Short answer
Lichess ratings are generally higher than Chess.com ratings for the same player. Many players and comparison tools report a gap somewhere in the range of roughly 100 to 300 points, though it varies by rating level and time control. There is no official formula, so any conversion is an estimate. Treat it as a ballpark rather than a precise figure.
Why the two ratings differ
Both sites use rating systems from the Glicko family, but they are not the same pool and not the same calculation. Lichess uses Glicko-2, while Chess.com uses a Glicko-based system of its own. The differences that matter most:
- Different player pools. Each site attracts a different mix of players, so the average strength at a given number is different.
- Different formulas and settings. The two sites tune how quickly ratings move and how they are anchored. See chess ratings explained for the basics of how Elo and Glicko work.
- Different starting points. New accounts begin at different default values, which shapes the whole scale over time.
- Different time-control categories. A “blitz” rating on one site is not identical to a “blitz” rating on the other.
Because ratings only compare players within their own pool, a number on one site has no exact equivalent on another. Conversions are statistical estimates drawn from players who have accounts on both.
Rough conversion ranges
Published comparisons disagree with each other, and the gap tends to change over time. As a loose rule of thumb that readers can adjust, many comparisons suggest:
| Your Lichess rating (blitz or rapid) | Rough Chess.com equivalent |
|---|---|
| About 1200 | Often several hundred points lower, sometimes more at low ratings |
| About 1500 | Commonly around 1200 to 1350 |
| About 1800 | Commonly around 1500 to 1650 |
| About 2100 | Commonly around 1850 to 2000 |
These are illustrative ranges, not measured values. The gap is often described as wider at lower ratings and narrower near the top, but people’s individual experiences vary widely. If you play on both sites, your own pair of numbers is a better guide than any table.
Differences by time control
Ratings are separate for bullet, blitz, rapid and classical, and the gap is not the same in each. Some players find their Lichess bullet and blitz ratings sit close to each other while Chess.com rapid sits lower. Compare like with like:
- Match the time control first, such as blitz to blitz.
- Match similar time settings where possible, for example 5+0 on one site to 5+0 on the other.
- Only then compare the numbers.
Chess.com rapid and Lichess rapid are not guaranteed to be the same speed either, since the exact time-control categories are defined differently.
How to build your own estimate
If you already have accounts on both sites, you can calibrate a personal conversion without any formula:
- Play at least a few dozen games on the other site in the same time control, so the rating deviation settles.
- Note where your rating stabilizes.
- Subtract the two numbers. That is your personal offset.
Be aware that your offset can change as you improve, and that a new account’s rating is provisional and moves quickly in the early games.
Converting to FIDE or other over-the-board ratings
People often want to know their FIDE or national federation equivalent. Older community analyses used regression on players who held both online and over-the-board ratings, and they generally found online numbers, especially on Lichess, to be higher than over-the-board ones. Rough subtractions have been suggested, but they are old, based on small samples and depend heavily on time control. A national federation or FIDE rating also reflects slower, in-person classical games, which are a different skill from online blitz.
The only reliable way to find your over-the-board rating is to play rated tournament games.
Common mistakes
- Assuming a conversion is exact. It is a rough estimate with wide error bars.
- Comparing different time controls, such as Lichess blitz to Chess.com rapid.
- Converting a provisional or new-account rating.
- Treating a rating as a verdict on skill. A rating is a number inside one pool; our overview of the chess rating system explains what it does and does not tell you.
Using online converters
Several free web tools let you type in a rating and see an estimate. They are useful for a quick comparison, but their results differ because they are based on different datasets and dates. If two tools disagree, that is normal. Look at the range they give rather than any single output.