# Pulsar Chess Engine vs Mate in 1 move (Chess Puzzles)

The clearest difference is price: Mate in 1 move (Chess Puzzles) at Free against Pulsar Chess Engine's $1.99. Mate in 1 move (Chess Puzzles) also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.3) and review sentiment (92% vs 70%). Pulsar Chess Engine's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1). On update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

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

Mate in 1 move (Chess Puzzles) holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Mate in 1 move (Chess Puzzles) has 178 ratings behind it against 12, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 70% of Pulsar Chess Engine's written reviews are positive against 92% of Mate in 1 move (Chess Puzzles)'s.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. Both last shipped on October 29, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pulsar Chess Engine | Mate in 1 move (Chess Puzzles) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $1.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.3 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pulsar-chess-engine/id839640447/reviews) | **[4.8 (178 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mate-in-1-move-chess-puzzles/id1120115215/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 12 | **178** |
| Positive reviews | 70.0% of reviews | **92.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 11 MB | 42 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **8.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Michael Adams](https://appshunter.io/developer/743520896) | [Chess King](https://appshunter.io/developer/1096660597) |

## 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


### Mate in 1 move (Chess Puzzles)

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mate-in-1-move-chess-puzzles/id1120115215)

Master chess tactics with over 2500 exercises focused on delivering checkmate in one move. This app provides structured lessons, hints, and explanations to improve your tactical understanding and speed, suitable for beginners to intermediate players.

**Highlights:** 2500+ mating exercises, Focus on mate in one move, Hints and explanations, Speed training tool, Interactive lessons, Rating change monitoring, Offline functionality

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full course | $1.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pulsar Chess Engine free?

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

### Is Mate in 1 move (Chess Puzzles) free?

Mate in 1 move (Chess Puzzles) is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Pulsar Chess Engine or Mate in 1 move (Chess Puzzles)?

Mate in 1 move (Chess Puzzles) is rated higher. Pulsar Chess Engine averages 4.3 out of 5 from 12 ratings, while Mate in 1 move (Chess Puzzles) averages 4.8 from 178 ratings.

### Do Pulsar Chess Engine or Mate in 1 move (Chess Puzzles) have ads?

Neither Pulsar Chess Engine nor Mate in 1 move (Chess Puzzles) shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Pulsar Chess Engine or Mate in 1 move (Chess Puzzles)?

Pulsar Chess Engine ships an update every 2 months, and Mate in 1 move (Chess Puzzles) every 2 months. Most recently, Pulsar Chess Engine was updated on October 29, 2026 and Mate in 1 move (Chess Puzzles) on October 29, 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.*