How we compare chess move finders
This page explains what we look at, where our facts come from, and how we handle the fact that one of the tools we rank, ChessHelper (chesshelper.ai), is our own.
What we compare
| Criterion | Question we ask |
|---|---|
| Position input | Can you set up any position, paste a FEN, or import your games? |
| Explanation | Does the tool show more than one move, the expected line, and evaluations you can read? |
| Learning fit | Can suggestions match your level, and does the tool help you see your own patterns over time? |
| Engine | Which engine, where it runs, and whether strength is adjustable |
| Price | What is free, what is paid, as listed on the official site |
| Fair-play stance | Does the tool present itself for study and practice rather than live games? |
Where the facts come from
Features, platforms and prices come from each company's own website, checked in November 2026. We do not rely on third-party lists or forum posts for product facts. Where an official page did not state a detail clearly, we left it out or described it in general terms, such as "free plan, paid tiers". We compared published features and pricing; we did not run timed benchmarks and do not claim to have.
Chess content works differently: every position, line and evaluation on this site was checked with Stockfish, and the depth is stated where it matters.
How we rank
There is no single best move finder for everyone, so our ranking is for one stated purpose: helping a player improve. Raw engine strength matters little for that, because every tool here is far stronger than any human. Explanation, level control and a record of your own games matter more. Each review also says what the tool is best at, so a reader with a different goal can pick another tool.
Our conflict of interest
ChessHelper is made by the same team as this site, and we benefit when people subscribe. We handle that by disclosing it on every page, by ranking it only for the purpose it fits, by naming specific situations where competitors are better, and by not inventing ratings, scores or test results that would make the ranking look more objective than it is. You should still weigh our view of ChessHelper with the conflict in mind.
Updates
We review the comparison at least every six months and whenever a company tells us about a change on its official site. Each page shows when it was last updated. Corrections are welcome at our contact page.