membership

Yes, I am back. Asking more questions about the membership here on chess.com. I think this may help other people as well so I'm just going to list a few questions I have. 

Are there any free tactics trainers out there? It seems that there would be something that i can sign up for for free on a different site that still tracks my progress and gives me problems relative to my skill level. Paying that much a year seems pretty steep for something that seems relatively simple.

Also, is there a free version for computer analysis? basically the same reason I asked the last question. Is chess.coms computer analysis any good? middle of the pack? down right terrible?

lastly (i think), chess mentor seems really cool from the free trial i tried. Are there any other programs out there that are like this? I feel like $100 a year is somewhat reasonable for all this stuff, but it seems that all of it could be boughten seperately for a lot cheaper or even free. If I buy a program for $100 it will last me forever.... not just one year.

Thanks a bunch!

I think the best way to describe chess.com's computer analysis is "entertaining".  The strength of the analysis you get depends on your level of membership.  As a platinum member, I think I supposedly get "2500" strength, but I don't put much stock in it.  For instance, it sometimes shows a projected "best" line and then if the next move you made was actually the move it rated most highly, it dings you and says some other move was better.  It can be useful for going through a game quickly and identifying major turning points and blunders, but that's about it.  If you want serious analysis of lines, you're much better off doing your own with an engine.

I find the Chess Mentor to be worth the price of admission, but maybe that's just me. I haven't explored the video lessons yet, but I will soon. As for alternatives to that, I know The Chessmaster program has a similar teaching method, beginner (this is a Pawn, it moves like this) to expert lessons in interactive form from Pandolfini, Seriwan, and Waitzkin. I think there are a couple of other ones that do also, but the names escape me at the moment. I may not always pay for the Platinum Membership, but, for now, it's worth it to me. (I'm going monthly until I decide for certain.)

Aschar, note that he likely meant to refer to the Diamond membership, which is the level required for access to Chess Mentor and Video Lessons.

For your first question, there is a free tactic trainer like the one on chess.com. The site is chesstempo.com. But I like chess.com's tactic trainer.

I dont really know chess.coms analyzer, im just using chessbase 11 and fritz/houdini for analyzing, so I have no idea. I dont think youll get an analyzer free, hard to use it anyway.

And the mentor is really cool, and I havent seen anything like it, and im pretty sure there is no program like that.

And dont forget the video lessons they are really awesome!

All in all I think there is no question wether chess.com is worth paying for, buying diamond will be the best money you ever spent. So cheap compared to what youll get.

Thanks for the replies. I have tried chess tempo, but without signing up you get random level problems. Some well above me and some that are way too easy. When you do sign up, you only get so many a day for free, just like here on chess.com. I just got reasses your chess and silmans complete endgame course, do you guys think I should concentrate on those for awhile soley? or maybe se both in conjunction? 

You are correct. I did mean Diamond and not Platinum. :)