Beginners 4 min read

5 Best Chess Apps and Websites for Beginners in 2025

By Coach Prasad 10 February 2025

One of the best things about learning chess in 2025 is the sheer number of high-quality tools available online. Whether you want to solve puzzles, play games, or study openings, there's an app or website that fits your needs — and many of them are completely free. Here are our top five picks for beginners.

1. Lichess — Best Free All-in-One Platform

Lichess is a 100% free, open-source chess platform with no ads and no premium paywalls. It offers everything a beginner needs: online games at any time control, a massive puzzle database, interactive lessons, game analysis with a powerful engine, and tournament play. The interface is clean and fast, and it works beautifully on both desktop and mobile.

Completely free — no premium tier, no locked features.
Built-in "Learn" section with interactive beginner lessons.
Puzzle Streak and Puzzle Storm modes for fun tactics training.
Instant game analysis with Stockfish engine after every game.

Our Pick: Lichess is what we recommend most to our students at Game On Chess Academy. It's free, feature-rich, and distraction-free — perfect for focused practice.

2. Chess.com — Best for Community and Content

Chess.com is the world's most popular chess platform, with millions of active players. The free tier gives you access to online games, daily puzzles, and basic lessons. The paid membership unlocks unlimited puzzles, detailed game analysis, and a large library of video lessons from titled players. If you enjoy a vibrant community with articles, news, and forums, Chess.com is hard to beat.

Largest online player pool — always someone to play against.
Excellent lesson library (premium) covering every skill level.
Daily puzzles and a puzzle rating system to track progress.
Active community with clubs, forums, and live events.

3. ChessKid — Best for Young Learners

ChessKid is built specifically for children and is run by the Chess.com team. It features a safe, moderated environment with no outside communication. The lessons are colourful, interactive, and designed for kids aged 4 to 12. Parents can track progress through a dashboard, and coaches can set up virtual classrooms.

Child-safe platform with strict moderation and parental controls.
Engaging, animated lessons designed for young minds.
Progress tracking for parents and coaches.
Fun challenges and achievements to keep kids motivated.

4. Chess Tempo — Best for Tactics Training

Chess Tempo is a specialised platform focused on tactical puzzles. It has one of the largest and highest-quality puzzle databases online, with puzzles rated by difficulty. For beginners who want to sharpen their pattern recognition and calculation skills, Chess Tempo's structured approach to tactics is invaluable. The free version offers plenty of puzzles, while the premium tier adds advanced problem sets and endgame training.

Huge database of rated tactical puzzles.
Puzzles adjust to your skill level automatically.
Endgame training module for practising key positions.
Detailed statistics to identify your tactical weaknesses.

5. Lucas Chess — Best for Offline Practice

Lucas Chess is a free, downloadable desktop application that's ideal for beginners who want to practise offline. It features a range of computer opponents at different strength levels — starting from very easy — so you can gradually increase the challenge as you improve. The software includes training modes, puzzles, and the ability to study openings and endgames at your own pace.

Completely free and works offline — no internet required.
Adjustable computer opponents from beginner to master level.
Built-in training exercises and opening study tools.
Great for players who prefer practising without time pressure.

Tip: Don't try to use all five platforms at once. Pick one main platform for playing games (Lichess or Chess.com) and one for focused practice (Chess Tempo or Lucas Chess). Consistency on fewer tools beats scattered use of many.

Combine Online Practice with Guided Coaching

Apps and websites are excellent for practice, but they work best alongside structured coaching. A good coach helps you understand why a move is strong or weak — something an app alone can't always do. At Game On Chess Academy, we combine guided lessons with recommended online practice so students improve faster and build lasting skills.

Interested in a structured learning path? Check out our programs or contact us to find the right fit for your level.