Which is better chess.com or lichess?

History/Popularity

So chess.com was released in 2007.
Chess.com was released by it's two creators Erik Allebest and Jay Severson.
And lichess was released in 2010 by Thibault Duplessis.
No need for a history lesson lets get to it.

chess.com/lichess popularity

Just as a side note.
Chess.com had in 2023 had over 11 million user some of the time 2023 ,and with an average of 35 million games per day.
Also chess.com had around 12.5 billion games played that year.
Compared to lichess having over 1 billion games that year with 147 thousand concurrent players.
I think it's highly obvious that chess.com was used more than lichess and still is ,but lichess is coming in with a second in chess site popularity.

Personal Customization

Okay so with both sites you can customize a lot of things.
For the background chess.com has a list of backrounds. (Not limited to but including these.)Or you could ad your own image.
It's the same with lichess except the list of backgrounds that are optional are different. (Once again not limited to.)

Next up we have profile pictures.
Chess.com has profile pics. When lichess doesn't. Now some may find fault in this but I don't. I believe lichess is better without profile pictures.
And with both sites you can change your board and pieces. Here is a part of each list. Lichess first chess.com second.I think they contain a nice selection ,but personally I tend to not like pieces that are too funky.
Both websites contain a few more customization features. Like chess.com allows you to customize your sidebar and your ai coach. And lichess allows you to add your flair like chess.com does. Although these features are nice they aren't what decides a good chess website so lets move on.

Training Features

ALERT: Chess.com requires a membership for some features.

So now we will compare how good both sites are for training. So we'll be comparing things like puzzles ,and other features to help you grow in your tactic finding and other important parts of the game.

1. Puzzles

So lichess and chess.com both have puzzle themes ,and they both take puzzles from users games.
But chess.com only allows a few puzzles per day if you don't have a membership. If you want to do more you could do custom puzzles but they stop you after five.
Lichess allows you to do unlimited puzzles and you can have unlimited puzzles of different themes.

Puzzle Rush/Puzzle Storm

So chess.com has a feature called puzzle rush ,and lichess has one called puzzle storm.
They are similar but at the same time very different.
For puzzle storm you have three minutes to complete puzzles ,and after so many puzzles are answered correctly in a row you get an extra few seconds.
The more in a row the more time you gain. If you miss one puzzle you lose your streak and ten seconds.
For puzzle rush you have three minutes (Or five depending on which you choose.) to complete puzzles if you miss three your game is over.
Once again chess.com allows one per day if you don't have a membership. When lichess allows as much as you want.
But while we are on the subject of memberships it brings up the question "What if I have a membership which is better?".
Well for puzzle rush and storm I think it is entirely up to your own opinion. For puzzles there basically the same.

Puzzle Battle/Puzzle Racer

Both puzzle battle and puzzle racer are a multiplayer version of either storm or rush.
For puzzle battle you must in three minutes get more puzzles correct than your opponent without missing three. If you miss three they can claim victory.
Puzzle racer is where you race for the most points. Each correct puzzle is worth one point ,but if you get a certain amount in a row you get a few extra points depending on how many are in your streak. Once again chess.com only allows one a day without membership ,but as I said before with membership it is entirely up to your opinion.
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Side note both websites have a puzzle streak.

2. Analysis Board

We all know what this is and it's basically the same on both sites.

3. Vision

Vision is a feature that chess.com has that lichess doesn't. Vision is where you have thirty seconds and squares of the board will flash across the screen and you press them as fast as possible.

4. Courses

Chess.com has courses where there is a video (sometimes) that you watch and play moves to learn positions. You sometimes have to buy courses. Lichess has something similar lichess has a section they call practice that tries to reinforce your knowledge of what to do in positions.

5. Vote Chess

Chess.com has another thing lichess doesn't vote chess. Vote chess is where a group of people vote where to move against another group of people or a single person. (Also a note of solo chess on chess.com it's fun but not really needed for real chess.

6. Lessons

Lessons are similar to courses on chess.com but you get at least one free. (I think you could get more.)
And you get your personal ai coach. Which is also used in game review.

7. Game Review

Game review is on lichess and chess.com. Chess.com allows only one a day for a basic member.
Game review will rate your moves tell you what you did wrong ,and tell you what you could've done better. And it also tells you what you did brilliantly.

So...

These are just a few of the features these sites have to offer ,but this is all we will talk about for now.
(NOTE: Lichess allows you to premove once ,but chess.com allows you to premove as much as you can.)

Conclusion

So both sites have a lot to give to you in your training your learning and your everyday chess playing.
I can't tell you which is better. It really depends on what you like.

Wrap-up

So I hope I may have helped you compare them ,but sometimes you just have to try them and see for yourself.
If you enjoyed this please like it so I know what y'all like.
And until next time play the caro kann at least once.