AI Sensei

More ways to review your Go games with AI than ever before. Free tools, paid tools. Desktop apps that need a GPU, cloud tools that run in your browser. Some just show you the AI's opinion. Others help you learn from it.

This guide covers the main options in 2026: what each does well, where it falls short, and how to choose.

The Big Picture

Go analysis tools generally fall into two categories:

Desktop apps run KataGo on your own computer. These are free but require a GPU and some setup.

Cloud-based tools that run the AI on remote servers. These work on any device with no setup required.

Both use the same AI technology. The difference is where the computation happens and what the interface does with the results.

KaTrain (Free, Desktop)

What it is: Open-source desktop app that runs KataGo locally with a teaching-oriented interface.

What's good:

• Completely free
• Teaching mode pauses the game when you make a big mistake during AI play
• Highly customizable: adjust AI strength, analysis depth, board display
• Active open-source community

What's less good:

• Requires local installation and a decent GPU
• Desktop only, no mobile, no tablet
• No community features or game sharing
• Setup can be intimidating for non-technical users

Best for: Tech-comfortable players who have a GPU and want free, deep analysis on their desktop.

Lizzie (Free, Desktop)

What it is: Lightweight desktop frontend for KataGo and Leela Zero. One of the original tools that made AI analysis accessible.

What's good:

• Free and open-source
• Clean visualization of AI suggestions and win rate
• Supports both KataGo and Leela Zero engines
• Partial Japanese and Chinese UI support

What's less good:

• Requires GPU and local installation
• Desktop only
• No learning features, purely an analysis viewer
• Can be tricky to set up for beginners

Best for: Players who want a simple, free analysis viewer and already have KataGo set up.

Sabaki (Free, Desktop)

What it is: Modern SGF editor that can connect to external AI engines for analysis.

What's good:

• Clean, modern interface
• Good SGF editing tools
• Can connect to KataGo or other engines

What's less good:

• Requires external engine setup, doesn't include AI out of the box
• Desktop only
• English only
• More of an editor than an analysis tool

Best for: Players who want a nice SGF editor with optional AI analysis on the side.

BadukPop (Freemium, Web + Mobile)

What it is: Go learning platform focused on gamified study and AI opponents.

What's good:

• Mobile-first with iOS and Android apps
• AI opponents from 20 kyu to 7 dan
• Gamified learning approach

What's less good:

• Limited post-game analysis depth
• More focused on playing against AI than reviewing your own games
• No multi-server import support

Best for: Casual players who want a fun, mobile-first way to practice against AI opponents.

AI Sensei (Freemium, Web + Android)

What it is: Cloud-based Go analysis platform focused on learning from your games. Uses KataGo for analysis with an interface designed to highlight what matters.

What's good:

• Works in any browser without installation or GPU.
• Training Mode lets you save key positions from your games and practice them with smart scheduling (like flashcards for Go). No other tool has this.
• Imports from all major servers: Pandanet (one-click integration), Tygem (.gib), WBaduk (.ngf), OGS (.sgf), and more
• Community features: share games and discuss positions with other players
• Humanlike bots from 30 kyu to 9 dan across all board sizes
• Japanese and Korean site localization
• Android app available

What's less good:

• No iOS app yet (in development)
• Free analysis is strong but may occasionally misread complex positions. Paid plans are available if you want progressively deeper and more precise reading.

Best for: Players at any level who want to learn from their games. All features are free, including Training Mode, Quiz Mode, Challenge Mode, and game imports. Paid plans upgrade the analysis engine for stronger reading. Especially useful if you play on multiple servers or prefer mobile/tablet review.

Quick Comparison

So Which One Should You Use?

If you have a GPU and like tinkering: Start with KaTrain. It's free, powerful, and the teaching mode is genuinely useful. Lizzie is a good lightweight alternative.

If you want zero setup: AI Sensei. Open your browser, upload a game, done. The free tier is strong enough to find your biggest mistakes.

If you play on Asian servers: AI Sensei is the only tool that natively imports Pandanet, Tygem, and WBaduk files without conversion.

If you want to practice, not just review: AI Sensei's Training Mode is unique. No other tool turns your game positions into a practice system.

If you're on a budget: KaTrain (if you have a GPU) or AI Sensei's free tier (if you don't). Both give superhuman analysis at no cost.

If you want everything on your phone: AI Sensei or BadukPop. Both work on mobile: AI Sensei for analysis depth, BadukPop for casual AI play.

Many serious players use more than one tool. KaTrain for deep desktop analysis, AI Sensei for quick mobile review and training. They serve different moments in your study routine.

The Bottom Line

The best tool is the one you'll actually use. A free tool sitting unused on your desktop doesn't help. A paid subscription you review games with every week does.

Pick one, upload a game, start reviewing. That's where improvement begins.

Disclosure: This article is published on AI Sensei's blog. We've tried to be fair and accurate about all tools mentioned. If you spot an error, let us know at info@ai-sensei.com.