Table Of Contents
- Free Online Poker Sites
- Online Poker Sites Free Play
- Top Free Online Poker Sites
- Free Online Poker Sites Downloads
Is the biggest online poker site. That sentence alone should tell you that it is hard to go wrong with PokerStars. At PokerStars, you get the full package, playable on any device, tons of tournaments and an excellent first deposit bonus. Every online gambler deserves a safe and fair place to play. Our mission at Gambling.com is to create a safe online environment for players through free, impartial and independent reviews of Canada's best online gambling companies so that you can play with confidence and security.
Who said free poker games are boring? From freeroll tournaments to mobile poker apps, there are a lot of ways for you to play poker online for free and enjoy it!
Get a glimpse of the best free poker sites as we get into 2020 and be prepared: the cards will soon be in the air!
Finding a reliable place to play free online poker can be an overwhelming task, especially if you are looking for some fun and you don't want to spend anything.
In case you are new to the poker scene, several online poker rooms offer these types of free poker games with no registration.
The best and most realistic of all free poker sites is the WSOP Poker app.
The World's #1 Free Poker App!Play free poker games and tournaments to win a WSOP bracelet!
Free Online Poker Sites
Use the MASSIVE no deposit bonus to get started and grind your way to the top. Now accepts US Players!
Play NowThat's where you find the best free online poker games with fake money to play with other poker players from all over the world and engage in exciting Texas Holdem Poker and Omaha ring games and tournaments.
Playing on these play money poker sites helps you understand how poker works and how to use the right strategy to beat your opponents.
Many players started playing online poker from the free games. That's because playing free poker online you can develop your poker skills and learn the ins and outs of popular games like Texas Hold'em and Omaha poker before you decide to play for real money.
Think of Anette Obrestad.
Once poker wunderkind, Obrestad started playing online poker for free — and then, one freeroll tournament after the other, she built the insane bankroll that helped finance games and tournaments for real money.
Use the free poker games online to become a better player.
The best online, free poker sites are essential to get some free poker practice. How else could you try our proven poker tips without risking a single cent of your bankroll?
In this article, you find all your best option to play free online poker in 2020.
All these sites have options to play free online poker games with fake money and help hone your poker skills with some good poker practice.
All the site in the list offer mobile poker apps or platforms, so you can play with other poker players on desktop, Android, and iOS.
The mobile poker apps feature the same games and tournaments you find on the desktop versions. Some (like the World Series of Poker (WSOP) app, Zynga Poker, and the World Poker Tour (WPT) Poker app) do not offer options to play for real money.
Others (like PokerStars, PartyPoker, and 888Poker) combine free poker games and tournaments with real money ones - so you can have an authentic 'full poker experience' always playing on the same website.
So, are you ready to start playing some poker? Join tens of thousands of other poker players on these exciting websites, claim all the poker bonuses available right now, and get busy with your first poker hand.
Best Free Poker Sites
Need more information to choose where to play some good free Texas Hold'em, Omaha, and stud games online? Check out the description of all the free poker sites and don't forget you can read even more about them on the reviews published on our list of the top online poker sites.
WSOP Poker
The World Series of Poker (WSOP) Social Poker site is the best free-to-play poker sites in the world. This poker site and mobile poker app comes from the kitchens of Playtika, the same social Casino giant that came up with uber-successful apps like Slotomania and House of Fun.
WSOP Poker is the only option to play no-limit hold'em and pot-limit Omaha cash games against friends, family, and opponents from all around the world.
US players can play online poker games on the WSOP free mobile poker app.
Compared to other free poker sites, WSOP Poker hosts some massive games and tournaments where you compete for awesome prizes, including virtual WSOP bracelets.
Link the WSOP free poker app to your Facebook account to challenge your friends and brag to them when you beat them in a big pot or major free poker tournament.
The WSOP poker app offers the best free poker games online. It is a superb place to practise poker for free and hone your skills without any financial risk to your bankroll.
Play free poker games on WSOP Poker:iTunes, Google Play, and Desktop; free.
PokerStars
If you already play poker, you know about PokerStars already.
PokerStars is like a mecca for Poker. It is:
- The largest online poker site in the world
- The host of the most successful online poker series
- The only real money PA poker site in 2019
PokerStars is also known for providing great free poker games online — although this isn't a 100% free poker site like the one that operates under the World Series of Poker brand.
This online poker site is known for the breadth of poker games and tournament formats that you can get accustomed to if you're starting and learning to play online.
Playing free poker games on PokerStars is simple:
- Register a gaming account (it's free)
- Select the 'Play Money' option.
From there, you are good to go. Ready to take on the world.
Pro tip: when you run out of chips, you can top up by taking a seat at a ring game table. That way, you can continue with your free poker games.
PokerStars Team ProBarry Greenstein joins the action of free Texas hold'em games on PokerStars very often.
As an American player, Greenstein can't play real money poker in the US. So he often shows up at the play-money tables over at PokerStars.
To play free poker games with Barry Greenstein, you'll need to work yourself up to the highest play-money stakes and grow a bankroll able to survive those limits.
Play free poker games on PokerStars:iTunes, Google Play, and Desktop; free.
888poker
888poker is another behemoth in the poker scene. They too offer both real-money and free poker games.
The free poker practice mode helps you familiarise yourself with the poker rules and learn how to avoid all the most common mistakes beginners make.
To play free poker games on 888poker:
- Register a gaming account (it's free)
- Head to the 888poker Practice Play Lobby
If you qualify for their welcome bonus, you can also play free online poker games to win real money.
Just for registering with 888poker, you get a free $8 instant bonus to play free poker games and an additional $80 free bonus as you collect status points.
888poker is where you get non-stop cash games, giving you the ultimate freedom to decide when and for how long you want to play poker online.
With the number of players who have signed up for 888, free games for play money are always on offer. You never have to wait long to play a play money cash game or free poker tournament.
And, when you're finally ready to stretch into real-money games, you can take your first deposit, get 888poker to double it, and gain entry into nine free tournaments.
Play free poker games on 888poker:iTunes, Google Play, and Desktop; free.
partypoker
Partypoker also allows you to play online poker free and for real money. These games allow you to explore your ability, strategy, and luck.
If you're serious about playing, you can jump right into a free game in the 'Play Money' tab or even go to the free poker school to learn about how to play online.
New players can receive a money bonus for when they decide to step up their game and try real-money poker.
On Partypoker, you can track your progress, take free poker missions for rewards, and grab free poker promotions for a wide variety of prizes and tournament offerings.
Like on 888poker and PokerStars, there are plenty of players on the free partypoker client, so you should never be bored. Free poker awaits!
Play free poker games on Partypoker:iTunes, Google Play, and Desktop; free.
Full Tilt Poker
Full Tilt Poker is still a force to be reckoned with.
While it's not the poker site it once was, you can still play on your favourite software against players from all over the world.
Full Tilt now uses the poker platform of PokerStars, but the avatars and other perks of the site are still alive and kicking.
Playing free poker on Full Tilt is as easy as it can be.
Like the other sites, they offer play money games so you can give poker a try without risking any of your hard-earned money.
Go ahead and give the play money games a try; it's a lot of fun.
- Register a gaming account (it's free)
- Choose your free poker games and play
Like almost all the other real money free poker sites on this page, Full Tilt gives you the option to transition to real money play — if you want to.
You can do so by making a deposit and choosing any of the real money games on the platform, or by going for one of the many freeroll tournaments available.
Don't you know what a freeroll tournament is? Great. You just qualified for the next chapter of this free poker guide.
Play free poker games on Full Tilt Poker:iTunes, Google Play, and Desktop; free.
Free Poker vs Freeroll
Freeroll tournaments are online multiplayer events that cost nothing to enter.
The difference between these free games and the ones with play money is that these are the event where you can win real money.
No other free poker event let you win real money for free. That's why freeroll poker tournaments are hugely popular with beginners.
Play is often reckless on these free poker events, so you have to be patient and smart about it.
Free Online Poker FAQ
What is the best free online poker site?
According to our latest survey and market data, the best all-free online poker site is the World Series of Poker mobile poker app. In terms of hybrid sites (those where you can choose to free and real money poker games), the world's best poker site in 2020 is still PokerStars.
Can you play poker online for free?
You can play free poker games in various forms. You can use a no deposit bonus to play real money games and tournaments (e.g. the one at 888poker), open an account on a hybrid site to combine play money and real money games (e.g. PokerStars), enter a freeroll tournament, or download a free mobile poker (e.g. WSOP Poker).
In what states can you play online poker?
As of January 2020, the only states where you can play online poker in the United States for real money are Nevada, Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.
To know what operators offer legal online poker games in these states, check our pages dedicated to PA Poker Sites and NJ Poker Sites. Also, you can follow the legislative process and know when more states are likely to regulate online poker via our US Poker Map.
The WSOP Poker app is legal in all US states.
Additional Readings
- PokerStars freeroll events (PokerNews-exclusive): full list of online, free poker tournaments available only to the readers of PokerNews.com.
- The best poker app in 2020: a complete overview of the top free poker apps available today with tips to play the best games of Texas hold'em, Omaha, and more.
- Best online poker sites in 2020: all the top websites to play online poker in 2019, ranked from the most beginner-friendly to the hardest ones.
Online Poker Sites Free Play
This article was originally published on Feb. 17, 2017. Last update: November 28, 2019.
Everybody needs an account at one of these online poker rooms! They're the biggest, the best, and we get you the best poker bonuses. Check out our online poker section for details on all the online poker rooms around.
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Texas Hold’em continues to be the most popular form of poker on the planet.
The ease of learning the game has made it one that can be enjoyed by rank
amateurs and professionals alike. However, when the mobile gambling industry
took shape, it was clear that there was going to be yet another poker boom.
Texas Hold’em apps are plentiful in the app stores of Google and Apple.
However, with so many to choose from, players may not know what attributes to
look for when selecting one for play. We have put his page together with the
hopes of informing our readers, which in turn should make choosing an app to
download easier.
The Best Texas Hold’em Apps
We know that many of you are well versed in online poker,
so you may not want to read more about the game itself. That’s why we don’t waste any time on this
page. Below, you will find a list of the best Texas hold’em apps – these are
taken straight from our comprehensive site reviews. These apps come from
reputable owners and have excellent game selection and the kinds of promotional
offers we expect to keep players at the site longer. You will enjoy any of
these, and all you have to do is click on one of the links, and you will be
taken to the download page.
What We Look for in a Texas Hold’em App
While there aren’t nearly as many Texas hold’em apps as there are casino apps
in the app stores, there are still enough that you can find many different
levels of quality. When we review an app, we make sure that the owners of the
site have an excellent track record, as well as looking at each app to see if it
meets our standards. The criteria we use for rating apps is pretty extensive,
but here are some examples of the things we look for so that you have an idea of
how we come up with our rankings.
Available Cash Games
When we review an app, the first thing we look for is the number of cash
tables that are available and the stakes levels within. The best apps are those
that can cater to both the novice and advanced player. Some sites limit how many
tables are shown on their apps, which means players may not be able to find the
right game to play. If a site wants a top rating for its Texas hold’em app, then
it should offer as many cash game tables as possible.
Tournament Schedule
Our team of experts looks for the same level of commitment when reviewing the
tournaments that are available on a Texas hold’em app. From Sit and Go events to
satellites for land-based tournaments, we want to see a good mix of tournaments
at all the various price points. Again, some sites restrict access to
tournaments when players are using mobile devices, and while this can be for a
multitude of reasons, we still expect there to be an event starting soon for a
player at every main buy-in level.
Multi-Table Ability
This won’t affect many of you who are reading this, but many players like to
play multiple tables at one time. This type of play allows you to see way more
hands per hour, and while it takes a certain type of brain to be able to ingest
this much information, there is some value in playing more than one table at
once. The best Texas hold’em apps not only offer the ability to multi-table but
do so in an intuitive manner so that players aren’t confused and don’t miss
their turn at a particular table.
Freerolls
The freeroll is one of the most popular ways to reward players at a Texas
hold’em site, so we want to see as many of these as possible in the app version
of the game. These events can offer varying levels of prizes, but also the skill
level in these events tends to be lower, so a strong player will find extra
value in playing them. Freerolls should be easy to spot in the lobby of a Texas
hold’em app, and players should be able to enter as many as they can find.
Other Bonuses
Aside from freerolls, poker sites offer many different types of bonuses. The
most common of these is rakeback – a rebate on the fees you are paying to the
site in tournaments and cash games. We expect these offers to be extended to
players who use the app, and this type of money is important when calculating
the overall profit that you are making on a site. Rakeback can be significant if
you play a lot of cash games, so check each review to see which apps offer the
highest percentages.
Customer Service
While the game itself is straightforward, there are typically a lot of
questions that arise from playing Texas hold’em online. The apps that we rate
the highest are the ones that offer the most real-time points of contact, and
there are bonus marks given if these are available directly in the app. From
social media to live chat and telephone, sites need to be in touch with players
more than ever, so look for sites that give you access to their agents with the
least amount of hassle.
Why Would You Use a Texas Hold’em App?
Players have been playing poker online for almost 20 years, and before mobile
devices, the biggest complaint was the amount of sitting in one spot faced by a
player who went deep into a tournament. This problem was alleviated with the
introduction of the Texas hold’em app. Now, a player can get up and move around
their house, finding more comfortable spots to play than sitting in front of the
PC. This kind of convenience also means that players won’t have to miss hands to
deal with other tasks during an event, which is very important when you realize
that some tournaments could take 12 hours or longer to complete.
The other reason why Texas hold’em apps are so popular is that you simply do
not need a PC to access games anymore. For players in developing countries who
are more likely to have a mobile phone than a computer, this opens the door to
millions of new players. These players are very attractive to the operators, so
we expect to see many more mobile-only promotions and bonuses launched in the
coming months and years.
Top Free Online Poker Sites
Conclusion
Even with all the pressure the industry has faced over the last decade, Texas
hold’em continues to flourish both online and in land-based environments. We
believe that the future is very bright for poker, and the introduction of mobile
apps is one reason why we are so optimistic. As the technology improves, so will
Texas hold’em apps being used to access huge tournaments and cash games. This
may include different delivery methods like AR (augmented reality) and VR
(virtual reality), but the rules of the game which make it so popular are not
likely to change.
Frequently Asked Questions
Free Online Poker Sites Downloads
I Feel like Someone Is Cheating Me. Could That Be Happening?
Many players feel like the game is rigged, especially when they are playing
online. We can assure you that it isn’t in the site’s best interests to rig the
deck – after all, the game is not a house vs. player model. While there have
been some scandals in the past, the bottom line is that the best apps put every
measure in place to ensure that players cannot find ways to cheat others at the
table. This includes restricting access to some major tournaments from mobile
devices, which is why you won’t see them in the apps you are playing on.
Which Is Better: Using a Phone or a Tablet?
This is really a matter of personal preference. Most sites don’t have
multi-tabling set up for phones in a way that you can see more than one table at
once, while if you are playing on the mobile browser version of a site on your
tablet, this may be the case. From our perspective, the value in Texas hold’em
apps is in the convenience of mobility, regardless of what device you are using.
What About Social Poker Apps? How Do They Fit into the Equation?
Companies like Zynga burst onto the scene a decade ago with a version of
Texas hold’em that the online gambling world couldn’t quite believe. Social
poker apps allow you to play cards just like you would at any other app, but
with the option of buying chips to enter major events. However, there is no
mechanism to cash out any chips for real currency, so the money you are spending
is for entertainment purposes only. Zynga’s financials have shown the success of
social poker, but if you are looking to play and win real money, then you should
stay away and focus on one of the apps we have recommended on this page.
I Seem to Do Really Well at Play Money Poker but Not at Real Money. Why Is That?
We hear this a lot from our readers. After great runs on the play money
tables, they head to a real money tournament and get their asses handed to them.
The main reason for this is the style of play at the play money tables. With no
skin in the game, players at these tables are reckless, so the range of hands
being played is far wider than at a real money table. Even if you are playing
smart yourself, the percentage of players who are not is so much higher in the
play money game that it can lead to a false positive. Think of it this way: less
than 15% of all poker players are profitable, so you need to bear that in mind
when you start to play for real cash.
Why Can’t I Find Any Real Money Texas Hold’Em Apps to Download?
This is simple: real money gambling apps are still not permitted in regions
where online gambling is not legal. Apple and Google have always had a very
conservative approach to gambling on their platforms, and while they have warmed
up to the concept of approving real-money Texas Hold’em apps over the years,
countries like the US are still shut out due to the government’s position on
online gaming. If you are a player in one of these regions and want to use your
mobile device to play poker, then we suggest you use the mobile browser version
of the sites. Our review pages go into great detail about the compatibility of
these sites for all sorts of mobile devices.