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.
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
- Beginner-friendly tips shown during play
- Works on browser, iOS, Android, and Amazon Appstore
Limitations
- Less polished interface than I Love Mahj
- Smaller community for finding live opponents
- Video/audio chat is experimental and may be unstable
Overview
Mahjong 4 Friends is the best free option for playing American Mahjong online. Unlike I Love Mahj, which requires a subscription, Mahjong 4 Friends is completely free with no paywalls or trials. It supports NMJL cards from multiple years, Marvelous Mah Jongg cards, and even Hong Kong Mahjong — all on the same platform.
Why Mahjong 4 Friends?
Completely Free
No subscriptions, no credit cards, no hidden costs. Create an account and start playing immediately.
Play Your Way
- Bots only: Practice solo at any time
- Friends + bots: Start a table with friends and fill empty seats with bots
- Full tables: Play with up to 4 real players
This flexibility makes it easy to play even when you can’t find four human players.
Supports Multiple Cards
- NMJL cards from 2020 through the current year
- Marvelous Mah Jongg cards from 2021 through current
- Hong Kong Mahjong for a different experience
If you and your group prefer Marvelous Mah Jongg over the standard NMJL card, Mahjong 4 Friends has you covered.
Beginner-Friendly
Yellow tip bubbles appear during play to explain rules and guide decisions. This makes it a good learning tool for newer players.
Play Anywhere
Available in your web browser, as an iOS app, Android app, and on the Amazon Appstore — so you can play on any device.
Getting Started
1. Create a Free Account
Visit mahjong4friends.com and sign up — no payment information required.
2. Set Up a Table
- Click Create Game
- Choose your card (NMJL 2025, Marvelous 2025, etc.)
- Set the number of human vs. bot players
- Share the room code with friends or start immediately with all bots
3. Invite Friends
Share your room link with friends so they can join. Any empty seats can be automatically filled with bots.
Who This Is For
Mahjong 4 Friends is best for:
- Players who want to practice American Mahjong without a subscription
- Groups of friends who want to play online together (especially with built-in video chat)
- Marvelous Mah Jongg players (not supported on I Love Mahj)
- Beginners looking for a low-stakes way to learn the NMJL card
Consider I Love Mahj if:
- You want the most polished, rule-perfect implementation
- You play frequently and want detailed stat tracking
Platform Availability
- Web browser: No download required
- iOS: App available on the App Store
- Android: App available on Google Play
- Amazon: Available on the Amazon Appstore
Final Verdict
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
Bottom line: Mahjong 4 Friends is the best free American Mahjong option. The free price point and multi-device support make it easy to recommend for casual players, groups, and beginners. More serious players may prefer I Love Mahj for its polished interface and stat tracking, but for zero cost, Mahjong 4 Friends delivers.
Ready to play? Visit mahjong4friends.com — no signup required to browse.