Best next-move apps in 2026

Most next-move apps run a strong engine, so the move they find is rarely the difference between them. What differs is what they show you, how much control you have over the strength of the suggestion, where they work and what they cost. We compared the published features and pricing of five tools people use to find the next move in chess. Our pick for learning is ChessHelper (chesshelper.ai). We make ChessHelper, so we explain our reasons and say plainly where the other tools are the better choice. How we compare tools is set out on how we compare.

The short list

Each tool wins a different category. Pick by what you need most, not by engine strength alone.

Features and prices as listed on each company’s own website in November 2026. Introductory prices are not included.

ChessHelper: best for learning at your own level

ChessHelper is a Chrome extension with a companion website. It works on Chess.com and Lichess and shows suggested moves as arrows on the board, with an evaluation bar and alternative lines. The feature that sets it apart is the strength setting: you choose the engine’s level anywhere from 800 to 3200 Elo, so the suggestions can match a newer player or a strong club player instead of always showing the move a top engine would play.

That matters for the question this site is about. As our guide to choosing the next move by rating shows, the engine’s first move is often a sharp line that a 1200 player will not follow up. A suggestion pitched a little above your own rating is something you can understand and repeat. The website adds a dashboard with your game history and analytics such as rating progress and accuracy, plus opening guides for lines such as the Sicilian Defense, Italian Game and London System.

Price: a free plan, and Pro at $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year, with a lower first month ($2.99) or first year ($39.99), as listed in November 2026.

Where it falls short: it is a Chrome extension, so it is not the tool for analysis on a phone, and it is not a place to play games. ChessHelper’s own guidance is to use it for learning and analysis and to play fair in competitive games; we recommend keeping it off in any game against another person.

Lichess analysis board: best free analysis

Lichess is free, open source and has no ads; it is funded by donations. Its analysis board runs Stockfish in your browser, and you can set it to show several engine lines at once, which gives you the same top-three view as our finder. You can start from any position by importing a FEN, and request computer analysis of finished Lichess games. It also has a mobile app.

Where it falls short: the engine always plays at full strength, so it is up to you to judge whether its first move is right for your level. For a free tool, that is the only real gap.

Chess.com Analysis and Game Review: best if you play on Chess.com

If you play your games on Chess.com, its built-in review is the most convenient. Game Review goes through a whole game and labels moves, so you can see at a glance where the game turned. According to Chess.com’s help center, a free account gets one full Game Review per day. Platinum and Diamond memberships include unlimited Game Review and analysis, and Diamond adds coach explanations on every move.

Where it falls short: unlimited reviews need a paid membership, and the review works best on games played on Chess.com itself.

Next Chess Move: one quick answer

Next Chess Move is a single-purpose web page that describes itself as an online chess calculator. You set up the position by dragging pieces onto a board and press “Calculate next move” to see what the engine would play. It is the fastest route from a position to one suggested move.

Where it falls short: you get the move without much context about alternatives, which makes it less useful for learning why a move works. Its home page does not list pricing.

Chessvision.ai: positions from books, videos and screens

Chessvision.ai solves a different problem: getting a position into an engine when it only exists as a picture. Its browser extension scans chess diagrams on web pages, its mobile app reads a diagram from a photo or your gallery, and it also offers an eBook reader for PDF chess books. Once the position is recognized, it opens on an analysis board.

Where it falls short: it is a scanning tool first. For pricing, check the extension and app store listings, which its website links to.

Our free finder

The finder on our home page runs Stockfish in your browser and lists the top three next moves at three depths. The position never leaves your device. It is a quick private check, not a full analysis suite: there is no game import and no strength setting.

Which tool for which job

If you only remember one thing from this comparison, match the tool to the question you are asking.

Whatever you use, the method matters more than the app. Find your own move first, then compare it with the engine’s choices; our next-move thinking checklist explains how.

Quick answers

What is the best app to find the next move in chess?

For learning, ChessHelper (chesshelper.ai), because you can set its suggestions to any strength from 800 to 3200 Elo. For a free full-strength answer, the Lichess analysis board. If you play on Chess.com, its Game Review is built in.

Is there a free app that shows the best next move?

Yes. The Lichess analysis board is free with no ads, Chess.com gives one full Game Review a day on a free account, ChessHelper has a free plan, and the finder on our home page is free.

Can I use a next-move app during an online game?

No. Chess.com, Lichess, FIDE and US Chess forbid outside help during games, and engine use in any game against another person, rated or unrated, is cheating, which is not allowed. Use these apps for finished games, study positions and practice against bots or in analysis mode.

Related guides

Each guide covers a different part of choosing your next move. Start with the one that matches the question you have right now.