#4-2025 Chess.com: A Million-Dollar Business Built on Chess
THE ORIGINAL STORY
Our vetted business idea of the week
Chess.com: A Million-Dollar Business Built on Chess
Today, we’re diving into a niche website that built its fortune around a dedicated community and a single passion: chess! ♟️
🎯 Over time, Chess.com evolved from a simple online chess-playing site into a powerhouse offering interactive lessons, puzzles, AI-powered game analysis, and tournaments. It operates on a freemium model, where players can access essential features for free or upgrade to premium for exclusive advantages.
🔥 Founded in 2007, the platform saw explosive growth, surpassing 100 million registered users. Events like PogChamps, featuring influencers and popular streamers, made chess go viral, attracting millions of new players.
💰 This growth has translated into massive revenue figures: in 2022, Chess.com generated over $100 million. What’s the secret?
· Premium subscriptions unlocking advanced features.
· Advertising and sponsorships with top tech and gaming brands.
· Merchandising and online courses sold directly on the platform.
💡 Key Takeaways from This Success Story
🔹 Chess is a niche market—it’s not a new trend, but it never goes out of style. Finding similar niches is gold because, while they may not have exponential market growth, they offer stable demand.
🔹 They started simple—initially just offering a place to play, and as the community grew, they introduced new revenue streams.
🔹 Community engagement fuels growth—by leveraging influencers and digital events, Chess.com managed to make an old game feel fresh and exciting.
🔹 Diversification is key—rather than relying solely on ads, they built a multi-revenue model including premium content, merchandise, and learning resources.
🚀 What other niche markets could follow this model? Think about classic hobbies that stand the test of time—could you build a thriving business around one? 😉
THE SIDES
Other ideas worth to share
Stasera in TV is a website providing an updated 📺 TV guide for Italian channels, helping users quickly find what's on tonight. It’s a great side business idea due to high organic traffic 🚀, ad and affiliate monetization 💰, and low maintenance once automated ⚙️. The site can expand with reviews ⭐, streaming integrations 🎬, or a premium ad-free version. With strong SEO and user experience, it can become a stable passive income source 🔥