I should have commented before now. I did do the upgrade. For the extra tourneys alone, it's worth it! Since I've been doing the tactics training daily, my rating...it's not where I want it to be, but I'm feeling progress.

The phone app is badass. This site keeps getting better.

Oh yeah, it's wonderful not having all those stupid ads too!!

Thank you guys for your time replying. :)

An upgraded membership is nice, but not essential.  If you are really broke you can scape by on a basic membership, but but if can afford it then do so. I don't know the specific of your situation: like just how your finances are or how much you want the extra features, so it is up to you.

I can certainly understand the concerns of being on a low budget.  I upgraded gradually as I became more able to support the site, merely due to appreciating my experiences with chess.com and those who associate with the site.  As a "Diamond" contributor, I don't use the various options available to upgrade my game as I have created my own technique for improving my chess.  I really don't have the time to use all of the available options.  A graduated fee policy to avoid ads and to support the site staff, in my opinion, is perfectly understandable and a good idea.

Just a thought to bat around -- perhaps it would be feasible for chess.com to offer reduced upgrade rates for chess teachers who demonstrate their ability to play above 2000 or a rating that would be normally expected of chess teachers.  

Perhaps it would be possible to offer membership discounts or ad-free play based on member points obtained through contributing text, teaching, rating, or tournament achievement [e.g. upgrade (for a year) as an award for winning a certain number of online tournaments or, again, based on member points.]  Discounts could also be issued for tournament directors as a reward for their effort.

I have a lot of respect for those individuals who have a gifted talent for chess and who devote their lives to promoting the game -- sustaining excellence toward its management.  Those who play and teach professionally may need a side job to help support their habit or need to begin writing chess books.  This is the case for aspiring actors and actresses, so this concept of side work shouldn't come as a surprise to chess enthusiasts.  If a player is severly handicapped, then that's especially where an incentive program could prove extremely beneficial. A handicapped person who can devote their life toward improving and promoting chess would a great asset toward the preservation of the game-sport.

This is a good question. I am also on an extremely tight budget. While I teach chess for a living and am blessed to have this as my occupation, I don't make a lot of money doing it. Therefore, I have to watch every penny. Even bumping up to a paid membership, which isn't that much, would still put a dent in an already relatively empty wallet. I know that you have it tougher than I do so I understand your dilemma. As for the advantages, my browser, Firefox/Mozilla, blocks the majority of the ads so that's not a problem.

However, there are other advantages such as the training videos, tactics trainer, etc. Because I teach chess, I have a great collection of training software that I use so I don't really need the training material from chess.com. On the flipside, because I like this site so much and have made many good friends here, I will upgrade my membership when I can afford it.

Let me know if you need anything in the way of books, etc and I'll send you some stuff. I have roughly 1,700 chess books in PDF format and most of those can be emailed. Just send me a message and we'll exchange emails. etc. I hope all is well with you these days. Let me know what you've been up to...Hugh

I started life here with just a basic account then upgraded it to a gold membership. Since then I have upgraded to a platinum membership and I have to say YES its a LOT faster. Plus its not just the ads but its all the other features that I (personally) use.

I have to say that for me its a great way to support the site AND get some pretty nifty features :)

chess.com is a wonderful site, and there are plenty of nice features that one would no doubt want to consider upgrading their membership for, but not avoiding ads.

Browsers have ways to block ads and the frames they appear in. For example, Firefox has an excellent add-on called AdBlock Plus. I haven't seen a single ad on this site in years.

Which browser do you use?