Chess.com vs Lichess
Same instrument, two spec sheets — measured, not claimed.
Chess.com vs Lichess: common questions
Which is more reliable, Chess.com or Lichess?
Both are neck-and-neck — Chess.com and Lichess each measure 99.02% uptime over 90 days on our probe schedule. Reliability here is verified from our own scheduled checks; use the 30-day bars above to see which has been steadier lately.
Which is faster, Chess.com or Lichess?
Chess.com has the lower median latency in our checks — Chess.com responds in 168 ms versus Lichess at 436 ms (P50). Tail latency (P95) is in the table above; for most workloads the median is the number that shapes how the API feels.
Do Chess.com and Lichess need an API key?
Neither needs a paid key — Chess.com is callable with no signup, and Lichess is callable with no signup. Both are quick to prototype with; rate limits still apply.
Can I call Chess.com and Lichess from the browser?
Yes — both Chess.com and Lichess send CORS headers over HTTPS, so front-end code can fetch either directly with no backend proxy. That makes them easy to swap in a client-side app while you compare responses.
Are Chess.com and Lichess free for commercial use?
Chess.com has unclear commercial terms, and Lichess has unclear commercial terms. We track service terms and the data license as separate fields — see the Commercial use and Data license rows above, and confirm both before shipping either in a paid product.