# Chess vs Pulsar Chess Engine

The clearest difference is price: Chess at Free against Pulsar Chess Engine's $1.99. Chess also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.6). Pulsar Chess Engine's advantage is rating (4.3 vs 3.6) and in-app purchases (none vs 1). On ratings volume, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Chess is free to download; Pulsar Chess Engine costs $1.99 up front. Chess sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Pulsar Chess Engine asks for nothing beyond the download.

Pulsar Chess Engine holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 3.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 16 and 12 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 41% of Chess's written reviews are positive against 70% of Pulsar Chess Engine's.

Chess ships an update fortnightly, Pulsar Chess Engine every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess | Pulsar Chess Engine |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $1.99 |
| Rating | [3.6 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-wise-3/id788594027/reviews) | **[4.3 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pulsar-chess-engine/id839640447/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **16** | 12 |
| Positive reviews | 40.7% of reviews | **70.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Size | 42 MB | 11 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Marcel Nijman](https://appshunter.io/developer/337888122) | [Michael Adams](https://appshunter.io/developer/743520896) |

## What reviewers say

### Chess

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-wise-3/id788594027)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock PRO | $5.99 | one-time |


### Pulsar Chess Engine

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pulsar-chess-engine/id839640447)

Play chess and six popular variants with adjustable AI difficulty levels. Review logged games, access master game collections, and utilize Crafty engine analysis for standard chess and Chess960. Offers accessibility features for blind users.

**Highlights:** Plays 7 chess variants, Adjustable AI difficulty levels, Game logging and review, Master game collections, Crafty engine analysis, VoiceOver accessibility

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chess free?

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

### Is Pulsar Chess Engine free?

Pulsar Chess Engine costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Chess or Pulsar Chess Engine?

Pulsar Chess Engine is rated higher. Chess averages 3.6 out of 5 from 16 ratings, while Pulsar Chess Engine averages 4.3 from 12 ratings.

### Do Chess or Pulsar Chess Engine have ads?

Neither Chess nor Pulsar Chess Engine shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Chess or Pulsar Chess Engine?

Chess ships an update fortnightly, and Pulsar Chess Engine every 2 months. Most recently, Chess was updated on October 15, 2026 and Pulsar Chess Engine on October 14, 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.*