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Before you subscribe. Most of these platforms offer a free trial or a free tier, then charge a membership or subscription. Check each platform's own site for its current plans.
Playing online is the fastest way to learn a new card, practice the Charleston and get in reps when you cannot gather four people. Unlike Chinese and Riichi Mahjong, which have hundreds of video games, American Mahjong is served by a small number of dedicated platforms. Here is what each one is good for.
NMJL Online (the League's official game)
The National Mah Jongg League now publishes its own online game, NMJL Online, available as an app and on the web. To play you need the current physical card plus an online game membership from the League. It includes an interactive tutorial (playable without a membership), a lobby for live games and a range of computer opponents that can also take over if a player drops out.
- Good for: playing strictly by the official rules with the official card.
- Keep in mind: requires buying the card and a membership through the League.
Visit NMJL Online (opens in a new tab)
Real Mah Jongg
A long-running app (iOS, Android and web) that plays American Mahjong with the NMJL card and also supports some alternative cards. You can play against live players, bots, or a mix, invite friends to private tables, use hand suggestions while you learn, and chat by voice or text. It starts with a free trial, then runs on a subscription.
- Good for: a large player pool, mobile play, learning the card with suggestions turned on.
- Keep in mind: subscription required after the trial.
Visit Real Mah Jongg (opens in a new tab)
I Love Mahj
A browser-based platform built by a Mahjong-playing couple that started as a tool for organizing in-person games and grew into an online game, learning tools and a player finder. It supports the NMJL card and also offers its own free, timeless practice card so newcomers can start before their NMJL card arrives. You can play with bots, with strangers or at private tables with friends. It runs on a subscription after a free trial.
- Good for: beginners who want statistics and practice tools, and groups that want private tables.
- Keep in mind: browser-based rather than a native phone app.
Visit I Love Mahj (opens in a new tab)
Mahjong Time
A large multi-ruleset platform that offers American Mahjong alongside Chinese Official, Riichi and other variants, with a 3D table view and online tournaments. It offers paid membership tiers.
- Good for: players who also want other variants, and competitive online tournaments.
- Keep in mind: the interface and virtual-currency system are more complex than the American-only platforms.
Visit Mahjong Time (opens in a new tab)
MyJongg.net
An independent, lightweight browser game with a simple top-down table that follows NMJL rules. It runs well on older computers and tablets and has a small, friendly community, with a limited free tier and a paid upgrade.
- Good for: a no-frills, low-cost place to play.
- Keep in mind: a smaller player base can mean waiting for a table of live players.
Visit MyJongg.net (opens in a new tab)
Solo practice apps
If you mainly want to drill the card, several phone apps let you play solo hands against bots, replay decisions and track which hands you complete. Look for apps that name the current card year explicitly and list NMJL rules in the description.
Which one to pick
| If you want… | Start with |
|---|---|
| Official rules and card, straight from the League | NMJL Online |
| Lots of live opponents on your phone | Real Mah Jongg |
| Learning tools, stats and private tables with friends | I Love Mahj |
| Other Mahjong variants and tournaments too | Mahjong Time |
| Something simple and inexpensive | MyJongg.net |
| Solo drilling of the card | A practice app |
Whichever you choose, keep your physical card next to the screen. Online play is practice for the real table, where nobody will suggest a hand for you. When you are ready, here is how to find a local game.