Lichess vs Chess.com: which chess app to use
Chess is not a card game, but it is the most played board game on phones, and the two big apps take very different approaches. Lichess is free and open source. Chess.com is a commercial service with free and paid tiers.
Lichess
Lichess is run by a non-profit organisation and funded by donations. Everything is free: online games at any time control, unlimited puzzles, computer analysis of your games, studies and an opening explorer. There are no adverts. The code is open source.
The mobile app covers play, puzzles and analysis. It has fewer structured lessons than Chess.com, though the website's "Learn" and "Practice" sections and community studies cover the basics.
Chess.com
Chess.com has the larger player base and a polished app with lessons, puzzles, bots with personalities and game review. The free tier allows unlimited games but limits puzzles, lessons and full game reviews, and shows adverts. Paid memberships remove ads and unlock more of each feature.
For beginners, Chess.com's guided lessons and game review explanations are friendlier. For players who mainly want to play and analyse without paying, Lichess offers more for free.
Side by side
| Lichess | Chess.com | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free tier, paid memberships |
| Adverts | None | On the free tier |
| Computer analysis | Free and unlimited | Limited on free tier |
| Puzzles | Unlimited | Limited on free tier |
| Lessons for beginners | Basic | Extensive |
| Open source | Yes | No |
Our take
Editorial opinion
Use Lichess if you want everything free and no ads. Use Chess.com if you are new to chess and want guided lessons, or if your friends already play there. Many players have accounts on both.
Related: board game apps.
By the Mobiledista editorial team. Updated October 2026.