ChessMessChessMess vs Lichess: two free, ad-free chess sites compared
Both are free with no ads. Lichess leads on community, puzzles and tournaments; ChessMess on coaching, plain-language move explanations and bot characters.
We make ChessMess. We checked every fact about other sites on their own pages on 29 October 2026, and we say where they're ahead. Plans change, so follow the source links for the latest details.
Lichess and ChessMess share the same promise: free, with no ads and no paywall. Lichess is a long-running non-profit with a huge community; ChessMess is new and focused on learning while you play. They're good together.
What they have in common
- Free for everyone, with no ads. On Lichess, a Patron account is a donation and unlocks no extra features.
- Stockfish analysis without paying.
- No account needed to start playing.
Side by side
| ChessMess | Lichess | |
|---|---|---|
| Price and ads | Free, no ads | Free, no ads |
| Game review | Unlimited, in your browser | Unlimited local analysis; deep server analysis for 40 games a day |
| Move labels | Brilliant, Great, Best, Excellent, Good, Book, Inaccuracy, Mistake, Missed win, Blunder | Inaccuracy, Mistake, Blunder |
| Explanations | Plain-language reasons for each mistake | Engine lines and "Learn from your mistakes" |
| Coach while you play | Yes, every move graded live | No |
| Bots | 19 characters with styles, an adaptive bot, full Stockfish | Stockfish levels |
| Puzzles | Coming soon | Unlimited, plus Storm, Racer and Streak |
| Tournaments and variants | Not yet | Unlimited arenas and Swiss; 8 variants |
| Studies, opening explorer, tablebase | Not yet (opening names shown) | Yes |
| Play a friend | Link, 6-digit code or QR code | Challenge link |
| Look and feel | 10 worlds, 24 boards, 14 piece sets | Many boards and piece sets |
| Apps | Browser on any device | iOS and Android |
Choose Lichess if…
- you want to play lots of real people, join tournaments or try variants,
- you want unlimited puzzles, studies and an opening explorer today.
Choose ChessMess if…
- you learn best when someone explains each move in plain words — while you play, not only afterwards,
- you like Chess.com-style reviews (accuracy, Brilliant to Blunder, key moments) without paying,
- you want bots with personality that make human-like mistakes,
- you want to start a game with a friend by QR code across the room.
Using both
Play on Lichess, export the PGN, and paste it into the ChessMess analysis board for a coached review. Or practise against a ChessMess bot at your level before a Lichess tournament.
Sources
- Lichess features (checked 29 October 2026)
- Lichess Patron
Questions and answers
- Is Lichess really free?
- Yes. Lichess says all its features are free for everybody; Patron is a donation that unlocks no extra features.
- Which is better for beginners?
- If you want explanations while you play, ChessMess coach mode is built for that. If you want lots of puzzles and real opponents, Lichess has more today.
- Does ChessMess have puzzles like Lichess?
- Not yet. Rated puzzles are coming soon.
Play free now — no sign-up needed