because of this, White has a small advantage, and wins more often than Black in tournament games. Chess is popular and is often played in competitions called chess tournaments. It is enjoyed in many countries. -- 12 play levels (Novice->Expert) This uses intelligent weakening for lower levels. Good for beginners. -- Casual and Pro modes. Learn on Casual and progress to Pro. -- 2 player hot-seat. Play against your friends! -- Chess Stats, Timers and Hints -- 5 Chess Boards and 6 Chess Piece Sets - sound effects - small size

Screenshots

Chess3 screens
Chess Challenge Elite4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Chess Challenge Elite at 4.2 against Chess's 3.6. Chess Challenge Elite also leads on review sentiment (79% vs 41%) and in-app purchases (none vs 1). Chess's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 98 months). On price, ratings volume, monetization model and device support 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 sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Chess Challenge Elite asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Chess Challenge Elite holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 3.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 16 and 17 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 41% of Chess's written reviews are positive against 79% of Chess Challenge Elite's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Chess ships an update fortnightly, Chess Challenge Elite every 98 months. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Chess versus Chess Challenge Elite: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterChessChess Challenge Elite
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.6 (16 ratings)4.2 (17 ratings) — better
Positive reviews40.7% of reviews78.9% of reviews — better
Number of ratings1617 — better
Update frequencyFortnightly — betterEvery 98 months
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS9.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size42 MB78 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMarcel NijmanLinda Mottley

Customer experience

Chess

All ratings16 ratings
Positive68.8%
Neutral6.3%
Negative25.0%
Written reviews59 reviews
Positive40.7%
Neutral18.6%
Negative40.7%

Chess Challenge Elite

All ratings17 ratings
Positive76.5%
Neutral11.8%
Negative11.8%
Written reviews19 reviews
Positive78.9%
Neutral10.5%
Negative10.5%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Chess

One-time1
  • Unlock PRO$5.99
None

Chess Challenge Elite

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Chess free?
Chess is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Chess Challenge Elite free?
Chess Challenge Elite is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Chess or Chess Challenge Elite?
Chess Challenge Elite is rated higher. Chess averages 3.6 out of 5 from 16 ratings, while Chess Challenge Elite averages 4.2 from 17 ratings.
Do Chess or Chess Challenge Elite have ads?
Chess Challenge Elite shows ads; Chess does not.
Which is updated more often, Chess or Chess Challenge Elite?
Chess ships an update fortnightly, and Chess Challenge Elite every 98 months. Most recently, Chess was updated on October 21, 2026 and Chess Challenge Elite on October 24, 2026.

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