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PGNBase VS ChessBase Database

Compare PGNBase VS ChessBase Database and see what are their differences

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PGNBase logo PGNBase

Personal Online Chess Database

ChessBase Database logo ChessBase Database

ChessBase Database provides you access to games from across the whole history of chess.
  • PGNBase Master database
    Master database //
    2026-07-22
  • PGNBase Analyze
    Analyze //
    2026-07-22
  • PGNBase Organize
    Organize //
    2026-07-22
  • PGNBase Import
    Import //
    2026-07-22
  • PGNBase Share
    Share //
    2026-07-22
  • PGNBase Mobile
    Mobile //
    2026-07-22

A web app for building and studying a personal chess database. Runs entirely in the browser, engine included, synced across desktop, phone, and tablet. Nothing to install.

Master database:

  • 9.4M+ over-the-board games, updated daily from live tournament broadcasts.
  • Searchable by player, position, or opening.

Analyze

  • Stockfish 18, multi-threaded, in the browser
  • Opening tree and reference games from any position
  • Variations as a collapsible tree
  • Glyphs, comments, arrows, highlights, all autosaved

Organize

  • Folders, subfolders, and databases, each with its own icon
  • Bulk move and duplicate
  • Unlimited PGN export

Import

  • Any PGN, from one game to a full ChessBase export, duplicates skipped
  • Chess.com and Lichess sync, studies included (each becomes its own database)

Share

  • View-only or edit access
  • Live co-editing of the same game
  • Presenter mode syncs every viewer's board
  • Live presence

Mobile

  • Full master database and your own games in the phone browser, always in sync
  • ChessBase Database Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-08-20

PGNBase

Website
pgnbase.com
Pricing URL
Official PGNBase Pricing
$ Details
freemium
Release Date
2026 May
Startup details
Country
France
Edit details

ChessBase Database

Website
database.chessbase.com
Pricing URL
-
$ Details
-
Release Date
-
Edit details

PGNBase features and specs

No features have been listed yet.

ChessBase Database features and specs

  • Extensive Database
    ChessBase Database offers a large collection of games and positions, making it a valuable resource for players to study and analyze a wide range of games and strategies.
  • Advanced Search Functions
    The platform provides powerful search capabilities, allowing users to filter games by player, opening, position, and more, which helps in pinpointing specific games or trends efficiently.
  • Regular Updates
    The database is frequently updated with new games from tournaments around the world, ensuring that users have access to the most current game data.
  • Training Tools
    ChessBase Database includes various training tools and resources to help players improve their skills, such as tactics training, endgame practice, and annotated games.

Possible disadvantages of ChessBase Database

  • Subscription Fee
    Accessing the ChessBase Database often requires a subscription, which may be costly for some users compared to free alternatives.
  • Complex Interface
    The interface and features can be complex and overwhelming for new users, requiring time to learn how to navigate and use effectively.
  • High System Requirements
    To use the software effectively, ChessBase may require a more powerful computer system, which could be a limitation for users with older hardware.
  • Limited Collaboration Features
    The platform lacks robust collaboration features, which can be a downside for users who want to work together on game analysis in real-time.

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to PGNBase and ChessBase Database)

PGNBase

ChessBase Database

Chess
18 18%
Chess
82% 82

User comments

Share your experience with using PGNBase and ChessBase Database. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, ChessBase Database seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 8 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

PGNBase mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of PGNBase yet. Tracking of PGNBase recommendations started around Jul 2026.

ChessBase Database mentions (8)

  • Local newspaper: white to play and win :)
    I did also chess database.chessbase.com for their encounter and did not see it. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Is ChessBase really that necessary?
    Second, if you're only after the games, without any of the DB-features, they're available for free at https://database.chessbase.com/. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Would love some honest feedback. Harsh criticism welcomed. Chessmen series.
    Also a minor note: the chess pieces are often in between squares and judging by their positions, none of these are real games. If you want to copy real games, there's an online DB https://database.chessbase.com/. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Computer chess software help
    Lichess, or otherwise there are opensource algorithms/databases I use this one but there are many other ones. Source: almost 4 years ago
  • Is there a database explorer on lichess?
    Something like https://database.chessbase.com/ was what I was trying to get at - although I don't think you can explore by position/material on that - only on their offline version of chessbase :/. Source: about 4 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing PGNBase and ChessBase Database, you can also consider the following products

Chess Tempo Database - Chess Tempo Database gives you a library of more than 2 million searchable chess games.

ChessDB - ChessDB - a free Chess database for Mac OS X, Windows, Linux, and UNIX - like ChessBase, but better

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