ChessTempo review: scores and evidence
A training site with 350,000+ rated tactics, 17,000+ endgames taken from real games, a spaced-repetition repertoire trainer, a 5-million-game database, online play analysed by Stockfish and a library of paid e-books. It does not connect to a Lichess or Chess.com account and does not name recurring weaknesses across the whole of a player’s games.
Overall score
5.1/ 10
Rank
4/ 147
Languages
8
Yearly price
Diamond €82.80/yr incl. VAT (€69 excl. + 20% VAT; Gold €37.20 incl., Silver €20.70 incl.) — read by hand on /memberships/, 2026-09-01.
What the service is
Chesstempo is published under the name Chess Tempo, whose developer address on Google Play is Ground Floor, 470 St Kilda Rd, Melbourne VIC 3004, Australia; its App Store listing carries the line “© 2007-2024 Chess Tempo”. The site trains players on rated tactics problems, on endgames drawn from real games and on opening repertoires reviewed by spaced repetition, all built around a searchable game database and an online play server. Three revenue streams are publicly verifiable: memberships bought inside the app (Silver $2.99, Gold $3.99, Diamond $8.99 a month), Google Adsense advertising declared in the privacy policy, and interactive e-books sold one at a time. The service runs on the web, on iOS and on Android.
Activity history
- 2026-055 May 2026: the post “Many of our e-books now 15–25% cheaper” announces a price cut across part of the book catalogue.
- 2026-0415 April 2026: the e-book “Win with the English!” is released, in a roughly monthly publishing rhythm (22 February, 11 March and 8 April 2026).
- 2025-1226 December 2025: the post “New Chesstempo UI” marks the new site interface going live.
- 2025-1119 November 2025: the post “Help test new ChessTempo site” calls on users to test the rebuilt site.
- 2025-0310 March 2025: version 4.4.1 of the iOS app, still the latest; the Google Play listing shows the same update date.
- 2024-0922 September 2024: the post “Cloud engines updated to Stockfish 17” records the cloud engines being upgraded.
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
3.3A1 :1Importing your games (Chess.com, Lichess, PGN files)
https://chesstempo.com/mobile: analysis of games played ON Chesstempo; repertoires imported by PGN; no Lichess or Chess.com connection mentioned
A2 :2Automatic engine analysis of every game
https://chesstempo.com/mobile: “full post game analysis after every rated game”, Stockfish cluster; depth not published
A3 :1Recurring mistakes identified across all your games
https://chesstempo.com/mobile: “full post game analysis after every rated game” (score, blunders) and “sets that target your previous mistakes”: no error is named and counted across the whole set of games
A4 :1Types of mistakes covered (tactics, strategy, endgame, time…)
https://chesstempo.com/mobile: the “weaknesses” being targeted are tactical motifs (pin, fork, discovered attack): a single axis
A5 :1Written explanation of each mistake
https://chesstempo.com/manual/en/manual.html §14.3 “Annotate Game using Chess Engine”: engine lines and move labels, no explanatory prose
A6 :0Stated verification of the diagnoses (procedure, rates)
no mention of how reliable the diagnosis is, either on https://chesstempo.com/mobile or in the manual
A7 :1Tracking each weakness over time
https://chesstempo.com/mobile: history graphs for the tactics rating and for the learning state of the repertoire (training indicators); no change over time in any PLAYING indicator (accuracy, patterns).
A8 :1Comparison with players of the same rating
https://chesstempo.com/leaderboards/: leaderboards; no percentile by rating band observed
BOpenings
8.3B1 :3Building a personal repertoire
https://chesstempo.com/opening-training/: build your own repertoires, PGN import, “expand your repertoire based on real opponent lines”
B2 :2Training the repertoire (drills, games)
https://chesstempo.com/mobile: “Train your repertoires using spaced repetition”; no full game against the repertoire
B3 :3Spotting where you left your repertoire in your games
https://chesstempo.com/opening-training/: “analysing your games to show exactly where you deviated and helping you expand your repertoire”
B4 :3Verification of the lines taught (engine, practice)
https://chesstempo.com/manual/en/manual.html: Stockfish at depth 25 across the repertoire, depth 50 on common positions, database statistics
B5 :3Opening explorer and statistics
https://chesstempo.com/manual/en/manual.html: an explorer drawing on 3 sources (master database, Chesstempo games, your own games) plus evaluations
B6 :1Explanation of opening plans and ideas
https://chesstempo.com/game-database/chess-openings/: names and moves; the ideas come only with the paid e-books
CTargeted training
5.9C1 :2Exercises drawn from your own games
https://chesstempo.com/mobile: “tactics problems extracted from your rated games” (Premium) plus sets built from your own mistakes; no success rate per weakness
C2 :3Bank of tactical exercises (size, themes, rating)
https://chesstempo.com/: “Solve 350k+ tactics”; manual: Glicko ratings; motif tags; public comments and tagging guidelines
C3 :2Endgame training
https://chesstempo.com/chess-endgames/: 17k+ endgames from real games, played out against the computer with the level adjusted; your own games are not mentioned
C4 :2Strategic and positional training
https://chesstempo.com/mobile: “Guess The Move” on master games and a “Positional Motifs” section; no evidence of 3 or more themes ranked with an explained plan
C5 :2Training defense and alertness
https://chesstempo.com/mobile: “both winning and defensive problem types”: one defensive sub-type
C6 :0Training calculation and visualization
no mention of calculation or blindfold work on https://chesstempo.com/ or in the manual
C7 :2Difficulty matched to your real level
https://chesstempo.com/manual/en/manual.html: “glikco rating system”, problem ratings; no target success rate documented
C8 :2Spaced repetition (named algorithm)
https://chesstempo.com/manual/en/manual.html §7.4.1 “Spaced Repetition Options”, with the “scheduling algorithm” left unnamed; colour-coded due dates (§17) but neither SM-2 nor FSRS cited
C9 :1Personalized training plan
https://chesstempo.com/mobile “Training Targets”: goals the user sets for themselves; no daily queue and no per-player plan
DPrice and value
4.2D1 :2What the free plan actually lets you do
https://chesstempo.com/mobile: free tactics, 2 endgames a day, an explorer capped at 10 moves, a free opening trainer
D2 :1Annual price of the full plan
https://chesstempo.com/memberships/ — Diamond €69/yr excluding VAT, i.e. €82.80 including it (€76-150 band). Read by hand on 2026-09-01: the page is rendered in JavaScript.
D3 :1Commercial transparency (price shown, trial, cancellation)
https://chesstempo.com/tos: “Premium service fees are not refundable”; cancel before the renewal date; no trial
D4 :1Number of paid tiers (how simple the offer is)
https://chesstempo.com/mobile (Premium, “Diamond members”) and https://chesstempo.com/: e-books sold individually (17.99–43.44) and not included in the membership
ERigor and honesty
4.2E1 :0Published evidence of effectiveness
no evidence of effectiveness on https://chesstempo.com/
E2 :1Chess verification of the content (positions, lines)
https://chesstempo.com/commenting-guidelines: comments and problem reporting; no engine verification announced
E3 :2Transparency of the method (algorithms, code)
https://chesstempo.com/manual/en/manual.html: Stockfish at depth 25 and 50, Glicko and spaced repetition all named
E4 :2Marketing claims that can be checked (no overselling)
https://chesstempo.com/: “Train. Learn. Play.”, factual figures; no promise about rating points
FContent and method
4.7F1 :1Courses organized by rating level
https://chesstempo.com/chess-books/: paid e-books ($17.99–43.44), with no level label
F2 :3Course authors named and titled
https://chesstempo.com/: e-books by GM Yusupov, GM Kotronias, IM Minero and Erwich (titled authors, named)
F3 :2Content formats (text, video, interactive)
https://chesstempo.com/chess-books/: interactive e-books (text plus exercises); no video
F4 :0Published method of progression
no progression method on https://chesstempo.com/
F5 :1How often the content is updated
https://chesstempo.com/blog/: latest post 2026-05-05 (more than 3 months old), books published in April 2026
GPlaying and practice
2.5G1 :1Playing humans online (pool, anti-cheating)
https://chesstempo.com/play-chess-online/: live and correspondence play, open to guests; the size of the player pool is not shown
G2 :1Realistic artificial opponents
https://chesstempo.com/play-chess-online/: “computer opponents” (free account); levels not detailed
G3 :1Replaying one specific position against the machine
https://chesstempo.com/mobile: an analysis board, “Setup positions from FEN”; replaying against the engine not observed
G4 :0Tournaments and organized competition
no mention of tournaments on https://chesstempo.com/play-chess-online/
HExperience and accessibility
5.3H1 :3Platforms available (web, iOS, Android, desktop)
https://chesstempo.com/mobile: an iOS app (id1441878094), a Google Play app (com.chesstempo.mobile) and the web
H2 :1User ratings and reviews (stores, press)
play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.chesstempo.mobile: 4.2/5 from 2.58k ratings; App Store 4.0/5 from 112 ratings
H3 :2Interface languages available
https://chesstempo.com (language switcher in the footer): the interface is translated into several languages, including French, German and Spanish
H4 :1Accessibility (keyboard, screen reader)
https://chesstempo.com/: light and dark themes plus a “Keyboard Shortcuts” menu; no screen-reader support announced
H5 :1Offline use and known incidents
https://chesstempo.com/play-chess-online/: depends on the server (“After server restart… games aborted”); no incident reported
IPreparation and study
6.7I1 :2Preparing for a named opponent
https://chesstempo.com/manual/en/manual.html §5.6: a database player page offering “opening stats for specific players”, “White/Black Rep.” and results “against a particular opponent”; no weakness and no suggested line
I2 :2Annotating and sharing games (studies)
https://chesstempo.com/manual/en/manual.html §17.22-23 and https://chesstempo.com/mobile: “comments and graphical annotations”, variations, “comments others have chosen to make public”, PGN export; no multi-author study
I3 :1Entering a game played at a club (photo, scoresheet)
https://chesstempo.com/mobile: “Setup positions from FEN or by arranging the pieces on the board with the board editor”
I4 :3Searching your games (filters, position)
https://chesstempo.com/manual/en/manual.html §5.2.2 “Position Mode”: the search returns the games containing the current position; §5.2.6 sources the “full set of games of either player”; search by material
JHuman coaching and community
3.3J1 :0Access to human coaches
no coach on https://chesstempo.com/
J2 :1Size and activity of the community
https://chesstempo.com/forum/: a forum exists; daily activity could not be observed (JavaScript page)
J3 :1Tools for trainers, clubs and schools
https://chesstempo.com/memberships/: “group discounts”; no coach workspace
J4 :2Engagement mechanics (streaks, virtual currency, reminders)
https://chesstempo.com/: achievement streaks and leaderboards; no virtual currency
KPersonal data and interoperability
4.4K1 :2Exporting your data (games, repertoire)
https://chesstempo.com/mobile: “Export repertoire and your comments and annotations to PGN”
K2 :1Protection of personal data (GDPR, hosting)
https://chesstempo.com/privacy: Google Adsense, transfers outside Europe, EU rights exercised by email request
K3 :1Public API and source code
https://chesstempo.com/mobile: PGN import and export; https://chesstempo.com/widgets/; no documented API
Also, outside the grid
Features found that no criterion measures. They do not count towards the score.
- Store of interactive e-books from outside publishers
- Endgame explorer
- On-demand cloud engine (8 threads)
- Bulk PGN download of search results
- Engine analysis of a whole repertoire (depth 25)