Method
How we compare AI chess helpers
This page explains how we decide what goes on the site and in what order, and how we handle the fact that we make one of the products, ChessHelper (chesshelper.ai).
The six criteria
We compare AI chess helpers on what helps a player learn, not on engine strength, which is high in every serious tool.
| Criterion | What we look at |
|---|---|
| Adjustable strength | Whether suggestions can be matched to a player's level, and over what range |
| Explanations | Alternative lines, move labels, coached walkthroughs or written explanations |
| Game history | Whether finished games are saved and progress is tracked over time |
| Platform support | Which playing sites and formats the tool works with |
| Privacy | Account requirements, what the product says about data, extension permissions |
| Fair-play design | Whether the product clearly limits itself to learning and analysis, not games against people |
Sources
We state a product's features, platforms and prices only as published on that company's own website, and we checked every one in November 2026. Where a company does not publish something, such as Chess.com's membership prices, which are shown at checkout, we say so and keep the wording general. We do not use third-party review sites, user ratings or anonymous forum claims as sources for facts.
We compared published features and pricing; we did not run timed lab tests, and we do not claim hours of testing or panels of testers. Every chess move, line and evaluation printed on the site was checked: move legality with the chess.js library and evaluations with Stockfish at the depth stated next to each table.
How we handle our conflict of interest
ChessHelper is our product and is ranked first. We think that is the right call for learning and analysis at your own level, but we do not ask you to take it on trust. Three rules keep the ranking honest:
- Every page discloses the connection in the header and footer.
- Every comparison names the categories where the other tool is better, and our verdicts say when you do not need ChessHelper at all.
- We never use star ratings, scores or reviews that could look independent.
Which tools we include
We include tools that are real, current and relevant to someone searching for an AI chess helper: products that use an engine or AI to help a player learn. We exclude any tool marketed for use during live games against people, because that use is not allowed on any major platform.
Update policy
We recheck prices and features when a reader or company reports a change and at least every few months. Each page shows the date it was last checked. If a product closes or changes so much that a comparison no longer holds, we revise or remove it. Corrections go to [email protected].