Frequently asked questions

ScanChess turns a photo of a handwritten chess scoresheet into a PGN file, and an image of a chess board — a photo, screenshot or diagram — into a FEN position. Every move it reads is replayed on a board, and illegal or uncertain moves are flagged for you to check. Then it helps you learn from the game: Stockfish analysis, an AI coach that explains the turning points, and daily practice built from your own mistakes. It runs on the website, with a browser extension for Chrome and Edge that reads boards on web pages. A scoresheet scan costs 2 credits and a board image 1; new accounts get 10 free credits. It is made by SudoAI.

We support Standard Algebraic Notation (SAN) in various handwriting styles. Shorthand forms like "dc" (pawn captures) are automatically converted to standard format like "dxc5".

Recognition quality depends on handwriting, lighting, camera angle, and notation style, so we do not promise a fixed accuracy rate. Chess-rule validation flags low-confidence or illegal moves for you to check. In our published scoresheet test most wrong reads were confident ones that were not flagged, so check every move against the photo.

Yes! You can upload up to 10 images in one scan (JPG, PNG or WebP; HEIC is not supported yet). Pages are read in the order shown, so a double-sided or multi-page scoresheet becomes one game, and it still costs a single scan.

Use the pencil button beside a move to edit it. The system validates moves in real-time. You can use shorthand input (like "dc"), and it will auto-convert to full notation.

After scanning, click "Export PGN" to download a standard PGN file. You can also copy PGN to clipboard and paste directly into Chess.com or Lichess.

A successful scoresheet scan is saved automatically to your games library (Games in your workspace). If you edit moves or game details afterward, “Save Game” updates the same record instead of creating a duplicate. Scanning requires an account.

Scoresheet photos are stored with the recognized game in your account until you delete them. Deleting a game from your games library removes its photos with it; deleting your account removes every game, photo and credit record. Deletion takes effect in the live database immediately, and routine backup copies expire within 90 days.

Every new account gets 10 free credits, no card required. A scoresheet scan costs 2 credits and a board photo costs 1. Editing, replay, PGN export, Stockfish analysis and your games library cost nothing, one AI explanation a day is free, and free accounts get daily practice too. You can also earn credits by inviting friends.

Pro is $4.99/month or $29.99/year. It adds 100 credits every 30 days (about 50 scoresheets) and unlocks the full insights profile, unlimited daily practice, opening repertoires, opponent scouting and event reports. Pro+ ($19.99/month or $119.99/year) is the plan for clubs and coaches: 500 credits every 30 days, higher report and repertoire limits, and public share links for reports. Every club workspace keeps a free roster of up to 10 players with student pages and makes 1 event report a month; the club's own Pro+, bought for the club workspace, removes the roster limit. A personal plan does not cover a club. Scanning, editing, replay, PGN export, engine analysis and your games library work on every account, and unused credits stay in your balance. The full comparison is on the pricing page at /pricing.

Sign in, open the pricing page, and press Subscribe — that opens a checkout hosted by Waffo. Waffo is the merchant of record for web subscriptions: it takes the payment, calculates tax, and is what appears on your statement rather than ScanChess. We never see or store your card details. In mainland China the pricing page shows the Mainland China store, where Pro is a 365-day pass in CNY paid once with WeChat Pay and never renewing. Pro+ is not sold there yet; email support@scanchess.com if you need it.

Sign in and open /pricing — a "Your subscription" panel appears at the top with a Cancel subscription button. No need to email anyone. Canceling stops the next charge; Pro and the credits already in your balance stay until the paid period ends.

No. All payments are final and non-refundable, including the unused remainder of a period and unspent credits, except where applicable law requires otherwise. That is why every account starts with 10 free credits and no card: use them to check the recognition suits you before subscribing. If you no longer want to be charged, cancel: it is self-serve and takes two clicks. Full terms at /refunds.