Fritz 14, Houdini 4, or Komodo 8 ?

use Stockfish 5 it's free

https://stockfishchess.org/

I agree with NotAfraid

Use one of the cheaper Fritz versions and download the free Stockfish 5 into it. Stockfish 5 is as good as Komodo 8 and Houdini 4 in my opinion. I have Stockfish 5 and Komodo 8 and they often agree with each other. NotAfraid provided you with the Stockfish 5 link. 

Don't buy Syzygy tablebases when they're available for free. http://oics.olympuschess.com/tracker/index.php

You mean the one at TCEC7 finals? That engine sucked. It was so buggy and incredibly inaccurate, with lots of miscalculations. Stockfish 5 might be even better.

maybeeee. but...development versions are....development versions

no. that is SF 141214 you referenced.

the version i use is SF 221214, i regurally give matches between this engine with SF 5 and Houdini 4,  SF 221214 is clearly better.

(i dont have komodo8, but if i assume its elo is +30 than houdini4, then SF 221214 is stronger than komodo8 also.)

...

SF 221214 supports Syzygy tablebase!

...

SF development versions could be found here:

http://abrok.eu/stockfish/

but one thing have to be noticed: the latests are not the strongests! because some fixes can slow down.

http://www.computerchess.org.uk/ccrl/404/

Once you learn to use the Fritz GUI, you will laugh at all those who advocate free software. OTOH, once you buy a commercial engine and install the latest stable version of Stockfish, you'll find that it didn't matter whether you bought Komodo or Fritz or Houdini or Rybka.

What He Said!

OK, Kilo, this is the sort of thing up with which I will not put!  You are showing only the CCRL blitz ratings when Komodo 8 is leading every list at longer time controls, including the 40/40 at CCRL: http://www.computerchess.org.uk/ccrl/4040/

The truth appears to be that Stockfish 5 is slightly stronger at blitz while Komodo is stronger at longer time controls.  In either case, they are so close in strength that it makes little practical difference which is chosen for analysis.

Thank you to everyone who has replied so far, for sharing your thoughts, and valuable information!

As an average player looking for help on which engine would be the "best" option to run in Fritz, to analyze their games with, you all, have been very helpful.

Currently the overwhelming majority, seem to be recommending Stockfish.

Please continue the discussion.

If anyone else is interested in the subject of this thread, there is also an interesting article on this very thing, at https://chessbookreviews.wordpress.com/2014/09/11/choosing-a-chess-engine/

That looks like an advertisement for a book, but it isn't.

please i want to activation fritz 12 and know how to put book to make uci more stronger 

Supposedly Houdini is better for a quick blunder check. Komodo is more positional, and Stockfish plays the endgame better.

If all this is true, then Houdini would be best for a non titled player. Which one is strongest doesn't matter.

Weaker players don't need superior analysis that they can't understand anyway, and especially if it isn't explained. In fact, they don't need anything other than a quick blunder check. If you're not an expert level player, a slight difference in strength won't be noticed. You're going to get totally destroyed in approximately the same fashion by all of the above.

Stockfish 6 is released, The Strongest.

http://www.computerchess.org.uk/ccrl/404/

Komodo is better at most endgames than Stockfish as the latest TCEC showed.  I think a combo of Houdini and Komodo is best, but the free Stockfish works fine for most folks.

Still no SF6 in 40/40.