Chessable drills the line. LearnChess explains the game.
Chessable's MoveTrainer is spaced repetition over 1,000+ courses by titled authors, many with video; LearnChess has no video and no spaced repetition, and neither app has live play. What LearnChess adds is the review of your own games, a coach that finds what repeats, and one subscription with no courses to buy.
Who each one is for
Chessable is for you if
You want to memorize and retain specific opening lines or tactics from a titled author, with video and spaced-repetition drilling, and you are fine buying courses.
LearnChess is for you if
You want to understand your own games: an explained review of every game, a Coach that finds your recurring leaks and a guided path, in one subscription with no per-course purchases.
Side by side
| Feature | LearnChess | Chessable |
|---|---|---|
| Understand your games | ||
| Game review | YesFull Stockfish review on every plan | NoNo game review |
| Explains why a move is wrong | YesPlain language, in your language | NoAuthor commentary per course |
| AI coach you can ask | YesKnighty, grounded in Stockfish | NoNo AI coach |
| Finds recurring weaknesses | YesCoach ranks your recurring leaks | NoNot offered |
| Imports your games | YesChess.com and Lichess by username | PartlyPuzzle Connect links Chess.com |
| Learn | ||
| Structured learning path | YesAcademy: 34 units | PartlyCourses by level, no single path |
| Interactive lessons | YesInteractive, with the why; no video | Yes1,000+ courses, video + text |
| Opening lessons and explorer | Yes100+ explained lessons | YesCore catalog; GM repertoires |
| Repertoire trainer | PartlyFree, 90-day re-test | YesMoveTrainer spaced repetition |
| Endgame training | Yes20+ verified lessons | YesCourses; free tablebase |
| Train | ||
| Puzzles | Partly10 rated/day free | PartlyTactics courses, Puzzle Connect |
| Puzzles from your own games | YesFrom your blunders (Knight and up) | Partly10 free, more on PRO |
| Community-made puzzles | YesCreate and share your own | NoNot offered |
| Position from a screenshot | Yes5/day free | NoNot offered |
| Play | ||
| Play online | NoNo live play, bots or tournaments | NoNo live play |
| Price and access | ||
| Usable free plan | YesPawn: free forever, no card | YesFree courses, engine, tablebase |
| Premium pricing | YesFrom $4.99/mo | PartlyPRO $11.99/mo + courses |
| Ad-free | YesNo ads on any plan | YesNo ads in the apps |
| Web, iOS and Android | PartlyWeb, iOS, Android; needs internet | YesWeb, iOS, Android; offline (PRO) |
| Languages | Partly13 languages | PartlyEnglish, Spanish, German on web |
| Open source or data export | NoClosed source, no export yet | NoProprietary |
A yes is always the better outcome for a learner. Prices are in USD and vary by region.
Facts checked on October 3, 2026
Sources
Where Chessable is better
Catalog breadth
1,000+ courses by 400+ authors, many of them GMs. LearnChess has 100+ opening lessons.
Spaced repetition
MoveTrainer schedules each move for review and tracks the ones you keep missing. LearnChess uses a fixed 90-day re-test, which is not spaced repetition.
Repertoire retention
Course lines are drilled move by move with review scheduling, and the Repertoire feature combines lines from several courses into your own set, with engine analysis. LearnChess's builder has a mastery test and an Opening Run, not a scheduler.
Video from named GMs
Courses by Carlsen, Polgar, Giri, Rozman and many others, with video. LearnChess has no video.
Offline mode
The Chessable apps work offline on PRO. LearnChess needs a connection for the engine and the coach.
Where LearnChess is better
Review of your own games
Every imported game gets the full Stockfish review, free on every plan, and Coach surfaces the leaks that repeat across them. Chessable has no game review and no weakness detection.
Explanations on demand
Knighty answers questions about any position, grounded in Stockfish, the Lichess explorer and an opening book, and every opening lesson explains why each move is played. On Chessable the explanation is whatever the course author wrote.
One subscription
Knight at $4.99 a month or Queen at $12.99 covers all lessons. Chessable PRO is $11.99 a month and courses are bought separately on top, at a 30% discount.
Puzzles from your own blunders, and more ways in
Puzzles built from your own mistakes without a 10-puzzle free cap, community-made puzzles, a screenshot board scan and a Chrome extension.
Languages
13 languages in the app. Chessable's website is in English, Spanish and German, and its iOS listing is English only.
Use them together
Drill a Chessable repertoire there, then import the games you play with it from Chess.com or Lichess into LearnChess and let Coach show where the line actually fails you in practice. Or build the repertoire free in LearnChess and keep Chessable for the one GM course you want.
- 1
Drill the line on Chessable
Keep MoveTrainer for the lines you want to memorize move by move.
- 2
Import the games you play with it
Bring your Chess.com or Lichess games into LearnChess by username (100 free).
- 3
See where it fails in practice
Coach ranks the openings you score badly with, and the explained review shows the move where the game left the line.
Questions about LearnChess and Chessable
See what your own games say
Import a game and get the full Stockfish review free, on every plan. No card, no ads.