Magnus Trainer review: scores and evidence
A lessons app (250+) and mini-games published by Chess.com, LLC, last updated to version 1.19.16 on 30 April 2021 and still sold on iOS with subscriptions and refillable lives; both Google Play identifiers checked return 404. It analyses none of the player’s games.
Overall score
1.8/ 10
Rank
115/ 147
Languages
2
Yearly price
$37.99-74.99/yr depending on the iOS subscription ≈ €35-69 (https://apps.apple.com/us/app/magnus-trainer-train-chess/id1097863089); rule: annual price shown (store range); "lifetime" $299.99
What the service is
Magnus Trainer is a training app released on 13 November 2016 by Play Magnus AS, a Norwegian company founded in October 2013 by Magnus Carlsen, Espen Agdestein and Anders Brandt; since Chess.com bought the Play Magnus Group, the App Store listing shows "Chess.com, LLC" as the seller. It offers more than 250 lessons and mini-games split into dozens of levels, with no online play and no analysis of the user’s own games. The model is freemium: free use is capped by lives, refillable at $1.99, and Premium sells for $4.49-$7.99 a month, $37.99-$74.99 a year, or $299.99 for life. The product has stopped moving: the last published version, 1.19.16, dates from 30 April 2021, while playmagnus.com still lists the app next to Magnus Academy, Play Magnus, Tactics Frenzy and Knight Runner.
Activity history
- 2022-12Chess.com’s takeover of the Play Magnus Group closed on 16 December 2022; the app has been sold under the name "Chess.com, LLC" ever since.
- 2022-08Play Magnus Group accepted Chess.com’s offer, valued at 800 million Norwegian kroner.
- 2021-04The last published update to the app, version 1.19.16, shipped on 30 April 2021.
- 2020-10Play Magnus Group listed in Oslo, raising about 300 million Norwegian kroner.
- 2016-11Magnus Trainer was released on the App Store on 13 November 2016.
- 2013-10Play Magnus was founded in Oslo by Magnus Carlsen, Espen Agdestein and Anders Brandt.
The scores, evidence by evidence
Every score points to the page read and the fact found there. A fact documented nowhere is not credited: document it, then write to us.
APersonalized diagnosis
0.0A1 :0Importing your games (Chess.com, Lichess, PGN files)
nothing on https://apps.apple.com/us/app/magnus-trainer-train-chess/id1097863089
A2 :0Automatic engine analysis of every game
nothing on https://apps.apple.com/us/app/magnus-trainer-train-chess/id1097863089
A3 :0Recurring mistakes identified across all your games
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/magnus-trainer-train-chess/id1097863089: nothing
A4 :0Types of mistakes covered (tactics, strategy, endgame, time…)
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/magnus-trainer-train-chess/id1097863089: nothing
A5 :0Written explanation of each mistake
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/magnus-trainer-train-chess/id1097863089: nothing
A6 :0Stated verification of the diagnoses (procedure, rates)
nothing on https://apps.apple.com/us/app/magnus-trainer-train-chess/id1097863089
A7 :0Tracking each weakness over time
nothing on https://apps.apple.com/us/app/magnus-trainer-train-chess/id1097863089
A8 :0Comparison with players of the same rating
nothing on https://apps.apple.com/us/app/magnus-trainer-train-chess/id1097863089
BOpenings
0.6B1 :0Building a personal repertoire
no repertoire on https://apps.apple.com/us/app/magnus-trainer-train-chess/id1097863089
B2 :0Training the repertoire (drills, games)
no drill on https://apps.apple.com/us/app/magnus-trainer-train-chess/id1097863089
B3 :0Spotting where you left your repertoire in your games
no deviation detection on https://apps.apple.com/us/app/magnus-trainer-train-chess/id1097863089
B4 :0Verification of the lines taught (engine, practice)
no reliability claim on https://apps.apple.com/us/app/magnus-trainer-train-chess/id1097863089
B5 :0Opening explorer and statistics
no explorer on https://apps.apple.com/us/app/magnus-trainer-train-chess/id1097863089
B6 :1Explanation of opening plans and ideas
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/magnus-trainer-train-chess/id1097863089: opening lessons — names and moves
CTargeted training
1.9C1 :0Exercises drawn from your own games
no exercise drawn from the player’s games on https://apps.apple.com/us/app/magnus-trainer-train-chess/id1097863089
C2 :1Bank of tactical exercises (size, themes, rating)
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/magnus-trainer-train-chess/id1097863089: "thousands of puzzles" inside mini-games, with no rating by theme
C3 :1Endgame training
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/magnus-trainer-train-chess/id1097863089: lessons "to openings and endgames" with no dedicated module
C4 :1Strategic and positional training
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/magnus-trainer-train-chess/id1097863089: "250+ unique lessons" = passive content
C5 :0Training defense and alertness
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/magnus-trainer-train-chess/id1097863089: nothing
C6 :0Training calculation and visualization
nothing on https://apps.apple.com/us/app/magnus-trainer-train-chess/id1097863089
C7 :1Difficulty matched to your real level
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/magnus-trainer-train-chess/id1097863089: "each game has dozens of levels" — progressive levels
C8 :0Spaced repetition (named algorithm)
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/magnus-trainer-train-chess/id1097863089: nothing
C9 :1Personalized training plan
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/magnus-trainer-train-chess/id1097863089: a lesson path ordered by level
DPrice and value
5.8D1 :1What the free plan actually lets you do
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/magnus-trainer-train-chess/id1097863089: free but capped by lives ("Refill All Lives")
D2 :2Annual price of the full plan
$74.99, about €69 a year at most (https://apps.apple.com/us/app/magnus-trainer-train-chess/id1097863089) — the €31-75 band
D3 :1Commercial transparency (price shown, trial, cancellation)
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/magnus-trainer-train-chess/id1097863089: prices shown as ranges; no trial mentioned
D4 :3Number of paid tiers (how simple the offer is)
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/magnus-trainer-train-chess/id1097863089: a single Premium tier (monthly, yearly or lifetime); "Refill All Lives $1.99" as a consumable
ERigor and honesty
0.8E1 :0Published evidence of effectiveness
no data on https://apps.apple.com/us/app/magnus-trainer-train-chess/id1097863089
E2 :0Chess verification of the content (positions, lines)
nothing on https://apps.apple.com/us/app/magnus-trainer-train-chess/id1097863089
E3 :0Transparency of the method (algorithms, code)
no method on https://apps.apple.com/us/app/magnus-trainer-train-chess/id1097863089
E4 :1Marketing claims that can be checked (no overselling)
https://www.playmagnus.com/: "under the reigning World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen" — an out-of-date, unverifiable claim
FContent and method
4.0F1 :1Courses organized by rating level
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/magnus-trainer-train-chess/id1097863089: "250+ unique lessons" with no level label
F2 :2Course authors named and titled
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/magnus-trainer-train-chess/id1097863089: "created by Magnus Carlsen and experienced Grand Masters" — a GM is named
F3 :2Content formats (text, video, interactive)
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/magnus-trainer-train-chess/id1097863089: lessons plus interactive mini-games, no video
F4 :1Published method of progression
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/magnus-trainer-train-chess/id1097863089: a path "from chess foundation" with no milestones
F5 :0How often the content is updated
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/magnus-trainer-train-chess/id1097863089: version 1.19.16 of 30 April 2021 — more than 3 years without an update
GPlaying and practice
0.0G1 :0Playing humans online (pool, anti-cheating)
nothing on https://apps.apple.com/us/app/magnus-trainer-train-chess/id1097863089
G2 :0Realistic artificial opponents
nothing on https://apps.apple.com/us/app/magnus-trainer-train-chess/id1097863089
G3 :0Replaying one specific position against the machine
nothing on https://apps.apple.com/us/app/magnus-trainer-train-chess/id1097863089
G4 :0Tournaments and organized competition
nothing on https://apps.apple.com/us/app/magnus-trainer-train-chess/id1097863089
HExperience and accessibility
4.0H1 :1Platforms available (web, iOS, Android, desktop)
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/magnus-trainer-train-chess/id1097863089 on iOS; https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.playmagnus.development.magnustrainer returns 404 — mobile only
H2 :3User ratings and reviews (stores, press)
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/magnus-trainer-train-chess/id1097863089: 4.8/5 from 13,000 ratings
H3 :1Interface languages available
at least two languages (a French interface was observed, the total not counted) — https://apps.apple.com/us/app/magnus-trainer-train-chess/id1097863089: languages include "French" — French interface; French move notation in the lessons not checked
H4 :0Accessibility (keyboard, screen reader)
nothing on https://apps.apple.com/us/app/magnus-trainer-train-chess/id1097863089
H5 :1Offline use and known incidents
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/magnus-trainer-train-chess/id1097863089: the app has been frozen since 2021, with no documented incident
IPreparation and study
0.0I1 :0Preparing for a named opponent
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/magnus-trainer-train-chess/id1097863089: no opponent preparation
I2 :0Annotating and sharing games (studies)
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/magnus-trainer-train-chess/id1097863089: no annotation
I3 :0Entering a game played at a club (photo, scoresheet)
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/magnus-trainer-train-chess/id1097863089: no way to enter a game
I4 :0Searching your games (filters, position)
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/magnus-trainer-train-chess/id1097863089: none of the player’s games
JHuman coaching and community
0.0J1 :0Access to human coaches
no coach on https://apps.apple.com/us/app/magnus-trainer-train-chess/id1097863089
J2 :0Size and activity of the community
no community on https://apps.apple.com/us/app/magnus-trainer-train-chess/id1097863089
J3 :0Tools for trainers, clubs and schools
no club tooling on https://apps.apple.com/us/app/magnus-trainer-train-chess/id1097863089
J4 :0Engagement mechanics (streaks, virtual currency, reminders)
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/magnus-trainer-train-chess/id1097863089: "Refill All Lives $1.99" — a paid booster
KPersonal data and interoperability
0.0K1 :0Exporting your data (games, repertoire)
no export on https://apps.apple.com/us/app/magnus-trainer-train-chess/id1097863089
K2 :0Protection of personal data (GDPR, hosting)
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/magnus-trainer-train-chess/id1097863089: data "used to track users across apps and websites" for third-party advertising
K3 :0Public API and source code
no API on https://apps.apple.com/us/app/magnus-trainer-train-chess/id1097863089
Also, outside the grid
Features found that no criterion measures. They do not count towards the score.
- Training mini-games (Croc Tamer and others)