Noctie FAQ
Short, direct answers to the questions people ask before trying it: price and trial, legitimacy and safety, how strong the AI is, how its ranks map to Elo, and how it differs from an engine. Each answer starts with the answer.
Questions and answers
Is the app free?
Partly. The rating test — a calibration game — is free with no trial or subscription. The full app is not free: every plan starts with a free 7-day trial with full access, then costs €14/month or €8/month billed yearly. There is no permanent free version anymore.
Is Noctie AI legit?
Yes. Noctie is made by Noctie AB, a company in Sweden that has been building it since 2021. It has 100,000+ learners on web, iOS and Android, 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store (606 ratings), 10K+ downloads on Google Play, and a public roadmap. Payments on the web run through Lemon Squeezy; on mobile through Apple and Google.
Is Noctie AI safe?
Yes. You play in the browser or in the official App Store / Google Play apps; there is no software to sideload and no official APK. Card details are handled by the payment providers, not by Noctie. Only download the app from the official stores — third-party “APK” sites are not Noctie.
What does Noctie mean?
The logo is an owl, and the name reads like nox, noctis — Latin for night: the night bird that sees clearly in the dark. It fits a coach that watches your moves and shows you what you missed.
How strong is Noctie?
Noctie can emulate human playing strength from advanced beginner to super-GM level (about 2800 Elo). It isn't designed to be the strongest engine, but the most realistic and fun AI to play against — and it adapts to your level game by game.
Noctie Elo: how do Noctie's levels compare to ratings?
Roughly, relative to Chess.com online blitz: Pawn 1–5 ≈ 400–800, Knight 1–5 ≈ 900–1300, Bishop 1–5 ≈ 1400–1800, Rook 1–5 ≈ 1900–2300, Queen 1–5 ≈ 2400–2800. Rating systems don't line up exactly, so treat it as a guide.
Can beginners use it?
Yes, with a caveat: the AI plays at advanced-beginner strength and up, so a total beginner will have some tough games at first — and a real reason to celebrate the first win. The relaxed pace, positions you can play out without the pressure of a clock, and instant feedback make it a good place to learn without stress.
How is it different from Stockfish?
Stockfish finds the objectively best move by calculating millions of positions; this AI picks moves from humanlike intuition learned from over a billion human games. That means natural mistakes on both sides, instructive games, and move grades based on how good a move looks to a human rather than on engine evaluation.
How does the color feedback work?
As soon as you move, the AI grades it from Blunder to Excellent (seven levels) based on how it looks from a human perspective. Purple = Excellent, blue = Great, dark green = Good, light green = OK, brown = Dubious, orange = Mistake, red = Blunder.
What are flashcards?
Chess puzzles you practice repeatedly until they stick. After each game the app generates flashcards from your biggest mistakes; the daily puzzle and puzzle collections are flashcards too. Your queue uses spaced repetition to bring back the ones that need practice most.
How do I log in?
There is no password. Sign in with a 6-digit code sent to your e-mail, with Google, or with Apple; the first sign-in creates your account. The same account works on the web app and in the iOS and Android apps.
Which devices does my plan cover?
One account works everywhere: web, iOS and Android. Games, flashcards and progress stay in sync.
How do I cancel?
Cancel anytime. Web subscriptions are managed from your account (billing runs through Lemon Squeezy); iOS and Android subscriptions are canceled through your App Store or Google Play subscription settings. You keep access until the end of the period you've paid for.
Still have a question?
The help center covers setup, training and billing step by step; the official Discord (see contact) is the fastest way to reach the team.