Online Champs (Free vs Freemium)
Choosing your online chess home: Lichess.org vs Chess.com
Lichess.org
The Free Champion
"Free for everyone, forever."
Pros
- 100% Free - No paywalls, ever
- No Ads - Pure chess experience
- Unlimited Engine Analysis
- Unlimited Puzzles
- Open Source & Community Driven
Cons
- Simpler UI (can be subjective)
- Smaller playing pool (but sufficient)
- Fewer "entertainment" features
Chess.com
The Freemium Giant
"The world's #1 chess site."
Pros
- Massive user base (instant matchmaking)
- Polished, modern Interface
- High-quality Video Lessons (Paid)
- Fun events & "bots"
Cons
- Ads in free version
- Game Review capped (1/day for free)
- Puzzles capped on free tier
- Requires subscription for full features
Feature Breakdown
| Feature | Lichess.org | Chess.com (Free) | Chess.com (Paid) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ads | None | Yes | None |
| Puzzles | Unlimited | Limited | Unlimited |
| Analysis | Unlimited (Stockfish 16) | Limited Depth/Count | Full Depth |
| Lessons | Studies (Community) | Basic | Video Courses (GM) |
Recommendation
For pure practice and analysis, use Lichess.org.
For structured learning and entertainment, consider Chess.com.