Where to Play Mahjong Online

The best apps and websites for playing mahjong online — chosen for American players. Whether you play American Mahjong, Riichi (Japanese), or want to try multiple styles, there's a great option here for you.

Quick Reference

Platform	Style	Best For	Rating	Available On	Price
I Love Mahj	American	Best overall American Mahjong	4.5 ★	🌐 📱	Paid
Mahjong 4 Friends	American	Free play, play with friends	4 ★	🌐 📱 🤖	Free
Mahjong Soul	Riichi	Beginners, casual Riichi play	4.5 ★	🌐 📱 🤖 🎮	Free
Riichi City	Riichi	Realistic tiles, AI practice	4.5 ★	🌐 🎮 💻 🍎	Free
Tenhou	Riichi	Competitive Riichi players	4 ★	🌐 📱 🤖 💻	Free
Mahjong Time	Multi-variant	Multiple variants, tournaments	4 ★	🌐 📱	Free

American Mahjong

NMJL Rules

American Mahjong uses the National Mah Jongg League (NMJL) card with jokers and the Charleston. These platforms enforce the official rules and are updated each year when the new card releases.

I Love Mahj

The gold standard for American Mahjong online. Fully enforces NMJL rules including the Charleston, joker rules, and the official card — updated every year.

4.5 ★

🌐📱

Strengths

Best American Mahjong implementation available — full NMJL rules with Charleston
Play against real opponents or bots at three difficulty levels
Practice mode shows optimal hand choices to help you improve
Updated annually for the new NMJL card

Limitations

Subscription required after 2-week free trial ($6/month or $60/year)
Smaller player pool than casual game platforms
iOS app only, no Android

Read Full Review Visit I Love Mahj

Mahjong 4 Friends

A free platform supporting American Mahjong (NMJL and Marvelous Mah Jongg cards) and Hong Kong Mahjong. Great for casual play with friends or bots — no subscription required.

4 ★

🌐📱🤖

Strengths

Completely free — no subscription or hidden costs
Supports NMJL cards from multiple years plus Marvelous Mah Jongg
Play with friends or bots, or mix both in the same game
Built-in video and audio chat for a real table feel

Limitations

Less polished interface than I Love Mahj
Smaller community for finding live opponents
Video/audio chat is experimental and may be unstable

Read Full Review Visit Mahjong 4 Friends

Riichi (Japanese) Mahjong

Japanese Rules

Riichi is the Japanese form of mahjong, popular worldwide with a strong English-speaking online community. These platforms have full English support and are accessible to US players.

Mahjong Soul

The most popular English-language riichi mahjong platform, featuring beautiful anime-style graphics, comprehensive tutorials, and a thriving global community.

4.5 ★

🌐📱🤖🎮

Strengths

Excellent tutorials and single-player missions for beginners
Beautiful, polished UI with anime-style character system
Large English-speaking player base (shortest queue times)
Ranked play with clear progression from Bronze to Celestial

Limitations

Anime aesthetic isn't for everyone (can be minimized in settings)
Gacha system may tempt spending (entirely optional, cosmetic only)
Slight input lag on web version vs native apps

Read Full Review Visit Mahjong Soul

Riichi City

A modern riichi mahjong platform featuring realistic 3D tiles, clean interface, and robust AI training mode—perfect for players who want a polished experience without anime aesthetics.

4.5 ★

🌐🎮💻🍎

Strengths

Realistic 3D tile rendering (closest to physical mahjong)
Clean, professional UI without anime elements
Excellent AI training mode with adjustable difficulty
Full English support and localization

Limitations

Smaller player base than Mahjong Soul (slower queues at off-peak hours)
Fewer cosmetic customization options
Mobile version still in development (iOS coming soon)

Read Full Review Visit Riichi City

Tenhou

The original and most competitive online riichi mahjong platform, featuring the highest skill ceiling, largest player base, and fastest gameplay.

4 ★

🌐📱🤖💻

Strengths

Largest player base (1M+ registered users, mostly Japanese)
Highest skill ceiling - home to professional players
Fastest gameplay (lightning-quick matches)
Minimal, efficient interface (no animations or bloat)

Limitations

Steep learning curve - not beginner-friendly
Minimal English support (mostly Japanese UI)
Flash-based web version (compatibility issues)

Read Full Review Visit Tenhou

Multiple Mahjong Styles

Multi-variant

These platforms support multiple mahjong variants. Great if you're exploring which style you prefer or want to play different rule sets in one place.

Mahjong Time

One of the broadest mahjong platforms online, supporting American (NMJL), Riichi (Japanese), Chinese Official, Hong Kong, and more — with 24/7 live tournaments.

4 ★

🌐📱

Strengths

Supports more mahjong variants than any other platform (American, Riichi, MCR, Hong Kong, Taiwanese)
24/7 live tournaments in multiple variants
Large global player pool for finding opponents any time of day
No download required — plays in-browser

Limitations

Interface feels dated compared to newer platforms
Premium membership required for some features
Less specialized than dedicated single-variant platforms

Read Full Review Visit Mahjong Time

Which Platform Should You Choose?

🀄

Play American Mahjong

You use the NMJL card with jokers and the Charleston.

→ Start with I Love Mahj

Free alternative: Mahjong 4 Friends

🎓

Learn Riichi Mahjong

You want to learn Japanese-style mahjong with tutorials and guided play.

→ Start with Mahjong Soul

🔍

Explore Different Styles

Not sure which mahjong variant you prefer? Try several.

→ Try Mahjong Time

New to Mahjong?

Not sure which version to learn? Our guide explains the difference between American and Riichi mahjong to help you pick the right starting point.

American vs. Riichi: Which Should You Learn?