Best App to Play American Mahjong Online in 2026 (Tested)

For online American Mahjong against other players, I Love Mahj is the long-running choice, with live players, bots and built-in video. For free online play, Mahjong 4 Friends and MahJongg4Fun are strong. Mahj Parlour is the polished paid newcomer, with free lessons. Bam Good Time Mahjong Online (formerly Mahjic Play) is our game: free, with AI opponents, open tables matched by rating, and private tables for friends.

That's the short answer. But the right app for you depends on what kind of online game you want, and these platforms differ more than you'd expect. Prices below were checked on October 6, 2026.

Quick Verdict by Category

What to Look for in Online American Mahjong

Not all online mahjong is created equal. Here's what matters when you choose:

• Player base size: Can you find a game when you want one?
• NMJL card support: Does it use the current year's card? Some apps use older cards or alternate cards.
• Open tables vs. private tables: Do you want to play strangers, or play with your own group?
• Cost: Monthly subscriptions, one-time purchases, or free. The range is wide.
• Platform: Web apps work on any device. Native apps can feel smoother but limit who can join.

Let's look at each platform.

I Love Mahj, The Default for Online Play

Platform: Web (browser-based) | Cost: 2-week free trial, then $6/month or $60/year | NMJL Card: Each year's card, plus its own free I Love Mahj card

If you ask online American Mahjong players what they use, many will say I Love Mahj. It has been the go-to browser game for years, and it keeps adding features.

You log in and play live with other people, against bots at three levels, or a mix. Video calling is built in, so it feels like your group is at the same table. You can create or join groups that play on a regular schedule. A practice mode, an Exercise Room, hand suggestions and detailed stats help you improve, and an in-person organizer helps large groups plan real games.

The trade-off: After the free trial it is $6 a month or $60 a year, with no free tier. And because it is web-based, there is no native app.

Best for: Players who want live games with real people, and groups who want to keep their weekly game going over video.

MahJongg4Fun, Free Online Play with Polish

Platform: Web, iPhone, iPad | Cost: Free to play; optional membership | NMJL Card: 2026, plus The Big Card and The Mahjong Press Card

MahJongg4Fun is a strong free pick for online American Mahjong. It started on the web and now has an iPhone and iPad app too.

Its 3D tile sets stand out, including sets and mats from the designers Miss Mahjong and Bespoke Mahjong. Ranked Match puts you on a global leaderboard, Friendly Match sets up a private table for your group, and Practice mode has a Suggest Hand tool. Voice chat lets you talk while you play.

The trade-off: Some features need a paid membership. Its App Store listing shows memberships from $6.99 but does not say what they include. Its App Store listing also has far fewer ratings than the leaders.

Best for: Players who want a polished online game without paying. If you have a regular group of four and need a place to play together, MahJongg4Fun is hard to beat.

Mahjong 4 Friends, Multi-Variant Flexibility

Platform: Web, iPhone, iPad, Android | Cost: Free with ads; optional upgrades | NMJL Card: 2026, plus the Marvelous card

Mahjong 4 Friends plays more than one style. Along with American Mahjong (NMJL), it plays Chinese, British, Hong Kong and Panama mahjong. That suits players who enjoy more than one style or belong to mixed groups.

It runs on the web, iPhone, iPad and Android, the broadest device coverage on this list. Invite friends to a private room by link or QR code, join an open table, or play bots from Medium up to Superhuman. Suggested hands help newer players. It is free with no paywall for continued play, and its App Store listing shows more than 24,000 ratings.

The trade-off: It shows ads unless you pay to remove them. And because it covers several styles, it is less focused on American players than a dedicated American app.

Best for: Players who want cross-platform flexibility or play more than one style. Great for mixed groups where some members are on Android and others on iPhone.

Mahj Parlour, Lessons and Online Play

Platform: iPhone, iPad | Cost: Lessons and daily games free; full games $6.99/month or $49.99/year after a free trial | NMJL Card: 2026

Mahj Parlour arrived in April 2026 and already shows more than 1,000 App Store ratings, averaging 4.9 stars. It is one of the best-looking American Mahjong games, with hand-illustrated tile sets you unlock by playing.

Host a private table for your group, and a computer player takes any empty seat. Quick Match deals you into a game with another Mahj Parlour player. Solo games come in Easy and Normal, and Suggested Hands shows the lines closest to your tiles. Twelve interactive lessons take you from your first tile to reading the card, and all of them are free.

The trade-off: Full games, online or against bots, need a subscription. It is iPhone and iPad only, though its site says a browser version is coming soon.

Best for: Beginners who want structured lessons, and groups who want a beautiful private table and are happy to pay for it.

Bam Good Time Mahjong Online, AI Opponents and Club Integration

Platform: iPhone and iPad (native) | Cost: Free, no in-app purchases | NMJL Card: Current year

Full disclosure: Bam Good Time Mahjong Online is our app, built by the same team behind Bam Good Time. We're going to be honest about what it does well and where it falls short.

Bam Good Time Mahjong Online is a native iPhone and iPad game with tile art by TravelMahj, smooth animations, and AI opponents that play by NMJL rules. A hand suggestions panel shows the card hands you are closest to and the exact tiles you still need.

You can always start a game right away. Practice against bots at five levels, with no account needed. Sign in free to play online: Open Table matches you with players near your rating, Play with a Friend gives you a private table and a code to share, and bots hold any empty seat so the game always starts.

Where Bam Good Time Mahjong Online connects to something bigger is the club world. If your club uses Bam Good Time for events, Play My Club seats you with your club-mates, and your skill rating follows you to in-person games. Clubs can also run competitive American Mahjong leagues with Bam Good Time, with ELO ratings, live standings, and an open city-wide Scramble ladder. Players can also build a verified rating that follows them from club to club on the Mahjic global leaderboard.

The trade-off: It is the newest game here, with far fewer ratings than the leaders, so its player base is smaller than the long-running sites. And it is iPhone and iPad only, so Android players are out. (Club admins on any device can still run their club from bamgoodtime.com, or on Mac with Bam Good Time Desktop.)

Best for: Players who want a beautiful practice game that costs nothing, club members who already use Bam Good Time, and anyone who wants a polished native app.

Side-by-Side Comparison

How to Choose Based on Your Play Style

"I want to play against real people right now." Go with I Love Mahj if you want video at the table. For a free option, Mahjong 4 Friends has open tables.

"I want free online play with my friends." Mahjong 4 Friends or MahJongg4Fun. Share a link, get four players together, and you're playing in minutes.

"My group uses different devices." Mahjong 4 Friends covers the web, iPhone, iPad and Android. If your group mixes phones and computers, it is the most inclusive option.

"I'm brand new and want to learn first." Mahj Parlour's free lessons are the most structured start.

"I want to practice on my own or with my club." Bam Good Time Mahjong Online gives you instant games against AI and beautiful tile art, for free. If your club uses Bam Good Time, Play My Club makes it a natural fit.

"I want to try everything and decide." Start with Mahjong 4 Friends (free, web) and Bam Good Time Mahjong Online (free, native). If you want more, add I Love Mahj or Mahj Parlour.

Other Apps People Ask About

A few platforms come up in searches but didn't make the main lineup.

• Real Mah Jongg is made by Mattron Entertainment. It plays American Mahjong with live players and bots, with voice and text chat, on the web and on iPhone and iPad. After a 2-week free trial it costs $6.99 a month.
• NMJL Online is the National Mah Jongg League's own game. You play other people or seven AI players, in a browser or on iPhone and iPad. Full games need the current card plus an online game membership from the League.
• The Mahjong App from Windy City Games is a newer iPhone and iPad game with more than 7,000 App Store ratings. It is free with ads, and Premium ($5.99 a month) adds multiplayer hosting.
• Mahjong Soul is the most polished mahjong app many people have heard of, but it plays Japanese Riichi, not American. If you searched for it expecting NMJL hands, it's the wrong game.

The Bigger Picture

The American Mahjong app world is still growing up. A few years ago, the options were limited. Today you have real choices, and they're getting better fast.

The most important thing is that you're playing. Whether that's against AI bots on your lunch break, in a private room with your Tuesday group, or at an open table at 10 PM, every round makes you sharper at a real table.

For a broader look at American Mahjong apps, including solo practice apps and the apps that run clubs, see our complete guide to the best American Mahjong apps in 2026.

And if you're ready to take your mahjong community beyond the screen, Bam Good Time is free to start.