Platform Comparison
Lichess vs Chess.com — Full Comparison
Lichess and Chess.com are the two dominant chess platforms on the internet. Between them they account for the vast majority of online chess games played every day. The question of which is better comes down to what you actually need — and the answer is different depending on whether you're a beginner looking for fast games or a serious player who wants to study without a subscription.
This comparison covers pricing, game analysis, puzzles, opening tools, mobile apps, and player pool size. No upsell, no affiliate links — just the practical difference between the two platforms.
Bottom Line
Lichess is better for analysis and study — every feature is free, including unlimited Stockfish. Chess.com is better for finding games quickly — larger player pool means faster matchmaking, especially at beginner ratings. If you're serious about improvement on a budget, use Lichess (or chess.rodeo) for analysis and Chess.com's free tier for casual games.
Feature Comparison Table
| Feature | Lichess | Chess.com |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 100% free, no tiers | Free tier + paid plans ($8–29/mo) |
| Account required | No (play as guest) | Yes |
| Stockfish analysis | Free, unlimited | Paywalled (Diamond tier) |
| Puzzles | Free, unlimited | Limited free, then paywalled |
| Opening explorer | Free (master + Lichess DB) | Free (basic), more with paid |
| Endgame tablebases | Free, 7-piece Syzygy | Not available |
| Player pool size | ~7M active users | ~150M registered users |
| Mobile app | Good (open-source) | Excellent (polished, fast) |
| Lessons & courses | Limited | Extensive (most paid) |
| Ads | None | Yes (free tier) |
Pricing
Lichess
100% free
Lichess has no paid tiers. Every feature — analysis, puzzles, opening databases, endgame tablebases, tournaments, studies, and the mobile app — is free for everyone. The platform is funded by donations and runs as a nonprofit. There are no ads if you have an account.
Chess.com
Freemium ($8–29/mo)
Chess.com has a free tier that lets you play games and access basic puzzles. Game review (accuracy %) is free but limited. Deep Stockfish analysis (engine lines, alternative moves) requires Diamond at $29/month or $119/year. The Gold tier ($8/month) unlocks some analysis features but not the full engine.
The pricing gap is the most important practical difference between the two platforms. If you want to analyze games seriously — understanding why a move was bad, seeing the engine's top choices, studying positions in depth — Lichess gives you everything for free. On Chess.com you pay for it.
Game Analysis
This is where the gap is most stark. Analysis is how you actually improve — not by playing more games, but by understanding the ones you already played.
Lichess analysis
Lichess runs Stockfish in the browser with no limits. You can analyze any position to any depth, see multiple principal variation lines, use the opening explorer on any move, and look up endgame tablebases for 7-piece or fewer positions. The analysis board also shows a game graph (eval by move) and lets you annotate positions as a "study" for sharing. All of this is free.
Chess.com analysis
Chess.com's free game review shows accuracy percentages and flags blunders, mistakes, and inaccuracies. But it doesn't show engine lines (the actual best moves), doesn't let you explore alternative continuations freely, and limits the number of free reviews per day. Full Stockfish analysis — the same level Lichess offers for free — requires the Diamond subscription at $29/month.
Third option: Export your games as PGN from either platform and analyze them for free at chess.rodeo — full Stockfish, no account, no paywall. Or use the chess.lc PGN viewer to replay the game and click through to Stockfish at any position.
Puzzles and Tactics Training
Lichess puzzles
Lichess has over 4 million crowd-sourced puzzles, all rated and filtered by theme (fork, pin, skewer, back rank, etc.), opening, or rating range. The puzzle storm and puzzle racer modes are free. There is no daily limit. All puzzles are free, forever.
Chess.com puzzles
Chess.com's free tier gives access to a limited number of puzzles per day (around 5–10 in practice). The "Puzzle Rush" and themed puzzle sets require a paid subscription. The puzzle database is large and high quality, but access is gated. For unlimited daily tactics training, Lichess wins easily.
Player Pool and Matchmaking
This is where Chess.com has a genuine advantage. Chess.com reports over 150 million registered users; Lichess has around 7 million active players. In practice, this means:
- Beginner ratings (<1000): Chess.com finds games in seconds. Lichess at those ratings can have longer waits, especially in slower time controls.
- Intermediate ratings (1000–1800): Both platforms have good availability. Lichess matchmaking is fast for bullet and blitz.
- Advanced players (1800+): Lichess is often preferred for serious players and club players. Many titled players stream and play regularly on Lichess.
Note that the rating scales differ: a 1500 on Chess.com is roughly equivalent to 1700–1800 on Lichess. Lichess ratings tend to run higher. Factor this in when comparing your strength between platforms.
Mobile Apps
Lichess app
The Lichess app is open-source and available on iOS and Android. It covers all the core features (games, analysis, puzzles, tournaments) and is completely free. The UI is functional but less polished than Chess.com's. Performance is solid on mid-range devices.
Chess.com app
Chess.com's mobile app is widely regarded as the best chess app for polish and usability. Smooth animations, fast UI, easy game finding, and a good beginner onboarding experience. The app also surfaces lessons, articles, and daily puzzles clearly. The paywall limitations apply here too — analysis is limited on free accounts.
Opening Database and Explorer
Lichess's opening explorer is one of its strongest features. It gives you access to two databases from any position:
- Master database: Over 10 million OTB games from tournaments, filtered by Elo and year. See what moves grandmasters play from any position.
- Lichess database: Over 4 billion online games. Filter by time control, rating range, and date. Instantly see win/draw/loss rates for any move from your opponent's actual population.
Chess.com has an opening explorer too but it's more limited on the free tier. For opening research, Lichess wins. You can also browse our opening guides for free explanations of every major opening system.
Which Should You Use?
Use Lichess if:
- You want to analyze games seriously without paying
- You want unlimited puzzles with theme filtering
- You want to use an opening explorer without restrictions
- You're rated above 1200 and want fair matchmaking
- You care about open-source software and privacy
Use Chess.com if:
- You're a beginner who wants the fastest matchmaking at low ratings
- You want the most polished mobile app experience
- You're playing with friends who are already on Chess.com
- You want structured lessons and guided learning courses
- You're willing to pay for a premium subscription
Don't pay for game analysis on either platform
Export your game as PGN from Chess.com or Lichess, load it in chess.lc's free PGN viewer, then send any position directly to full Stockfish analysis on chess.rodeo. Zero cost, zero account, no daily limits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lichess better than Chess.com?
Lichess is better for players who want 100% free access — unlimited Stockfish analysis, unlimited puzzles, full opening explorer, no ads. Chess.com has a larger player pool (faster matchmaking at beginner ratings) and a more polished mobile app. For improving at chess without a subscription, Lichess is the stronger choice.
Is Lichess completely free?
Yes. Lichess is 100% free and open-source. Every feature — games, analysis, puzzles, opening explorer, endgame tablebases, tournaments, studies — is free with no premium tier. You can even play without creating an account. Lichess is funded by donations and has no investors.
Why do people use Chess.com if Lichess is free?
Chess.com has roughly 150 million registered users vs Lichess's ~7 million active players. At beginner ratings, that means faster matchmaking. Chess.com also has better beginner onboarding and a more polished mobile app. Many players use both: Chess.com for quick games, Lichess for analysis.
Can I analyze my Chess.com games on Lichess for free?
Yes. Export your game from Chess.com as PGN (Archive → select game → Export), then import it into Lichess's analysis board. Alternatively, paste it into the chess.lc PGN viewer and jump to chess.rodeo for full Stockfish — no account required on either.
Related Guides
Chess.com Free Tier Limitations — Best Alternatives
What you can't do on Chess.com without paying.
Free Chess Game Analysis — No Account Needed
How to analyze any game without creating an account.
Best Free PGN Viewers Online — Compared
Open PGN files in your browser, no download required.
How to Study Chess Tactics for Free
All 22 tactical patterns, free training method.