Source: https://gamesranker.com/games/lichess/ Android iOS Android and iOS mobile review # Lichess Serious online chess, puzzles, studies, and unrestricted analysis with no ads or premium tier. Ranked by [GamesRanker Editorial](/authors/gamesranker-editorial/) Added September 21, 2026 Source-reviewed Strategy Free Offline play Touch controls Mobile release date August 8, 2025 Developed by Lichess Mobile contributors Play style Real-time and correspondence chess, tournaments, puzzles, studies, analysis, broadcasts, and offline computer games ![Lichess gameplay screenshot](/_astro/lichess-play-puzzles-analysis-hero.BmtUkOPt_2eHhT6.webp) ![Lichess app icon with a white horse-head outline on a near-black square](/_astro/lichess-app-icon.DZrDdITI_2tRbDI.webp) Game artwork Our score **8.8** /10 Lichess is the strongest value choice for mobile chess players who already know what they want to practise. It offers competitive play and unusually deep analysis without turning puzzles, engine use, or studies into subscription gates. The new Flutter app is much more complete than it was at launch, including offline computer play, but it still asks newcomers to learn its navigation and exposes fewer structured lessons than Chess.com. Choose it for free play, analysis, and self-directed improvement; choose a more guided alternative if a polished beginner curriculum matters more than unrestricted tools. [See why it got this score ↓](#score-breakdown) Still images: Lichess Mobile contributors. [Image license record](https://github.com/lichess-org/mobile/tree/d9f26a0): [GNU GPL v3 or later; bundled Fontawesome exception under SIL OFL 1.1](https://github.com/lichess-org/mobile/blob/d9f26a0/COPYING.md). The exact tagged repository app icon was converted to WebP. Developer-published iPhone simulator captures of the same GPL-covered app interface were resized and converted to WebP; three were composited over a blurred crop for the hero. Captures containing third-party event promotional photography were excluded. The trailer preview is a crop of the licensed analysis interface, not a video frame. On this page + **Source-reviewed assessment by [GamesRanker Editorial](/authors/gamesranker-editorial/):** GamesRanker did not claim a first-hand test for this score. We verified product facts and evaluated attributed mobile testing from the named reviewers below. Store details were last checked using the United States baseline on September 21, 2026; availability and prices may differ in your country. [See how source-reviewed scores work.](/how-we-rank/) The essentials ## What is Lichess? Download Lichess if you want to play and study chess on Android or iPhone without ads, subscriptions, or feature limits. The rebuilt mobile app combines live and correspondence games, puzzles, tournaments, studies, broadcasts, an opening explorer, and local Stockfish analysis. Current releases also support offline puzzles and computer games. The compromise is discoverability: several powerful tools sit behind menus that current iOS reviewers found harder to navigate than the website. GamesRanker has not played version 0.28.4; this score combines current independent iPhone testing, named store reports, and direct official sources. ### Why it stands out * Online play, puzzles, studies, and strong analysis tools are all available without a subscription * Real-time, correspondence, tournament, bot, and over-the-board modes cover many ways to play chess * Offline puzzles and current offline computer play make the app useful without a constant connection * Open-source development and donation funding remove ads, paid shortcuts, and premium feature gates ### What to consider * Powerful tools and settings can be difficult to discover in the mobile navigation * Structured beginner lessons are less comprehensive than the leading commercial alternative * One current iOS reviewer reports a slight move delay that matters in very fast games * Most matchmaking, sync, broadcasts, and community features still require an internet connection Is it for you? ## Should you download it? Best for Players who already know chess and want unrestricted online games, puzzles, opening research, and post-game analysis on both major mobile platforms. It is especially strong for self-directed learners who would rather donate voluntarily than pay for feature access. Think twice if You need a step-by-step beginner course, expect every advanced tool to explain itself, or play only ultra-fast games where even a small reported input delay is unacceptable. Mini Metro offers cleaner one-handed strategy; Unciv offers a fully offline, longer-form strategy campaign on Android. Compare the alternatives: [Mini Metro](/games/mini-metro/) · [Unciv](/games/unciv/) · [Balatro](/games/balatro/) Score details ## Why Lichess scored 8.8 We score both the game itself and how well this version works on a phone or tablet. ### Fun Real-time and correspondence matchmaking, tournaments, puzzles, studies, broadcasts, computer opponents, and Chess960 cover both competitive play and self-directed practice. Independent 2026 comparisons consistently identify the analysis board and opening explorer as standout tools. The main omission is a beginner curriculum as structured as Chess.com's. **9.2** ### Phone experience Portrait boards, configurable home widgets, offline puzzles, quick time controls, and the rebuilt Flutter interface suit short phone sessions. Current App Store reports show the cost of fitting this breadth onto mobile: feature discovery and post-game analysis controls can be hard to find, and one reviewer still preferred the mobile website. **8.0** ### Value Both US stores offer the complete app free. Online play, unlimited puzzles, studies, tournaments, opening research, and engine analysis are not divided into paid tiers, and independent comparisons confirm the absence of ads and a paywall. Donations support the service without changing in-app access. **10.0** ### Performance The Flutter rewrite targeted a smoother, responsive experience, and version 0.28.4 includes startup and socket reliability work alongside other fixes. Apple release notes also record a June game-screen performance improvement. One current iOS reviewer nevertheless reports a small move delay, so the score stops short of treating fast time-control play as uniformly seamless. **7.8** ### Ads & purchases No ads, premium tier, energy system, or paid analysis affects play or training. The code and issue tracker are public, and the stores describe a donation-supported service. Online accounts necessarily handle identity, gameplay, messages, and diagnostics, so this is not a no-data product even though the business model avoids monetizing access to chess tools. **9.8** [ Learn how our scores work ](/how-we-rank/) On mobile ## Features that matter * 01 Play rated or casual real-time and correspondence chess, friend challenges, and arena tournaments * 02 Solve themed puzzles or use Puzzle Streak and Puzzle Storm, with offline puzzle support * 03 Analyse games locally with Stockfish or request server analysis, then inspect opening and tablebase data * 04 Build and share studies, edit positions, practise coordinates, and import or copy PGN variations * 05 Watch tournament broadcasts, Lichess TV, and streamers or use the built-in over-the-board chess clock * 06 Play offline against the Maia computer opponent with configurable time controls in version 0.28.4 Quick answers ## Common questions about Lichess on mobile Straight answers about price, content, offline play, controls, and compatibility. Is every Lichess mobile feature really free? _+_ Yes. The checked US listings have no purchase price or advertised in-app purchases, and Lichess says the service is funded by donations. Matchmaking, puzzles, studies, tournaments, and analysis are not separated into premium tiers. A donation supports the nonprofit but does not unlock gameplay advantages. Can Lichess be played offline on Android or iPhone? _+_ Partly. Puzzles can be prepared for offline use, and version 0.28.4 includes an offline Maia computer opponent with offline time controls. Live matchmaking, correspondence sync, server analysis, broadcasts, messages, and most community features still need a connection. Is this the new Lichess app or the legacy mobile app? _+_ This page covers the rebuilt Flutter edition with Android package org.lichess.mobileV2 and App Store ID 1662361230. Lichess announced its stable official release on August 8, 2025. The older app may still appear in discussions or on devices, so package identity matters when comparing old reviews. What Android and iPhone versions does Lichess require? _+_ The official Android baseline is Android 8.0 or newer. The current US App Store requires iOS or iPadOS 15.6 or newer. These are operating-system floors rather than guarantees for every phone or tablet; the local store makes the final compatibility decision. Is Lichess a good app for complete chess beginners? _+_ It can teach rules, coordinates, tactics, and study material, but it is strongest as a play-and-analysis toolkit. Independent comparisons find its structured beginner instruction and feature discovery weaker than Chess.com's. A new player who needs a guided course may prefer learning elsewhere while using Lichess for free games and puzzles. Does the Lichess app support chess variants? _+_ The new app supports standard chess and has improved Chess960 support, and 2026 release history added additional variant work. Feature parity with the website can still change by variant, so players who depend on a specific non-standard format should check the current app release notes before switching from the web or legacy app. Store snapshot ## What players are rating **United States snapshot, September 21, 2026 :** On September 21, 2026, US Google Play showed a free Install action, 1M+ downloads, about 14,200 reviews, a 4.0 aggregate rating, an Everyone rating, and an August 15 update date. The US App Store showed Free, version 0.28.4, 86.6 MB, 610 ratings at 4.0, a 4+ rating, and iOS 15.6+. These audience signals helped confirm a durable candidate but did not affect the editorial score. At a glance ## Game details Developer Lichess Mobile contributors Publisher LICHESS.ORG Mobile release August 8, 2025 Available on Android and iOS · Availability varies by device and region Genre Chess · Abstract strategy · Competitive board game Price checked September 21, 2026 Free Play style Real-time and correspondence chess, tournaments, puzzles, studies, analysis, broadcasts, and offline computer games Compatibility ## Device and download Offline Yes Controls Designed for touch Download and space The US App Store lists 86.6 MB for version 0.28.4. Google Play does not expose one fixed web download estimate, and Android delivery varies by device; F-Droid's separate APK sizes should not be treated as Play download sizes. Device support Android 8.0 or newer is the documented Android floor. The current US App Store requires iOS or iPadOS 15.6 or newer. Store compatibility checks still decide support for a particular device. Age rating Everyone on US Google Play; 4+ with in-app controls on the US App Store. Languages The app describes itself as translated into 55 languages, while the US App Store metadata lists English. Translation completeness and store metadata can differ by language and release. Details last checked September 21, 2026 Version 0.28.4 was released on GitHub and the US App Store on September 17, 2026, adding Stockfish 19, an offline Maia opponent, offline time controls, broadcast notifications, a move-time chart, and other fixes. Google Play's public page showed an August 15 update date and no public version number, so Play rollout parity was not inferred. The official mobile feature lists and current store metadata do not document native gamepad support. Touch is the purchasing baseline; a Bluetooth controller should not be assumed to provide a supported chessboard layout. The exact org.lichess.mobileV2 edition had live Install and Get actions in the US Google Play and App Store baselines. Reader-facing store links allow each platform to resolve the visitor's local storefront. Testing evidence ## Independent mobile tests ### Lagerland [Read Lagerland iPhone chess-app comparison ↗](https://lagerland-apps.github.io/guides/best-chess-apps-iphone/) iPhone Test device**iPhone model not disclosed** iOS version not disclosed Test scope Updated June 2026 from the publisher's own iPhone testing. The comparison covers online play, analysis, puzzles, studies, tournaments, offline limits, and pricing; the publisher discloses that competing app Chessful is its own product. Lagerland selected Lichess as the best free iPhone chess app because play, Stockfish analysis, puzzles, studies, and tournaments are unrestricted and ad-free. It also framed Lichess as a play-and-analysis platform rather than a complete substitute for specialized explanatory coaching. ### discerning learner and ShawnCross [Read Current US App Store reviews ↗](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/lichess/id1662361230) iOS Test device**Apple device models not disclosed** iOS versions not disclosed Test scope Featured reviews visible in the US listing on September 21, 2026. Apple displays one as July 30 and the other as May 14 without a year in the web interface; neither names a build or play duration. One reviewer praised the depth and organization of studies but found the help and feature discovery difficult. The other called the app functional and free of app-breaking bugs but reported a small move delay and harder navigation than the mobile website. These are individual reports, not device-wide benchmarks. ### chienpanda [Read PlayBoardGames serious-player comparison ↗](https://playboardgames.org/blog/best-chess-apps-2026) Web, iOS, and Android ecosystem Test device**Mobile device not disclosed** Operating system not disclosed Test scope Published July 7, 2026 after the author opened the listed tools that month. The comparison focuses on serious play, analysis, databases, and training rather than phone-specific performance testing. The author found that Lichess plus Stockfish covers most serious-player needs for free, highlighting the analysis board, opening explorer, tablebases, studies, and unlimited game analysis. The stated tradeoffs were a thinner titled-player pool at some hours and less event coverage than Chess.com. ### The DiscussChess Team [Read DiscussChess platform comparison ↗](https://www.discusschess.com/blog/best-chess-app/) Lichess mobile and web platform Test device**Device not disclosed** Operating system not disclosed Test scope Published May 2 and updated May 21, 2026. The comparison evaluates playing, analysis, puzzles, opening study, learning content, interface polish, and cost; no exact mobile build or play duration is stated. DiscussChess judged Lichess especially strong for unrestricted analysis, puzzles, and opening research with no commercial pressure. It found the interface less intuitive for newcomers and the structured lesson library weaker than Chess.com's. Testing is credited to the named reviewers. GamesRanker reviewed their findings for this assessment. Fact check ## Sources Publisher, store, and independent pages used to verify this assessment. 1. [**US Google Play ↗** Checked September 21, 2026: exact package identity, live US Install action, free price, 1M+ downloads, approximately 14,200 reviews, 4.0 aggregate rating, Everyone rating, feature list, data-safety declarations, and public update date. ](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.lichess.mobileV2&hl=en_US&gl=US) 2. [**US App Store ↗** Checked September 21, 2026: exact edition, live US Get action, version 0.28.4, free price, 86.6 MB size, 610 ratings at 4.0, iOS 15.6 requirement, privacy disclosures, release history, screenshots, and featured user reviews. ](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/lichess/id1662361230) 3. [**US Apple lookup API ↗** Machine-readable US snapshot retrieved September 21, 2026 for version 0.28.4, release timestamp, 86,571,008-byte listed size, iOS 15.6 minimum, free price, identifiers, and developer-published screenshot URLs. ](https://itunes.apple.com/lookup?id=1662361230&country=us) 4. [**Official mobile release announcement ↗** Official August 8, 2025 stable release date, new-versus-legacy distinction, Flutter rewrite, platform baseline at launch, supported play and study features, 55-language claim, and disclosed rough edges. ](https://lichess.org/@/Lichess/blog/mobile-app-official-release/wiwu6goO) 5. [**Official version 0.28.4 release ↗** Released September 17, 2026 at tagged commit d9f26a0; Stockfish 19, offline Maia play and time controls, broadcast notifications, move-time chart, Chess960 work, socket reliability, startup improvements, and other fixes. ](https://github.com/lichess-org/mobile/releases/tag/v0.28.4) 6. [**Lichess Mobile copying notice ↗** Exact tagged rights statement: project files not otherwise marked or excepted are redistributable under GNU GPL v3 or later; the listed Fontawesome exception uses SIL OFL 1.1. Used for the local icon and app-interface media basis. ](https://github.com/lichess-org/mobile/blob/d9f26a0/COPYING.md) 7. [**F-Droid package record ↗** Package identity, Android 8.0 minimum, GPL-3.0-or-later license, feature list, network-service dependency, and reproducible-build context. F-Droid's non-free-assets flag relates to packaged assets and is disclosed rather than ignored. ](https://f-droid.org/packages/org.lichess.mobileV2/) 8. [**Lagerland iPhone comparison ↗** June 2026 first-party iPhone testing by the publisher of competing app Chessful, with that conflict disclosed; covers free access, play, puzzles, studies, tournaments, analysis, offline limits, and use-case fit. ](https://lagerland-apps.github.io/guides/best-chess-apps-iphone/) 9. [**PlayBoardGames serious-player comparison ↗** Named July 7, 2026 comparison by chienpanda, opened that month; covers analysis, opening explorer, tablebases, studies, free access, platform availability, and network/event tradeoffs. Not used as a mobile performance benchmark. ](https://playboardgames.org/blog/best-chess-apps-2026) 10. [**DiscussChess platform comparison ↗** DiscussChess Team comparison updated May 21, 2026 covering unrestricted analysis, puzzles, opening research, commercial pressure, structured lessons, and interface discoverability. ](https://www.discusschess.com/blog/best-chess-app/) 11. [**Official Lichess mobile video ↗** Official 49-second Lichess video uploaded May 17, 2024 at 09:44:56 Pacific time and used by the Google Play listing. The local preview comes from GPL-covered app media, not a copied video frame. ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90MtBLUnrJ0) Your next step ## Price and download The checked US Google Play and App Store listings both offer the complete app free. Lichess is funded by donations and advertises no paid tier, ads, or in-app purchases. Local store availability can differ. Find Lichess in your store [ GET IT ON**Google Play** ](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.lichess.mobileV2)[ Download on the**App Store** ](https://apps.apple.com/app/id1662361230)[Official game page](https://lichess.org/mobile) **Regional store note:** Listed on both reference stores on September 21, 2026 . GamesRanker uses this consistent baseline for comparison; use the store links to see availability, pricing, size, and requirements in your region. 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