How Lichess.org Beats Chess.com in Every Way (Proven with comparison chart)

Features of Lichess.org

Lichess.org has many features that make it a great choice for chess players of all levels and preferences. Here are some of them:

• All features are 100% free. Unlike chess.com, which has a premium membership that unlocks more features and benefits, lichess.org does not charge anything for any of its services. You can play unlimited games, tournaments, puzzles, studies, and more without paying a dime.
• User-driven open-source system. Lichess.org is developed and maintained by volunteers who contribute their time and skills to improve the website. Anyone can join the project and suggest ideas, report bugs, or help with coding. The source code of lichess.org is available on GitHub for anyone to see and use.
• Free Stockfish evaluation of every game. Lichess.org uses Stockfish 15.1 NNUE, one of the strongest chess engines in the world, to analyze every game played on the website. You can see the evaluation bar, the best moves, and the mistakes and blunders you made during the game. You can also request a deeper analysis from the server or use your own engine locally.
• Many free lectures and puzzles. Lichess.org has a large collection of chess videos and articles that cover various topics such as openings, tactics, strategy, endgames, and more. You can also practice your skills with thousands of puzzles from user games or try the Puzzle Streak, Puzzle Storm, or Puzzle Racer modes for a challenge.
• Less “trolls” and immature players. Lichess.org has a strict policy against cheating, sandbagging, trolling, and other forms of unsportsmanlike behavior. The website uses advanced detection methods to catch cheaters and ban them from the site. You can also report or block any player who is rude or abusive.

Comparison with Chess.com

Chess.com is another popular chess website that has millions of users and offers many features and services. However, it also has some drawbacks that make lichess.org a better alternative for some players. Here are some points of comparison between the two websites:

As you can see, lichess.org offers more features and benefits for free than chess.com does.
Stockfish configurations are far more humane like

• Latency compensation so user with slower connection is not playing a time handicap.
• Give additional time to opponent, allow opponent to takeback usually if it's a mouse slip.
• On disconnection, lichess is more courteous in giving more seconds to reconnect and also opponent is allowed to select to claim victory, claim draw or simply keep waiting as opponent usually is trying to reconnect asap. Quite the contrary, chess.com resigns game from disconnected automatically in just few seconds. I really HATED it
• Watching games of others is easier on lichess, opening multiple windows at a time, unlimited and configurable engine analysis, even if I play a game on chess.com, I import it to lichess to get a strong server analysis and self-analysis.

However, chess.com also has some advantages over lichess.org, such as:

• More users and activity. Chess.com has a larger user base and more traffic than lichess.org, which means you can find more opponents and games at any time of the day or night.
• More content and events. Chess.com has more professional content creators and hosts more official events than lichess.org, such as the Speed Chess Championship, the PRO Chess League, the FIDE Online Arena, and more.
• More recognition and support. Chess.com is more widely recognized and supported by the chess community than lichess.org, which means you can find more sponsors, partners, coaches, streamers, and celebrities on the website.

Conclusion

Lichess.org is a free and open-source chess platform that offers a variety of features, games, and learning resources for everyone. It is a great choice for chess players who value freedom, transparency, quality, and community over popularity, prestige, or profit.
Compared to chess.com, lichess.org has more advantages in terms of price, features, analysis, puzzles, variants, and privacy.
However, chess.com also has its own merits in terms of users, activity, content, events, and recognition.
Ultimately, the best chess website for you depends on your personal preferences, goals, and budget.
You can try both websites and see which one suits you better.
Or you can use both websites for different purposes.
The important thing is to enjoy playing chess and have fun!