ChessPivot

The best chess improvement apps, compared

The most complete comparison of chess improvement services: 147 services assessed, 56 analysis criteria measured one at a time. Objective scoring, resting on precise features anyone can check. A transparent method, described in full, listing every source that backs a score. And a useful comparison, since anyone can change the weight of each criterion to find the tools that truly match their own preferences and needs.

services scored

147

checkable criteria

56

Features checked against public evidence

8,232

How the scores are awardedSuggest a correction
01

What the numbers show

Diagnosis is still rare

10services out of 147 name and count your recurring errors across all your games. 1 publicly describes how those diagnoses are checked.

Training on your own games is spreading

21services build exercises from your own mistakes. The differentiator is no longer the feature: it is stated reliability, and re-measuring in later games.

Endgames and defence come last

17services have a real endgame module and 17 have dedicated defensive exercises — while opening repertoire drilling is almost everywhere.

Nobody proves effectiveness

1service publishes effectiveness data with a stated method. 7 advertise a numeric rating-gain promise with no source.

A full path costs a lot — or nothing

30services charge more than €150 a year for the full plan, while 54 are free or under €30.

02

Overall ranking

The eleven weights below are ours: an editorial choice, not a fact. Set them to what you are actually after, then read the ranking — it moves. A category score is the mean of its criteria on a 0-10 scale; the overall score is the weighted mean of those.

Your weights

These eleven sliders say what matters most TO YOU. Drag them or type the number; they must add up to 100%. The ranking, the weight shown on each category and the scores on every review follow at once, and your setting is kept from page to page.

Total: 100 %
  1. 1ChessPivot7.3weakness diagnosis and targeted training · €64.99/yrA :10.0B :7.2C :8.5D :7.5E :5.8F :6.0G :2.5H :3.3I :8.3J :4.2K :5.6
  2. 2Lichess6.2complete free chess server · €0A :3.3B :6.1C :5.6D :10.0E :5.0F :5.3G :8.3H :7.3I :7.5J :8.3K :8.9
  3. 3Chess.com5.7All-in-one play + training platform · Diamond €125.04/yrA :6.3B :5.6C :4.4D :5.0E :2.5F :8.7G :8.3H :7.3I :5.0J :7.5K :5.6
  4. 4ChessTempo5.1tactics and openings training platform · Diamond €82.80/yr incl. VATA :3.3B :8.3C :5.9D :4.2E :4.2F :4.7G :2.5H :5.3I :6.7J :3.3K :4.4
  5. 5ChessMind AI4.7AI coach: Maia, scan, opening courses · $69.99/yr ≈ €64A :3.8B :3.9C :5.9D :6.7E :3.3F :7.3G :2.5H :5.3I :1.7J :2.5K :2.2
  6. 6ChessAtlas4.7FSRS opening repertoire trainer · $83.88/yrA :3.3B :7.2C :2.6D :6.7E :6.7F :4.7G :0.0H :4.0I :3.3J :1.7K :6.7
  7. 7Playchess (serveur ChessBase)4.6ChessBase play server and apps · €49.90/yrA :2.1B :7.2C :2.6D :6.7E :2.5F :8.0G :5.0H :4.0I :4.2J :4.2K :4.4
  8. 8Chessflare4.5openings + analysis + puzzles platform · $59.99/yr ≈ €55A :5.0B :3.9C :3.0D :7.5E :3.3F :4.7G :1.7H :5.3I :4.2J :2.5K :6.7
  9. 9qchess.net4.3free drills toolkit + OTB database · €0A :3.3B :5.0C :4.1D :10.0E :2.5F :2.0G :2.5H :0.7I :4.2J :1.7K :3.3
  10. 10Chessigma4.3Freemium game analysis and AI coach · €83/yrA :6.3B :3.3C :3.7D :7.5E :2.5F :2.0G :2.5H :3.3I :1.7J :2.5K :3.3
10 of 147 services shown
03

Results by category

The top ten in each category, with every criterion score. Each service page sets out the evidence behind them.

A

Personalized diagnosis

weight 20 %

A service can only target training if it knows what the player keeps missing, and shows it to them. This is where individual progress starts, and it is the area covered least often.

  1. 1ChessPivot10.0A1 :3A2 :3A3 :3A4 :3A5 :3A6 :3A7 :3A8 :3
  2. 2Chess.com6.3A1 :2A2 :2A3 :2A4 :2A5 :2A6 :0A7 :2A8 :3
  3. 3Chessigma6.3A1 :3A2 :3A3 :2A4 :2A5 :2A6 :0A7 :1A8 :2
  4. 4Aimchess5.8A1 :2A2 :2A3 :2A4 :3A5 :1A6 :0A7 :1A8 :3
  5. 5Chess DNA5.8A1 :2A2 :2A3 :3A4 :3A5 :2A6 :0A7 :2A8 :0
  6. 6Lumichess5.4A1 :2A2 :2A3 :1A4 :2A5 :2A6 :0A7 :1A8 :3
  7. 7Chessflare5.0A1 :3A2 :2A3 :1A4 :2A5 :2A6 :0A7 :2A8 :0
  8. 8MyChessPlan5.0A1 :2A2 :1A3 :2A4 :3A5 :2A6 :0A7 :0A8 :2
  9. 9Chessy5.0A1 :2A2 :2A3 :2A4 :2A5 :2A6 :0A7 :2A8 :0
  10. 10Sensei Chess4.6A1 :2A2 :2A3 :1A4 :2A5 :2A6 :0A7 :2A8 :0

What each criterion measures

  • A1. Importing your games (Chess.com, Lichess, PGN files)
  • A2. Automatic engine analysis of every game
  • A3. Recurring mistakes identified across all your games
  • A4. Types of mistakes covered (tactics, strategy, endgame, time…)
  • A5. Written explanation of each mistake
  • A6. Stated verification of the diagnoses (procedure, rates)
  • A7. Tracking each weakness over time
  • A8. Comparison with players of the same rating
B

Openings

weight 18 %

The repertoire is what players work on most, and what the market sells most. We measure how far it is personalized, how firmly it is anchored in real games, and how reliable the lines are.

  1. 1ChessTempo8.3B1 :3B2 :2B3 :3B4 :3B5 :3B6 :1
  2. 2Chessbook7.8B1 :3B2 :2B3 :2B4 :2B5 :3B6 :2
  3. 3ChessPivot7.2B1 :2B2 :2B3 :2B4 :2B5 :2B6 :3
  4. 4ChessAtlas7.2B1 :3B2 :2B3 :3B4 :2B5 :1B6 :2
  5. 5Playchess (serveur ChessBase)7.2B1 :2B2 :2B3 :1B4 :2B5 :3B6 :3
  6. 6ChessBase7.2B1 :2B2 :2B3 :1B4 :2B5 :3B6 :3
  7. 7Lichess6.1B1 :2B2 :2B3 :1B4 :2B5 :3B6 :1
  8. 8Chess.com5.6B1 :1B2 :2B3 :1B4 :2B5 :2B6 :2
  9. 9Chessable5.6B1 :2B2 :3B3 :2B4 :1B5 :0B6 :2
  10. 10Chessalyz.ai5.6B1 :2B2 :2B3 :2B4 :2B5 :1B6 :1

What each criterion measures

  • B1. Building a personal repertoire
  • B2. Training the repertoire (drills, games)
  • B3. Spotting where you left your repertoire in your games
  • B4. Verification of the lines taught (engine, practice)
  • B5. Opening explorer and statistics
  • B6. Explanation of opening plans and ideas
C

Targeted training

weight 16 %

What the player does every day. We measure how far it is personalized, how well it covers the phases of the game, and the mechanisms that make learning last.

  1. 1ChessPivot8.5C1 :3C2 :3C3 :2C4 :2C5 :3C6 :2C7 :3C8 :2C9 :3
  2. 2ChessTempo5.9C1 :2C2 :3C3 :2C4 :2C5 :2C6 :0C7 :2C8 :2C9 :1
  3. 3ChessMind AI5.9C1 :2C2 :1C3 :2C4 :2C5 :2C6 :2C7 :1C8 :2C9 :2
  4. 4Lichess5.6C1 :2C2 :3C3 :2C4 :1C5 :2C6 :1C7 :2C8 :1C9 :1
  5. 5Lucas Chess5.2C1 :2C2 :1C3 :2C4 :2C5 :2C6 :2C7 :0C8 :1C9 :2
  6. 6Chessable5.2C1 :0C2 :1C3 :2C4 :3C5 :2C6 :2C7 :0C8 :2C9 :2
  7. 7CT-ART / Chess King5.2C1 :0C2 :2C3 :2C4 :2C5 :2C6 :2C7 :2C8 :1C9 :1
  8. 8Aimchess4.8C1 :2C2 :1C3 :2C4 :0C5 :2C6 :2C7 :1C8 :1C9 :2
  9. 9Chess.com4.4C1 :1C2 :2C3 :3C4 :2C5 :0C6 :1C7 :2C8 :0C9 :1
  10. 10Chessalyz.ai4.4C1 :2C2 :1C3 :1C4 :0C5 :2C6 :0C7 :2C8 :2C9 :2

What each criterion measures

  • C1. Exercises drawn from your own games
  • C2. Bank of tactical exercises (size, themes, rating)
  • C3. Endgame training
  • C4. Strategic and positional training
  • C5. Training defense and alertness
  • C6. Training calculation and visualization
  • C7. Difficulty matched to your real level
  • C8. Spaced repetition (named algorithm)
  • C9. Personalized training plan
D

Price and value

weight 14 %

What a complete path really costs, and how it is sold.

  1. 1Lichess10.0D1 :3D2 :3D3 :3D4 :3
  2. 2qchess.net10.0D1 :3D2 :3D3 :3D4 :3
  3. 3Lucas Chess10.0D1 :3D2 :3D3 :3D4 :3
  4. 4Lumichess10.0D1 :3D2 :3D3 :3D4 :3
  5. 5En Croissant10.0D1 :3D2 :3D3 :3D4 :3
  6. 6Scid vs PC10.0D1 :3D2 :3D3 :3D4 :3
  7. 7Listudy10.0D1 :3D2 :3D3 :3D4 :3
  8. 8ChessX10.0D1 :3D2 :3D3 :3D4 :3
  9. 9Opening Scanner10.0D1 :3D2 :3D3 :3D4 :3
  10. 10Maia Chess10.0D1 :3D2 :3D3 :3D4 :3

What each criterion measures

  • D1. What the free plan actually lets you do
  • D2. Annual price of the full plan
  • D3. Commercial transparency (price shown, trial, cancellation)
  • D4. Number of paid tiers (how simple the offer is)
E

Rigor and honesty

weight 8 %

What a service claims, and what it proves.

  1. 1Stockfish (projet + apps officielles)7.5E1 :0E2 :3E3 :3E4 :3
  2. 2ChessAtlas6.7E1 :1E2 :2E3 :2E4 :3
  3. 3Chessvia6.7E1 :1E2 :2E3 :2E4 :3
  4. 4ChessPivot5.8E1 :0E2 :2E3 :2E4 :3
  5. 5ChessDojo5.8E1 :1E2 :2E3 :3E4 :1
  6. 6Chessiro5.8E1 :0E2 :2E3 :2E4 :3
  7. 7BetterChess5.8E1 :0E2 :2E3 :2E4 :3
  8. 8Opening Scanner5.8E1 :0E2 :1E3 :3E4 :3
  9. 9Maia Chess5.8E1 :2E2 :0E3 :3E4 :2
  10. 10Chess Endgame Training (supertorpe)5.8E1 :0E2 :2E3 :3E4 :2

What each criterion measures

  • E1. Published evidence of effectiveness
  • E2. Chess verification of the content (positions, lines)
  • E3. Transparency of the method (algorithms, code)
  • E4. Marketing claims that can be checked (no overselling)
F

Content and method

weight 8 %

The courses and the structure of progress. We measure how content is organized by level, who the authors are, the formats, and the volume.

  1. 1ChessMood9.3F1 :3F2 :3F3 :3F4 :2F5 :3
  2. 2Chess.com8.7F1 :2F2 :3F3 :3F4 :2F5 :3
  3. 3Playchess (serveur ChessBase)8.0F1 :2F2 :3F3 :3F4 :1F5 :3
  4. 4Chessable8.0F1 :2F2 :3F3 :3F4 :1F5 :3
  5. 5Apprendre-les-echecs-24h.com8.0F1 :2F2 :2F3 :3F4 :2F5 :3
  6. 6KCF Academy (Kasparov Chess Foundation)8.0F1 :3F2 :3F3 :2F4 :2F5 :2
  7. 7ChessMind AI7.3F1 :2F2 :2F3 :3F4 :2F5 :2
  8. 8ChessBase7.3F1 :2F2 :2F3 :3F4 :1F5 :3
  9. 9ChessDojo7.3F1 :3F2 :3F3 :2F4 :2F5 :1
  10. 10Chessiverse6.7F1 :1F2 :2F3 :3F4 :1F5 :3

What each criterion measures

  • F1. Courses organized by rating level
  • F2. Course authors named and titled
  • F3. Content formats (text, video, interactive)
  • F4. Published method of progression
  • F5. How often the content is updated
G

Playing and practice

weight 5 %

Playing is still essential. We measure the size of the pool, how realistic the artificial opponents are, and whether you can replay one specific position.

  1. 1Lichess8.3G1 :3G2 :2G3 :2G4 :3
  2. 2Chess.com8.3G1 :3G2 :2G3 :2G4 :3
  3. 3Playchess (serveur ChessBase)5.0G1 :1G2 :2G3 :1G4 :2
  4. 4Chessiverse5.0G1 :0G2 :3G3 :1G4 :2
  5. 5ChessBase4.2G1 :1G2 :1G3 :1G4 :2
  6. 6Chessity4.2G1 :1G2 :2G3 :0G4 :2
  7. 7ChessKid4.2G1 :2G2 :2G3 :0G4 :1
  8. 8Chess Assistant 26 / Aquarium 2026 (ChessOK)4.2G1 :1G2 :1G3 :2G4 :1
  9. 9FICS4.2G1 :1G2 :1G3 :1G4 :2
  10. 10Chess Universe4.2G1 :2G2 :1G3 :1G4 :1

What each criterion measures

  • G1. Playing humans online (pool, anti-cheating)
  • G2. Realistic artificial opponents
  • G3. Replaying one specific position against the machine
  • G4. Tournaments and organized competition
H

Experience and accessibility

weight 5 %

A tool nobody uses helps nobody improve. We measure the platforms, perceived quality that can be measured (store ratings), languages, accessibility, and offline use.

  1. 1Lichess7.3H1 :3H2 :1H3 :3H4 :2H5 :2
  2. 2Chess.com7.3H1 :3H2 :3H3 :3H4 :1H5 :1
  3. 3CT-ART / Chess King7.3H1 :3H2 :3H3 :3H4 :0H5 :2
  4. 4ChessKid6.7H1 :3H2 :3H3 :3H4 :0H5 :1
  5. 5Duolingo Chess6.7H1 :3H2 :3H3 :3H4 :0H5 :1
  6. 6Udemy (offre échecs)6.7H1 :3H2 :2H3 :2H4 :1H5 :2
  7. 7Chess Coach Pro (KemigoGames / Igor Zelka)6.7H1 :2H2 :3H3 :2H4 :0H5 :3
  8. 8Shredder Chess6.0H1 :3H2 :1H3 :2H4 :0H5 :3
  9. 9Stockfish (projet + apps officielles)6.0H1 :2H2 :3H3 :1H4 :0H5 :3
  10. 10ChessTempo5.3H1 :3H2 :1H3 :2H4 :1H5 :1

What each criterion measures

  • H1. Platforms available (web, iOS, Android, desktop)
  • H2. User ratings and reviews (stores, press)
  • H3. Interface languages available
  • H4. Accessibility (keyboard, screen reader)
  • H5. Offline use and known incidents
I

Preparation and study

weight 2 %

Everything around training: preparing for an opponent, annotating and sharing a game, entering a game played over the board, finding a game again in your history.

  1. 1ChessPivot8.3I1 :3I2 :1I3 :3I4 :3
  2. 2Lichess7.5I1 :2I2 :3I3 :1I4 :3
  3. 3ChessTempo6.7I1 :2I2 :2I3 :1I4 :3
  4. 4ChessBase6.7I1 :2I2 :2I3 :1I4 :3
  5. 5ChessDojo6.7I1 :1I2 :3I3 :1I4 :3
  6. 6Scid vs PC5.8I1 :2I2 :1I3 :1I4 :3
  7. 7ChessX5.8I1 :2I2 :1I3 :1I4 :3
  8. 8365Chess5.8I1 :2I2 :1I3 :1I4 :3
  9. 9HIARCS Chess Explorer Pro5.8I1 :2I2 :1I3 :1I4 :3
  10. 10Chess.com5.0I1 :1I2 :2I3 :1I4 :2

What each criterion measures

  • I1. Preparing for a named opponent
  • I2. Annotating and sharing games (studies)
  • I3. Entering a game played at a club (photo, scoresheet)
  • I4. Searching your games (filters, position)
J

Human coaching and community

weight 2 %

A human coach is still what players cite most above 1800. We measure access to coaches, how alive the community is, and the tools available to trainers.

  1. 1Lichess8.3J1 :3J2 :3J3 :1J4 :3
  2. 2Chess.com7.5J1 :3J2 :3J3 :2J4 :1
  3. 3ChessKid6.7J1 :2J2 :3J3 :2J4 :1
  4. 4ChessDojo6.7J1 :3J2 :2J3 :1J4 :2
  5. 5Apprendre-les-echecs-24h.com6.7J1 :3J2 :2J3 :0J4 :3
  6. 6Dan Heisman (danheisman.com)5.8J1 :3J2 :1J3 :0J4 :3
  7. 7Chess in Schools and Communities (UK)5.8J1 :2J2 :2J3 :1J4 :2
  8. 8Killer Chess Training5.8J1 :3J2 :2J3 :0J4 :2
  9. 9Chess University (Kostya Kavutskiy)5.8J1 :3J2 :1J3 :0J4 :3
  10. 10Saint Louis Chess Club (offre en ligne)5.8J1 :3J2 :2J3 :0J4 :2

What each criterion measures

  • J1. Access to human coaches
  • J2. Size and activity of the community
  • J3. Tools for trainers, clubs and schools
  • J4. Engagement mechanics (streaks, virtual currency, reminders)
K

Personal data and interoperability

weight 2 %

What players can get back of their own data, what is done with it, and whether the service can talk to other tools.

  1. 1Scid vs PC10.0K1 :3K2 :3K3 :3
  2. 2Lichess8.9K1 :2K2 :3K3 :3
  3. 3Opening Scanner7.8K1 :2K2 :2K3 :3
  4. 4Chess Endgame Training (supertorpe)7.8K1 :2K2 :2K3 :3
  5. 5ChessAtlas6.7K1 :2K2 :3K3 :1
  6. 6Chessflare6.7K1 :2K2 :3K3 :1
  7. 7En Croissant6.7K1 :3K2 :0K3 :3
  8. 8Listudy6.7K1 :2K2 :1K3 :3
  9. 9Arena Chess GUI6.7K1 :3K2 :2K3 :1
  10. 10ChessMonitor + OpeningTree6.7K1 :1K2 :2K3 :3

What each criterion measures

  • K1. Exporting your data (games, repertoire)
  • K2. Protection of personal data (GDPR, hosting)
  • K3. Public API and source code
04

Service reviews

Each review covers what the service is, how it has evolved, its scores, and the source cited under each one.