ChessBase vs ScanChess
The professional's database and analysis suite. Photograph a handwritten scoresheet and get a rule-checked PGN; photograph a board and get a FEN.
| Â | ChessBase | ScanChess |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | From €199.90 one-time | Free · from $4.99/mo |
| Platforms | Windows, Web, macOS | Web |
| Audience | advanced, expert | beginner, intermediate, advanced, expert |
| Languages | EN, DE, ES, FR | EN, ZH, ES, DE, FR, PT |
| Features | ||
| Play online | ||
| Play bots | ||
| Local pass-and-play | ||
| Tactics puzzles | ||
| Opening trainer | ||
| Endgame trainer | ||
| Spaced repetition | ||
| Video lessons | ||
| Live coaching | ||
| Engine analysis | ||
| Board scanner (OCR) | ||
| Opening repertoire | ||
| Cloud sync | ||
| Offline mode | ||
| Kid-safe | ||
| Tournaments | ||
| Rating system | ||
| Correspondence chess | ||
| Chess variants | ||
| Study & share | ||
| AI coach | ||
| Streaming-ready | ||
| Game database | ||
Pick ChessBase if…
- Deepest opening preparation tool on the market
- 11.7M-game Mega Database, 114k+ annotated by GMs
- Industry standard for pro coaching
Pick ScanChess if…
- Reads handwriting, not just boards: the one step between a stack of tournament scoresheets and a game you can replay, which Chessvision.ai and the Lichess/Chess.com importers don't do
- Nothing is corrected silently - illegal and low-confidence moves are flagged next to the original photo, and the editor offers the legal moves closest to the ink
- Honest about accuracy: no percentage is quoted anywhere, and the review step is presented as part of the job rather than hidden
- The free tools are genuinely free and need no account: Stockfish 18 game analysis in the browser, a PGN viewer, a board editor, a validator and printable FIDE-style scoresheets
FAQ
- Is ChessBase better than ScanChess?
- Neither is strictly "better" - they serve different priorities. ChessBase excels at: Deepest opening preparation tool on the market. ScanChess excels at: Reads handwriting, not just boards: the one step between a stack of tournament scoresheets and a game you can replay, which Chessvision.ai and the Lichess/Chess.com importers don't do. Pick based on the job you want done.
- Is ChessBase free?
- ChessBase is paid. ChessBase '26 includes a 1-year Premium membership. The MEGA Package bundles the program with the Mega Database; annual database updates are sold separately.
- Is ScanChess free?
- ScanChess has a free tier, and paid plans start at $4.99/mo. Credits are the only thing you pay for: a scoresheet scan costs 2 credits whatever the page count, a board image 1. New accounts get 10 credits with no card, credits never expire, and editing, replay, PGN export and game history are free on every account. All payments are final: no refunds, including unspent credits. Web checkout goes through Waffo as merchant of record. Prices as of 11 October 2026.
- On what platforms are ChessBase and ScanChess available?
- ChessBase runs on Windows, Web, macOS. ScanChess runs on Web.
- Who should use ChessBase vs ScanChess?
- ChessBase is aimed at advanced, expert. ScanChess targets beginner, intermediate, advanced, expert. The tiebreaker is which of those two descriptions fits how you actually play.