Best Chess apps in 2026: 8 Options Compared

Chess.com is the all round chess app for most players, with play, puzzles, lessons, and analysis in one place. The large player pool means fast matches at any level. Some lessons and advanced features need a Premium plan, and free use includes ads.

What we like about Chess.com for all round chess for most players comes down to this: play, puzzles, lessons, and analysis in one app; large player pool; clubs and tournaments No option here is perfect, and the limit to note is that some lessons and features need premium; ads on free use If that limit touches your main use, look at the next option in this list instead.

Skip Chess.com if that drawback is a deal breaker, and pick a rival whose strengths fit your daily work better.

Lichess is completely free and open source, with play, puzzles, studies, and analysis at no cost and no ads. It suits players who want full features without a subscription. The interface is functional rather than polished, and guided lessons are thinner than Chess.com.

Our view is that Lichess earns its place for free and open source chess through completely free play, puzzles, and analysis; no ads; open source The drawback is real too, since interface is functional rather than polished; fewer guided lessons than chess.com That balance is worth a trial run with your own files, schedule, or team before you pay for a full plan.

Skip Lichess if that drawback is a deal breaker, and pick a rival whose strengths fit your daily work better.

Chessable teaches openings, tactics, and strategy through courses built on spaced repetition. Video lessons and drills help knowledge stick. Full courses can cost extra, and it is a learning app first rather than a casual play app.

Choose Chessable when learning openings and tactics by repetition is your main need, because courses with spaced repetition; opening and tactic training; video lessons Keep in mind that full courses can cost extra; focus is learning rather than casual play A short trial will show quickly whether those strengths matter more to you than that limit.

Skip Chessable if that drawback is a deal breaker, and pick a rival whose strengths fit your daily work better.

ChessKid offers kid safe chess lessons, puzzles, and bots with parent controls. It suits children learning the game in a safe environment. Adults will find it too simple, and some features need a Gold plan.

For chess for children, ChessKid stands out because kid safe chess lessons and puzzles; bots and safe play; parent controls That combination explains why it appears near the top of this list for that use. The honest catch is that built for kids, so adults will find it too simple; some features need gold Weigh that trade against your own priorities before you commit, since the best choice here depends on which limit you can live with.

Skip ChessKid if that drawback is a deal breaker, and pick a rival whose strengths fit your daily work better.

Play Magnus lets players face an engine modeled on Magnus Carlsen at different ages and strengths. It is a fun way to learn by playing a famous style. The focus is engine play, so human matchmaking is thinner than Chess.com or Lichess.

What we like about Play Magnus for playing against a Magnus style engine comes down to this: play against an engine modeled on magnus carlsen at many ages; lessons No option here is perfect, and the limit to note is that smaller player pool; focus is engine play rather than human matches If that limit touches your main use, look at the next option in this list instead.

Skip Play Magnus if that drawback is a deal breaker, and pick a rival whose strengths fit your daily work better.

Chess Tempo suits serious players who want deep tactic training with ratings and analysis. Opening training and endgame tools add depth. The interface is dated, and casual play is less of a focus than on larger apps.

Our view is that Chess Tempo earns its place for serious tactic training through deep tactic training with ratings; opening training; analysis tools The drawback is real too, since interface is dated; less of a casual play app That balance is worth a trial run with your own files, schedule, or team before you pay for a full plan.

Skip Chess Tempo if that drawback is a deal breaker, and pick a rival whose strengths fit your daily work better.

Aimchess analyzes your past games to find weaknesses and builds personalized lessons around them. Blunder training targets the mistakes you actually make. It works best with a game history to analyze, and full use needs a subscription.

Choose Aimchess when personalized training from your games is your main need, because analyzes your games to find weaknesses; personalized lessons; blunder training Keep in mind that needs your game history to work best; subscription needed for full use A short trial will show quickly whether those strengths matter more to you than that limit.

Skip Aimchess if that drawback is a deal breaker, and pick a rival whose strengths fit your daily work better.

Chess24 combines live coverage of top level chess with play and lessons. Fans who follow elite events gain commentary and video content alongside games. The player pool is smaller than Chess.com, and some premium content needs a subscription.

For watching top chess plus playing, Chess24 stands out because live top level chess coverage; play and lessons; video content That combination explains why it appears near the top of this list for that use. The honest catch is that some premium content needs a subscription; player pool is smaller than chess.com Weigh that trade against your own priorities before you commit, since the best choice here depends on which limit you can live with.

Skip Chess24 if that drawback is a deal breaker, and pick a rival whose strengths fit your daily work better.