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Chess.com vs Lichess

Same instrument, two spec sheets — measured, not claimed.

APIChess.comNEW—LichessNEW—
Uptime · 30d
Uptime · 90d—%—%
Uptime · 30d—%—%
P50 · ms——
P95 · ms——
Authnonenone
CORSyesyes
HTTPSyesyes
Card requirednono
Commercial useunclearunclear
Data licenseUnverifiedUnverified
Free tierFree — no API keyFree — limits not published
Rate limitSerial requests expected; no fixed cap publishedUnpublished
In directory since2026-07-052026-07-05
operationalpartialdownno data

Chess.com vs Lichess: common questions

Which is more reliable, Chess.com or Lichess?

On our scheduled checks, Lichess leads on measured uptime — Chess.com at —% versus Lichess at —% over 90 days. These are our own probe results, not provider claims; the uptime bars above show the day-by-day record for both.

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.