App · Offline · Coaching-first
A PyChess alternative
that fits in your pocket and works on a plane.
PyChess is the free, open-source home of chess variants on the web: xiangqi alongside janggi, shogi, makruk, and dozens more, with the look and feel of Lichess, online play, Fairy-Stockfish analysis, and puzzles, all paid for by donations. Xiangqiful is an iPhone, iPad, and Mac app that does one game and is about getting better at it. Pikafish runs on your device, every mistake is named in xiangqi's own terms, and your training comes from your own games. You don't need a browser, a connection, or a sign-in.
How does Xiangqiful compare to PyChess?
PyChess is a free platform; Xiangqiful is a coach in an app.
What it is
Xiangqiful: A single-player training app for xiangqi with 40 AI opponents, game review, lessons, drills, and mate problems.
PyChess: A free, open-source (AGPL-3.0) variants server at pychess.org, with online games against people, analysis, puzzles, and tournaments across many chess variants.
PyChess: A free, open-source (AGPL-3.0) variants server at pychess.org, with online games against people, analysis, puzzles, and tournaments across many chess variants.
App vs browser
Xiangqiful: An app for iPhone and iPad (iOS 18 or later) and the Mac.
PyChess: Runs in the browser on any device with nothing to install. The site lists no iOS app.
PyChess: Runs in the browser on any device with nothing to install. The site lists no iOS app.
Engine & analysis
Xiangqiful: Pikafish, the xiangqi-specific engine derived from Stockfish, on your device. Every move graded from best to blunder, with accuracy for both sides, and mistakes named in xiangqi terms: a screenless cannon, a trapped horse, broken advisors, a missed Iron Bolt mate.
PyChess: Fairy-Stockfish, a multi-variant fork of Stockfish, for analysis and computer play. You read the engine's lines and evaluations yourself.
PyChess: Fairy-Stockfish, a multi-variant fork of Stockfish, for analysis and computer play. You read the engine's lines and evaluations yourself.
Offline & sign-in
Xiangqiful: Works offline, with no account, server, ads, or tracking. The app collects no data.
PyChess: Needs a connection. You sign in through Lichess, Lishogi, Google, or Discord.
PyChess: Needs a connection. You sign in through Lichess, Lishogi, Google, or Discord.
Reading the pieces
Xiangqiful: Traditional, western-symbol, and hybrid sets; traditional or simplified characters; WXF or Chinese notation.
PyChess: Internationalized pieces for every Asian variant, xiangqi included, which helps players who don't read Chinese.
PyChess: Internationalized pieces for every Asian variant, xiangqi included, which helps players who don't read Chinese.
Price
Xiangqiful: Free tier; Premium $1.99/month or $9.99/year (each with a 7-day free trial), or $19.99 lifetime.
PyChess: Entirely free and donation-funded.
PyChess: Entirely free and donation-funded.
| Feature | Xiangqiful | PyChess |
|---|---|---|
| Platform | iPhone, iPad, and Mac app | Web browser |
| Works offline | Yes, everything runs on device | No |
| Online play against people | No (intentional) | Yes, free, with tournaments |
| Games covered | Xiangqi only | Xiangqi plus many other chess variants |
| Engine | Pikafish (xiangqi-specific), on device | Fairy-Stockfish (multi-variant) |
| Mistakes named in xiangqi terms | Yes: screenless cannon, trapped horse, broken advisors, missed mates | No; engine lines and evaluations |
| Training from your own games | Yes: drills and mate problems chosen from your weaknesses | No; a general puzzle section |
| Mate problems | 902, mate-in-1 to mate-in-7, solver-checked | Puzzle section |
| Sign-in | None | Lichess, Lishogi, Google, or Discord |
| Open source | No (the Pikafish engine is GPL-3) | Yes, AGPL-3.0 |
| Price | Free; Premium $1.99/mo or $9.99/yr (each with a 7-day free trial), or $19.99 lifetime | Free, donation-funded |
| Platforms | iPhone, iPad, and Mac | Any device with a browser |
| Best for | Structured offline improvement with a coach in your pocket | Free online xiangqi, and every other variant, in a browser |
PyChess details were checked on 1 October 2026 against pychess.org (FAQ and xiangqi guide) and its public GitHub repository. They can change, so check the site for current features before relying on them.
Verdict: PyChess is free and excellent
Pick Xiangqiful if you want…
- An app on iPhone, iPad, and Mac that works offline
- Mistakes named in xiangqi's own terms, on top of engine lines
- Drills and mate problems chosen from your own weaknesses
- Western and hybrid pieces with lessons that introduce the characters
- Nothing to sign in to, and a $19.99 lifetime option
Pick PyChess if you want…
- Free online xiangqi against people, right now
- Tournaments and a community that plays many variants
- A fully open-source platform with no paid tier at all
- To play from any device with a browser
If you only ever play online in a browser, stay with PyChess; it's free and very good. Xiangqiful is worth it when you want an app that works offline and coaches you.
About Xiangqiful
Questions
FAQ
Is there an iPhone or Mac app like PyChess for xiangqi?
PyChess is a web platform and lists no iOS app. Xiangqiful is an iPhone, iPad, and Mac app for the training side of xiangqi: Pikafish analysis on your device, mistakes named in xiangqi terms, 902 mate problems, 150+ drills, and 80 lessons, all working offline with no account. For free online games against people, PyChess in the browser is still the better choice.
How is Xiangqiful different from PyChess?
PyChess is a platform: online games, Fairy-Stockfish analysis, puzzles, and tournaments across many chess variants, free and open source. Xiangqiful is a coach for one game: it reviews every game you play against its 40 AI opponents, grades each move from best to blunder, names mistakes such as a screenless cannon or a missed Iron Bolt mate, and builds your drills and mate problems from what you missed.
Is Xiangqiful free like PyChess?
Xiangqiful's free tier has no time limit: unlimited games against the first 10 of its 40 opponents, all 80 lessons, the first drill set in every drill module, 2 game analyses, 3 training puzzles, and 2 coach hints a day, with no ads. Premium is $1.99/month or $9.99/year (each with a 7-day free trial), or $19.99 once. All three Premium plans support Family Sharing. PyChess is entirely free and donation-funded, so if cost is the only criterion, PyChess wins.
Which engine is better for xiangqi, Pikafish or Fairy-Stockfish?
Both descend from Stockfish. Fairy-Stockfish is built to play many variants; Pikafish is built for xiangqi alone. PyChess's FAQ notes that its strongest computer level is limited to under a second per move. Xiangqiful runs Pikafish with its neural network entirely on your device.
Can I play xiangqi offline with Xiangqiful?
Yes. The engine, the analysis, the lessons, the puzzles, and all the opponents run on your device, so it plays the same in airplane mode; only purchases and the optional Game Center need a connection. PyChess needs a connection.
Can I use both PyChess and Xiangqiful?
Yes. Play people on PyChess, then train offline in Xiangqiful. If you have a game's moves as WXF or ICCS movetext you can import it into Xiangqiful and analyze it; XQF files are not supported.
Try it
Open Xiangqiful
An offline app for getting better at xiangqi, with no sign-in.
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