# Pulsar Chess Engine vs Encyclopedia 1 by Informant

The clearest difference is price: Encyclopedia 1 by Informant at Free against Pulsar Chess Engine's $1.99. Encyclopedia 1 by Informant also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.3) and review sentiment (100% vs 70%). Pulsar Chess Engine's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 3 months). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

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

Encyclopedia 1 by Informant holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 12 and 49 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 70% of Pulsar Chess Engine's written reviews are positive against 100% of Encyclopedia 1 by Informant's.

Pulsar Chess Engine ships an update every 2 months, Encyclopedia 1 by Informant every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pulsar Chess Engine | Encyclopedia 1 by Informant |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $1.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.3 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pulsar-chess-engine/id839640447/reviews) | **[4.9 (49 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/encyclopedia-1-by-informant/id1256484830/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 12 | **49** |
| Positive reviews | 70.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 11 MB | 44 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


### Encyclopedia 1 by Informant

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/encyclopedia-1-by-informant/id1256484830)

This educational tool offers systematic chess combinations for players around ELO 2000. It provides interactive lessons, hints, and explanations to improve tactical skills and game knowledge. The app includes a free section for testing before unlocking more advanced topics.

**Highlights:** Systematic chess combinations, Interactive lessons and explanations, Hints and mistake refutations, Theoretical sections with interactive play, Progress monitoring (ELO rating), Offline play, Tablet optimized

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Course | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pulsar Chess Engine free?

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

### Is Encyclopedia 1 by Informant free?

Encyclopedia 1 by Informant is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Pulsar Chess Engine or Encyclopedia 1 by Informant?

Encyclopedia 1 by Informant is rated higher. Pulsar Chess Engine averages 4.3 out of 5 from 12 ratings, while Encyclopedia 1 by Informant averages 4.9 from 49 ratings.

### Do Pulsar Chess Engine or Encyclopedia 1 by Informant have ads?

Neither Pulsar Chess Engine nor Encyclopedia 1 by Informant shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Pulsar Chess Engine or Encyclopedia 1 by Informant?

Pulsar Chess Engine ships an update every 2 months, and Encyclopedia 1 by Informant every 3 months. Most recently, Pulsar Chess Engine was updated on October 22, 2026 and Encyclopedia 1 by Informant on October 21, 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.*