Chessable review: scores and evidence
Chessable sells more than 1,000 courses (openings, tactics, endgames, strategy) from over 400 authors, memorised through MoveTrainer (spaced repetition), with, since 2026, line training against bots and a check of your own games against a course (Course Check). It does not analyse every game the player plays, does not name recurring weaknesses, and offers neither online play against humans nor coaching.
Read on August 30, 2026 from the service’s public pages — every score cites the page read.
Overall score
3.8/ 10
Rank
15/ 128
Free-only score
2.8/ 10
quotas counted
Languages
1
Listed price
PRO $74.99/yr ≈ €69 ($11.99/mo) — read by hand on /pro, 2026-09-01.
What the service is
Chessable is a chess learning site founded by International Master John Bartholomew and David Kramaley: the project started in November 2015 and the site opened on 22 February 2016. Play Magnus Group bought it in February 2019, and Chess.com then took over Play Magnus Group on 16 December 2022; the mobile apps are published today by Chess.com, LLC. The service sells written and filmed courses by titled authors, which the student memorises move by move in MoveTrainer, a spaced-repetition trainer. The App Store listing puts the catalogue at more than 1,000 courses, including work by Magnus Carlsen, Anish Giri and Judit Polgar. The business model mixes free courses, courses bought individually, and a PRO subscription that unlocks offline mode among other things.
Activity history
- 2026-07The iOS app "Chessable: Study Chess Smarter" moved to version 3.0.2 on 4 July 2026; it is rated 4.80/5 from 5,888 ratings.
- 2022-12Chess.com’s takeover of Play Magnus Group, Chessable’s owner, closed on 16 December 2022.
- 2021-01Chessable’s iOS app was first released on the App Store on 17 January 2021.
- 2019-02Play Magnus Group acquired Chessable; the group went public in Oslo in October 2020.
- 2016-02The site opened to the public on 22 February 2016, the project having started in November 2015.
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
0.8A1 :2Importing your games (Chess.com, Lichess, PGN files)not documented
https://www.chessable.com/blog/ — the post "Check Your Opening Play with Game Review Course Check" compares the player’s games against the course; PGN/platform import not detailed
A2 :0Automatic engine analysis of every game
https://www.chessable.com/ — no mention of automatic engine analysis of the player’s games
A3 :0Recurring mistakes identified across all your games
https://www.chessable.com/: nothing aggregated across the player’s games.
A4 :0Types of mistakes covered (tactics, strategy, endgame, time…)
https://www.chessable.com/: no typology of the player’s mistakes.
A5 :0Written explanation of each mistake
https://www.chessable.com/: no explanation of the player’s mistakes.
A6 :0Stated verification of the diagnoses (procedure, rates)
https://www.chessable.com/ — no mention of how reliable a diagnosis is
A7 :0Tracking each weakness over time
https://www.chessable.com/ — no progress dashboard found (the /science page is an unreadable SPA)
A8 :0Comparison with players of the same rating
https://www.chessable.com/ — no comparison against a rating band
BOpenings
5.6B1 :2Building a personal repertoirefree
https://www.chessable.com/blog/?s=chessable+pro — post about the new "Repertorio" feature (repertoire building); suggestions drawn from one’s own games not found
B2 :3Training the repertoire (drills, games)free
https://www.chessable.com/blog/ — MoveTrainer (drills + spaced repetition) and "Train Against Bots" (June 2026), which plays out the lines
B3 :2Spotting where you left your repertoire in your gamesnot documented
https://www.chessable.com/blog/ — "Game Review Course Check" flags the gaps between games and course; no exercise derived from them found
B4 :1Verification of the lines taught (engine, practice)free
https://www.chessable.com/ — titled authors (GM/IM); no engine checking of the lines announced
B5 :0Opening explorer and statistics
https://www.chessable.com/ — no game-database explorer mentioned
B6 :2Explanation of opening plans and ideasfree
https://www.chessable.com/ — video and text opening courses explaining the plans; traps and model games not found
CTargeted training
5.2C1 :0Exercises drawn from your own games
https://www.chessable.com/ — no exercise drawn from the player’s own games
C2 :1Bank of tactical exercises (size, themes, rating)paid
https://www.chessable.com/ — tactics courses (Woodpecker Method, Calculation Workbook) with no stated bank of 5,000 or more
C3 :2Endgame trainingpaid
https://www.chessable.com/ — interactive endgame courses ("100 Endgames You Must Know") played through MoveTrainer
C4 :3Strategic and positional trainingpaid
https://www.chessable.com/: Strategy category — "Chess Structures", "Techniques of Positional Play", "Chess Principles Reloaded: Center"; "video and text explanations", "Make the suggested move!".
C5 :2Training defense and alertnesspaid
https://www.chessable.com/: one dedicated course, "Preventing Blunders in Chess" (CM Can Kabadayi); a single sub-type, no rating per sub-type.
C6 :2Training calculation and visualizationpaid
https://www.chessable.com/ — calculation courses (Shankland’s Calculation Workbook, Introduction to Chess Calculation)
C7 :0Difficulty matched to your real level
https://www.chessable.com/ — the level is set by the course; no adaptive rating mentioned
C8 :2Spaced repetition (named algorithm)free
https://www.chessable.com/: "quizzed […] at specified times", MoveTrainer®; the algorithm is not named.
C9 :2Personalized training planfree
https://www.chessable.com/: the review queue "You will be quizzed on this later!" is the same for everyone; no time budget.
DPrice and value
4.2D1 :2What the free plan actually lets you dofree
https://www.chessable.com/ — "dozens of completely free courses", free sign-up, MoveTrainer usable
D2 :2Annual price of the full planfree
https://www.chessable.com/pro — PRO $74.99/yr ≈ €69 (€31-75 band). Read by hand on 2026-09-01: the page is a JavaScript app that blocks crawlers.
D3 :1Commercial transparency (price shown, trial, cancellation)free
https://www.chessable.com/blog/chessable-discounts-return-to-2024-system-pro-discount-now-30/ — prices and discounts shown; trial and refund not found (the legal pages are an SPA)
D4 :0Number of paid tiers (how simple the offer is)
https://www.chessable.com/: "most of our courses do cost money" plus PRO "hundreds of courses" ($74.99/year, App Store): a subscription AND one-off purchases.
EEvidence and transparency
2.5E1 :1Published evidence of effectivenessfree
https://www.chessable.com/ — "improve retention by up to 95%" with no method given; the Chess Science blog category is unreadable
E2 :0Chess verification of the content (positions, lines)
https://www.chessable.com/ — no mention of correcting or checking the courses
E3 :1Transparency of the method (algorithms, code)free
https://www.chessable.com/ — "science of spaced repetition", MoveTrainer; no parameters published
E4 :1Marketing claims that can be checked (no overselling)free
https://www.chessable.com/ — "instructors are the best in the world", "up to 95%": unverifiable
FContent and method
8.0F1 :2Courses organized by rating levelfree
https://www.chessable.com/ — an "All abilities" filter and a Beginners category; no path by rating band
F2 :3Course authors named and titledfree
https://www.chessable.com/ — over 400 authors, among them GMs Carlsen, Polgar, Giri, Nakamura and Caruana
F3 :3Content formats (text, video, interactive)free
https://www.chessable.com/ — video, text and interactive MoveTrainer practice
F4 :1Published method of progressionfree
https://www.chessable.com/ — general advice; no published curriculum
F5 :3How often the content is updatedfree
https://www.chessable.com/blog/ — posts dated 04/08/2026, monthly roundups (June, May 2026)
GPlaying and practice
1.7G1 :0Playing humans online (pool, anti-cheating)
https://www.chessable.com/ — no play against humans
G2 :1Realistic artificial opponentsfree
https://www.chessable.com/blog/ — "Train Against Bots" (2026): bots by level, personality not documented
G3 :1Replaying one specific position against the machinefree
https://www.chessable.com/blog/ — play a course line against a bot from the course position
G4 :0Tournaments and organized competition
https://www.chessable.com/ — no tournaments
HExperience and accessibility
4.7H1 :3Platforms available (web, iOS, Android, desktop)free
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.chessable.chessable — Android/Windows; iOS id1523279049; web
H2 :3User ratings and reviews (stores, press)free
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.chessable.chessable — 4.5/5 from 16.7K reviews; App Store 4.80/5 from 5,886 ratings
H3 :0Interface languages available
App Store "Chessable: Study Chess Smarter" (id1523279049, iTunes Search API): English only; chessable.com cannot be fetched (403), no language switcher found
H4 :0Accessibility (keyboard, screen reader)
https://www.chessable.com/ — no mention of accessibility
H5 :1Offline use and known incidentspaid
https://www.chessable.com/blog/chessable-pro-price-changes/ — offline mode "expected" (2020), not confirmed; no incident reported
IPreparation and study
0.0I1 :0Preparing for a named opponent
https://www.chessable.com/: no opponent preparation mentioned.
I2 :0Annotating and sharing games (studies)
https://www.chessable.com/: no user annotation or study mentioned (author courses only).
I3 :0Entering a game played at a club (photo, scoresheet)
https://www.chessable.com/: no game entry and no scoresheet digitisation.
I4 :0Searching your games (filters, position)
https://www.chessable.com/: no import of, or search through, one’s own games mentioned.
JHuman coaching and community
2.5J1 :0Access to human coaches
https://www.chessable.com/ — no human coach offered
J2 :1Size and activity of the communityfree
https://www.chessable.com/blog/?s=chessable+pro — a "Product Portal" for feedback; community activity not measurable
J3 :0Tools for trainers, clubs and schools
https://www.chessable.com/ — no coach or club area mentioned
J4 :2Engagement mechanics (streaks, virtual currency, reminders)free
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.chessable.chessable — in-app purchases are courses; no virtual currency and no nagging found
KPersonal data and interoperability
1.1K1 :0Exporting your data (games, repertoire)
https://www.chessable.com/ — no mention of export
K2 :1Protection of personal data (GDPR, hosting)free
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.chessable.chessable — publisher Chess.com (United States); Amplitude/Intercom in the code; the policy is an unreadable SPA
K3 :0Public API and source code
https://www.chessable.com/ — no API and no public code
Also, outside the grid
Features found that no criterion measures. They do not count towards the score.
- Classroom: video lessons for up to 1,000 students
- Offline mode for courses (PRO)
- Free preview of a paid course’s lines
- Personal course folders
What users say
Published reviews, read from the same sources for every covered service: app-store ratings, Trustpilot where a page exists, and the most substantial public discussion threads consulted (chess.com and lichess forums, Reddit where reachable). For each service, one clearly favourable quote AND one clearly critical one, verbatim — never one without the other, each with its link. These signals do not count towards the score.
Public ratingsApp Store4.8 / 5· 5,900 reviewsGoogle Play4.5 / 5· 16,709 reviewsTrustpilot2.5 / 5· 10 reviews
« I’ve been using chessable for the woodpecker method and silman endgame book and I’m liking it. Yah yeah, a book is better, but doing stuff on chessable is just so convenient. »r/chess · 2026-02 · ▲ 2
« they make it nearly impossible to cancel by forcing users to do it via email. I have sent multiple emails requesting cancellation, but I haven't received a single response… This is, hands down, the worst customer support experience I've ever had. »r/chess · 2026-08 · ▲ 174
Data as of August 31, 2026
Sources consulted
Services with a similar profile
The three services whose category profile is closest — a distance over the eleven scores, computed, never chosen.