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Gift FAQ

Curious about gifting or receiving a Chess.com Premium subscription? This guide has all the answers to your questions—start here!

Updated today

Gift memberships on Chess.com

Know a chess enthusiast who would love full access to the world’s top chess site? Gift them a Chess.com premium membership! Explore the benefits of each subscription tier and gift a membership using the button below.

Here are the most frequently asked questions when purchasing and receiving a gift membership:

  • What premium plans can I give as a gift?

You can choose from any of our membership plans—Gold, Platinum, or Diamond—for either 1 month or 1 year.

See here all the benefits each membership tier offers: What does each level of premium membership get me?


  • Will gifts renew?

No, gift purchases are one-time only and do not renew.


  • Can I purchase a gift to be delivered on a future date?

Yes! You can choose to have your gift membership delivered up to 90 days after the purchase date. Just select the desired delivery date when prompted.


  • Can I give a gift to someone who does not already have a Chess.com account?

Absolutely! Just enter the email address of your gift recipient.

To use the gift, they'll need to create a Chess.com account with the same email address you used to send the gift.

Check out this article to learn how to create a Chess.com account: How do I create an account?


  • How will the recipient know they've received a gift?

Once you've purchased a gift, the recipient will receive an email notification from Chess.com on the delivery date you selected during purchase.


  • Why is the gift price sometimes different from the membership price?

Gift prices are set based on the default Global price and are not influenced by your location. While your own membership price may vary depending on where you live, gift memberships are charged at the same price for all members worldwide.


  • What happens if the gift recipient already has a membership?

If your friend is already a premium member when you gift them a membership, their current membership will temporarily pause, and your gift membership will begin immediately.

For instance, if they have a 1-year Gold membership and you gift them a 1-month Diamond membership, their Gold membership will pause for the duration of the Diamond membership. After the Diamond membership expires, their Gold membership will resume as usual.


  • What happens if I cancel a gift subscription?

Canceling your subscription during the gifted period will end the gift and revert to your previous membership.

Learn here how to cancel a Chess.com membership: How can I cancel my membership?


  • Can I stop my subscription's auto-renewal if I received a gifted membership?

If you wish to cancel your subscription while you have a gift active, you will need to cancel your gift subscription first before canceling your paid subscription.

Check out this article to learn more about upgrading/downgrading and canceling a membership: How can I update my membership?


  • Can I use my gift subscription toward an upgrade?

Gift subscriptions can not be used as credit, and if your current subscription is a gift subscription you will not be discounted for your upgrade.


  • Why does it say my intended gift recipient is not eligible for gifts?

If your intended recipient already has a subscription purchased through the Apple or Google app stores, or via PayPal, we're unable to pause or modify those subscriptions. You'll need to wait until their current subscription expires before you can send them a gift.

This also applies to individuals currently on free trials. They won't be eligible for a gift until their trial period ends.

 Please see our full Gift Membership Service Policy for any other questions or concerns.

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