Chess.com

User Experience Report

Week of April 9th, 2025

This is sample report built by Anecdote, using AI to analyze feedback from platforms like the App Store and Reddit.

Highlights trends and insights

Helps you understand what matters most

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Chess.com

Top Insights This Week

Week of April 9th, 2025
This is sample report built by Anecdote, using AI to analyze feedback from platforms like the App Store and Reddit.
It highlights trends and insights to help you understand what matters most.
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All Insights

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TOP INSIGHTS

A weekly roundup of Chess.com's key feedback

1

Cheating Concerns

A significant number of users express frustration with the prevalence of cheating and the perceived lack of effective moderation to address it. Approximately 15% of users mention encountering cheaters frequently, which diminishes their enjoyment of the game.

The app is full of cheaters, and reporting them seems to have no effect.

2

Push Notification Annoyance

Users are annoyed by the constant prompts to enable push notifications, which they find intrusive and disrespectful of their preferences. This issue affects about 5% of users, who feel it detracts from their overall experience.

I keep getting asked to turn on push notifications even after disabling them, which is very frustrating.

3

Subscription Frustrations

Many users are unhappy with the app's paywall for features that were previously free, such as game analysis and puzzles. Around 10% of users feel that the app has become too expensive and restrictive, impacting their willingness to continue using it.

The app used to be great, but now everything is behind a paywall, making it less enjoyable.

4

Technical Glitches

Users report frequent technical issues, such as game freezes and lag, which disrupt gameplay and lead to unfair losses. Approximately 8% of users experience these problems, which significantly affect their satisfaction with the app.

The app often freezes during games, causing me to lose unfairly due to timeouts.

COMPETITORS ANALYSIS

Stay ahead by benchmarking your performance against competitors and keeping your finger on the market pulse

#1 USERS CHOICE

Lichess
Lichess is highly praised for being completely free and ad-free, offering a wide range of features and a strong community. Users appreciate its simplicity and effectiveness, although some report occasional bugs and connection issues.

#2 RUNNER UP

Chess.com
Chess.com is celebrated for its comprehensive features, including lessons, puzzles, and a large community. While many users find it the best chess app, some criticize the premium pricing and occasional technical issues.

#3 Straggler

Chessable
Chessable is valued for its educational content and unique learning methods, particularly for openings. However, users express frustration with the app's performance issues and the cost of accessing premium content.
Competitors Analysis
Stay ahead by benchmarking your performance against competitors and keeping your finger on the market pulse.
Lichess
#1 Users Choice
Lichess is highly praised for being completely free and ad-free, offering a wide range of features and a strong community. Users appreciate its simplicity and effectiveness, although some report occasional bugs and connection issues.
Chess.com
#2 Runner-up
Chess.com is celebrated for its comprehensive features, including lessons, puzzles, and a large community. While many users find it the best chess app, some criticize the premium pricing and occasional technical issues.
Chessable
#3 Straggler
Chessable is valued for its educational content and unique learning methods, particularly for openings. However, users express frustration with the app's performance issues and the cost of accessing premium content.

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Nuggets

Major Highlights of the Week

Push Notification Annoyance 📲
Users are frustrated with constant prompts to enable push notifications, which they have intentionally disabled. This persistent behavior is seen as disrespectful to user preferences.
I turned off notifications for a reason, stop asking me to turn them back on.
Racism Concerns 🚫
There are reports of racial slurs being used in the chat, and users feel that the platform's response to such behavior is inadequate. This has led to perceptions of a lack of effective moderation.
Racist language is rampant, and reported users remain active.
Feature Removal Frustration 🔄
The removal of the 'copy PGN' feature and other functionalities has made the app less user-friendly, causing dissatisfaction among long-time users. These changes are seen as unnecessary and inconvenient.
The app used to have a simple 'copy PGN' option, now it's a hassle.
Cheating and Fair Play Issues 🎭
Users are encountering a high number of cheaters and smurf accounts, which diminishes the integrity of the game. The current anti-cheat measures are perceived as ineffective.
Cheaters are everywhere, and nothing is being done about it.
Sound Control Limitations 🔇
The inability to mute game sound effects without turning off the device's ringer is a significant inconvenience for users, especially in public settings. This lack of control over audio settings is a common complaint.
I shouldn't have to silence my phone to mute game sounds.
Account Ban Confusion 🚫
Users are experiencing unexpected account bans without clear explanations or timely support, leading to frustration and a sense of injustice. This has resulted in negative perceptions of customer service.
I was banned for no reason, and support hasn't responded to my appeal.
Nuggets

Major Highlights of the Week

Everything you need to know about user experience
Push Notification Annoyance 📲
Users are frustrated with constant prompts to enable push notifications, which they have intentionally disabled. This persistent behavior is seen as disrespectful to user preferences.
Racism Concerns 🚫
There are reports of racial slurs being used in the chat, and users feel that the platform's response to such behavior is inadequate. This has led to perceptions of a lack of effective moderation.
Feature Removal Frustration 🔄
The removal of the 'copy PGN' feature and other functionalities has made the app less user-friendly, causing dissatisfaction among long-time users. These changes are seen as unnecessary and inconvenient.
Cheating and Fair Play Issues 🎭
Users are encountering a high number of cheaters and smurf accounts, which diminishes the integrity of the game. The current anti-cheat measures are perceived as ineffective.
Sound Control Limitations 🔇
The inability to mute game sound effects without turning off the device's ringer is a significant inconvenience for users, especially in public settings. This lack of control over audio settings is a common complaint.
Account Ban Confusion 🚫
Users are experiencing unexpected account bans without clear explanations or timely support, leading to frustration and a sense of injustice. This has resulted in negative perceptions of customer service.

Quotes of the week

Hear from some of the most impactful users to drive changes

The app is great for learning and playing chess, but the recent update made self-analysis a paid feature, which is disappointing. It was a valuable tool for improving my game, and now it's behind a paywall.
A Google user
Week of April 9th, 2025
I love the app for its variety of game modes and learning tools, but the constant push for premium features is frustrating. It feels like the app is becoming more about money than about chess.
A Google user
Week of April 9th, 2025
The matchmaking system is flawed, often pairing me with players of much higher ratings, making it difficult to enjoy the game. Additionally, the app's response to cheaters is inadequate, which diminishes the overall experience.
A Google user
Week of April 9th, 2025

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The quotes of the week

Hear from some of the most impactful users to drive changes
The app is great for learning and playing chess, but the recent update made self-analysis a paid feature, which is disappointing. It was a valuable tool for improving my game, and now it's behind a paywall.
Candice Wu
App Store
I love the app for its variety of game modes and learning tools, but the constant push for premium features is frustrating. It feels like the app is becoming more about money than about chess.
Kelly Williams
Google Play
The matchmaking system is flawed, often pairing me with players of much higher ratings, making it difficult to enjoy the game. Additionally, the app's response to cheaters is inadequate, which diminishes the overall experience.
Koray Okumus
Google Play

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