# Chess Hotel vs Chessify

The clearest difference is rating: Chess Hotel at 5.0 against Chessify's 4.4. Chess Hotel also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.0). Chessify's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (46% vs 17%). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Chess Hotel sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and Chessify sells 19 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Chess Hotel holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chessify has 398 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 17% of Chess Hotel's written reviews are positive against 46% of Chessify's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Chess Hotel ships an update every 4 months, Chessify monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess Hotel | Chessify |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-hotel/id874852415/reviews)** | [4.4 (398 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chessify-magic-chess-tools/id1397066775/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **398** |
| Positive reviews | 16.7% of reviews | **46.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 28 MB | 140 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Foggy Media](https://appshunter.io/developer/874852418) | [Chessify Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1397066774) |

## What reviewers say

### Chess Hotel

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-hotel/id874852415)

Engage in live chess matches with players globally. Track your progress with a personal account, rating, and game statistics. Features include timed games, a chat function, and league play for competitive engagement.

**Highlights:** Live games with time controls, Personal account with rating and statistics, In-game chat function, Fast opponent matching, League games

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium | $2.99 | one-time |
| Premium Membership - 1 Year | $6.99 | one-time |


### Chessify

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chessify-magic-chess-tools/id1397066775)

This app offers advanced chess analysis tools, including a real-time chessboard scanner, powerful cloud-based engines, and a unique video finder. Analyze games, puzzles, and learn chess theory with comprehensive features for players of all levels.

**Highlights:** Real chessboard scanner, Superfast cloud chess engine analysis, Video finder for chess positions, Offline play against Stockfish, Opening Explorer with Lichess database, Import/export FEN/PGN, Online real-time Blitz

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (19)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Bronze 1 Month | $0.99 | per month |
| Silver 1 month | $2.49 | per month |
| Gold 1 Month | $7.99 | per month |
| Bronze 12 months | $7.99 | per year |
| Amateur | $12.99 | per month |
| Silver 12 months | $14.99 | per year |
| Gold 12 months | $49.99 | per year |
| Master | $59.99 | per month |
| Amateur Yearly | $129.99 | per year |
| Master | $559.99 | per year |
| SuperFast analysis - 1000 sec. | $0.99 | one-time |
| SuperFast analysis - 10000sec. | $3.99 | one-time |
| SuperFast analysis - 30000sec. | $5.99 | one-time |
| Starter Pack | $5.99 | one-time |
| Standard Pack | $11.49 | one-time |
| SuperFast analysis - 100000sec | $13.99 | one-time |
| Popular Pack | $29.49 | one-time |
| SuperFast analysis - unlimited | $34.99 | one-time |
| Ultimate Pack | $117.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 📸 Accurate chess board scanning from photos
- 🚀 Fast and efficient position analysis
- ☁️ Cloud-based powerful chess engine (Stockfish)
- 💾 Easy PGN export and saving functionality
- 📚 Perfect for studying chess books

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and freezes
- 📸 Inconsistent scanning accuracy
- ❌ App doesn't work on iOS 18 and older versions
- 💰 Expensive paywall with limited free features
- 🔥 Device overheating issues reported

**Reported bugs**

- Black screen in camera view during scanning
- Scanning omits first or last rank of board
- App crashes when loading images
- Buttons not clickable on certain iOS versions
- Position not recognized from screenshots

**Requested features**

- Add move comments and annotations capability
- Board flip option during gameplay
- Auto-save functionality to prevent position loss
- Ability to edit and extend saved games
- Tactics puzzle mode with move verification


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chess Hotel free?

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

### Is Chessify free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Chess Hotel or Chessify?

Chess Hotel is rated higher. Chess Hotel averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Chessify averages 4.4 from 398 ratings.

### Do Chess Hotel or Chessify have ads?

Chess Hotel shows ads; Chessify does not.

### Which is updated more often, Chess Hotel or Chessify?

Chess Hotel ships an update every 4 months, and Chessify monthly. Most recently, Chess Hotel was updated on October 5, 2026 and Chessify on October 15, 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.*