Freeciv-web vs Lichess

A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted game servers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.

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FeatureFreeciv-webLichess
CategoryGame ServersGame Servers
LicenseAGPL-3.0AGPL-3.0
LanguageJavaScriptScala
Setup difficultyHardHard
Min. RAM2,048 MB4,096 MB
Deploymentdocker, sourcedocker, source
GitHub stars★ 2,183★ 18,557
First released20072010
ReplacesCivilizationChess.com

Why pick each one

Choose Freeciv-web if…

  • No client install needed
  • Classic 4X gameplay
Freeciv-web details

Choose Lichess if…

  • Full-featured chess platform
  • Completely ad-free
Lichess details

Frequently asked questions

Is Freeciv-web or Lichess better?

Neither is universally better. Lichess has the larger community; both share a hard setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.

Are Freeciv-web and Lichess free and open-source?

Yes. Freeciv-web is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Lichess under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run Freeciv-web and Lichess with Docker?

Freeciv-web: yes. Lichess: yes.

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