# Pulsar Chess Engine vs Chess

The clearest difference is price: Chess at Free against Pulsar Chess Engine's $1.99. Chess also leads on iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.6). Pulsar Chess Engine's advantage is rating (4.3 vs 3.7) and ads (none vs shown). On in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Chess is free to download; Pulsar Chess Engine costs $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Pulsar Chess Engine holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 3.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 12 and 3 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 70% of Pulsar Chess Engine's written reviews are positive against 50% of Chess's.

Pulsar Chess Engine ships an update every 2 months, Chess every 19 months. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and September 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pulsar Chess Engine | Chess |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $1.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.3 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pulsar-chess-engine/id839640447/reviews)** | [3.7 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-lite/id1114166493/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **12** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | **70.0% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 19 months |
| Monetization | Paid | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 11 MB | 13 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **9.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Michael Adams](https://appshunter.io/developer/743520896) | [GASP Mobile Games Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/502025155) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### Chess

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-lite/id1114166493)

Experience a classic board game with multiple difficulty levels and strategic play modes. Enjoy features like hints, undo, and game saving. Play against the device, another person, or watch AI matches.

**Highlights:** 5 play levels (Beginner to Expert), 3 play modes (Passive, Neutral, Aggressive), Hints and Undo functionality, Design mode, Automatic game saving, Play against device or person, Game statistics

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pulsar Chess Engine free?

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

### Is Chess free?

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

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

Pulsar Chess Engine is rated higher. Pulsar Chess Engine averages 4.3 out of 5 from 12 ratings, while Chess averages 3.7 from 3 ratings.

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

Chess shows ads; Pulsar Chess Engine does not.

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

Pulsar Chess Engine ships an update every 2 months, and Chess every 19 months. Most recently, Pulsar Chess Engine was updated on October 14, 2026 and Chess on September 17, 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.*