American Mahjong Apps Compared (2026): Which One to Learn, Practice or Play Online

The short answer

Pick the app that matches the job you need done right now.

• You've never played and want to learn properly: choose an app with a real lesson course, not just a tutorial. MAHJ, Mahj Parlour, MahjCall and Tile Wise all have structured lessons.
• You know the basics and want to practice alone on this year's hands: look at American Mahjong Practice (Eight Bam), The Mahjong App, Mahjong 4 Friends, Maylee or Mahj Parlour.
• You want to play online with your friends: Mahjong 4 Friends and Bam Good Time Mahjong Online are free to play. The Mahjong App, Real Mah Jongg, Mahj Parlour, MahjCall, MahJongg4Fun, I Love Mahj and NMJL Online offer online tables, mostly as a paid feature.
• You run a club or a regular in-person group: Bam Good Time (club app and website) and I Love Mahj have organizing tools. MAHJ's Host Mode is only a free scorekeeper for one table.

You may end up using two apps: one to learn and one to play with friends.

About the card

American Mahjong is played from a card of hands that changes each year. Many groups use the card published by the National Mah Jongg League (NMJL), which is copyrighted and sold by the NMJL. The 2026 NMJL card costs $14 (standard size) or $15 (large print) at the NMJL's online store. Other groups play from a different card. Before you buy one, ask your group which current card it uses.

You don't necessarily need a card just to try a learning app. Apps handle the card in three ways, so check which one you're getting:

• Apps that ship their own practice hands. You can learn without owning a card. MAHJ teaches with original hands written for learning; they aren't the hands on the NMJL's annual card. Tile Wise includes a fictional practice card, and Maylee offers "Maylee Cards designed for new players." These apps build the skill of reading a card, which you then use on the real one.
• Apps that say they include current-year hands. Eight Bam, The Mahjong App, Mahjong 4 Friends, Maylee, Mahj Parlour, Real Mah Jongg, MahJongg4Fun, I Love Mahj and Bam Good Time Mahjong Online all say this in their own listings or on their own sites. Some of them also say you need your own physical card to play. These are the developers' own claims. We haven't seen any NMJL statement about licensing or endorsing third-party apps, so we don't describe any of these apps as licensed or unlicensed.
• Apps that ask you to use your own card. MahjCall says it "does not display or replace an official card." NMJL Online, the NMJL's own game, requires the physical card plus an online membership bought from the NMJL.

Compare the apps at a glance

Prices are U.S. prices as listed on October 27, 2026. "Says…" means the developer's own claim, which we haven't independently confirmed.

How we compared the apps

We asked the same questions about every app. We could answer them only from what each developer publishes, so these are a guide to what to look for, not test results.

For beginners: How easy is it to start? Is there a lesson course or just a tutorial? Does the app explain why a move is right? Can you go at your own pace?

For practice: Can you practice alone? Are mistakes explained? Does it teach skills you can use on any card, or drill this year's hands? Can you turn hints off as you improve?

For playing: Can you play against the computer? Online with friends? Do you need to pay or make an account? Are the tiles easy to read?

For value: What's free? What does paying unlock? Is it one-time, a subscription, or tied to one card year? Is that clear before you buy?

Which app fits which need

"I've never played and want to actually learn"

Look for lessons in order, with practice after each idea, so you aren't learning everything from one tutorial.

• MAHJ is built around a course: 18 lessons that start with the tiles and end with strategy, with narration and short questions along the way. Lessons 1–3 are free, in the app or on the MAHJ website without installing anything. A one-time $4.99 purchase in the U.S. unlocks the rest, unlimited games against three computer players and the other tools.
• Mahj Parlour has 12 interactive lessons, all free, covering the tiles through the Charleston, calling, Jokers, reading the card and defense. Full games need a subscription, with a free trial for new subscribers.
• MahjCall has 12 short lessons, all free, plus a guided first game. Solo practice and online play need a membership.
• Tile Wise has a learning path with more than 30 quizzes, a 50-question assessment and coached practice games. It's free with ads, with an optional $14.99 one-time unlock (its App Store page also lists monthly and yearly items; see its entry below).

Our take: If you want the most lessons before paying anything, Mahj Parlour, MahjCall and Tile Wise make all their lessons free. MAHJ puts more of its course behind a paywall (15 of its 18 lessons), but the whole course costs one $4.99 payment with no subscription.

"I know the basics and want to practice the current card alone"

You'll want quick solo games with this year's hands, and hints you can switch off as you improve.

• American Mahjong Practice (Eight Bam) is built around this, according to its listing. It lists rule alerts during play, suggested hands and optional computer players that can win, so you can practice defense. You pay per card year or by subscription. Its free hands come from an earlier year: 2018 on iPhone and iPad, and 2025 on Android, according to the developer.
• The Mahjong App, Mahjong 4 Friends, Maylee and Mahj Parlour also offer solo games against computer players and say they include 2026 hands.
• Tile Wise lets you enter your own card and get coaching on it with its paid unlock.

Our take: MAHJ is a weaker fit here. Its games use original teaching hands, not the NMJL's annual card hands. They teach skills you can use on any card, but they don't drill this year's exact hands.

"I want to play online with my friends"

Check two things: whether only the host pays or every player does, and whether you need an account.

• Free to play: Mahjong 4 Friends (with ads; private and public rooms, in a browser or the apps) and Bam Good Time Mahjong Online (private tables by code; a free account is needed to play online; Apple devices only).
• Paid or trial-based: The Mahjong App (private rooms; hosting needs Premium), Real Mah Jongg (live players, bots and voice and text chat), Mahj Parlour and MahjCall (private tables and Quick Match), MahJongg4Fun (private tables and ranked games), I Love Mahj (live games with built-in video calling) and NMJL Online (private tables by code, or the lobby; every player needs a membership and the physical card).

MAHJ doesn't offer online play with other people.

"I organize an in-person group or club"

• Bam Good Time is built for clubs: sign-ups, waitlists, reminders, check-in, seating, league scores and a public club page. Its website lists a free plan (up to 5 events a month and 50 players) and paid plans from $19 a month. In-app prices on the App Store are higher, from $21.99 a month. This is separate from its free game app.
• I Love Mahj includes in-person tools with its subscription: invitations, RSVPs, waitlists, table assignments and results tracking.
• MAHJ has a free Host Mode that keeps score for an in-person table. Players can join by code and keep their scores synchronized across their phones. It doesn't provide club-wide scheduling, sign-ups or waitlists.

What to know about each app

The facts below come from each developer's own store listings or website. Links are in the Sources section at the end.

MAHJ (Welcome2Mahj LLC). An 18-lesson course for complete beginners, with narration, short knowledge checks and practice games against three computer players. Hints and coaching in games can be turned off. Lessons 1–3, tile-recognition drills, the glossary, the cheat sheet and Host Mode are free. One full practice game is free. A one-time $4.99 purchase (U.S.) unlocks everything else, with no subscription and no ads. That includes the AI Coach, which answers questions about the game. It needs an internet connection and isn't available to children under 13; ages 13–17 need a parent's or guardian's permission. It asks for your consent before sending your questions to a third-party AI service. Its practice hands are original teaching hands, not the NMJL's annual card hands. Limitations: no online play with other people, no current-year card hands, and most lessons need the purchase.

Mahj Parlour (Tour in a Box LLC). 12 free lessons, free daily mini games, solo games at Easy or Normal difficulty, private tables with friends and Quick Match. Full games need $6.99 a month or $49.99 a year, with a free trial for new subscribers. No ads. It says it's built for the 2026 NMJL card and that an official card is required. Limitations: Apple devices only. A browser version is listed as "coming soon."

MahjCall (Benjamin Raju). 12 free lessons in any order, plus a guided first game. A membership ($5.99 a month or $39.99 a year) unlocks solo practice, private online tables and Quick Match. Its website also describes a free practice hand each day. It lists larger tiles, reduced motion and VoiceOver support. Limitations: iPhone and iPad only. Its website also links to a web version you sign in to, which we haven't tested. You use your own physical card. An account is needed for online play.

Tile Wise (Michael Corbin). A learning path, 30+ quizzes, a 50-question assessment, daily practice questions and two game modes against three computer opponents: coached and full. Works offline with no account. Free with ads, with a one-time $14.99 unlock for no ads, unlimited play and coaching on your own card. Limitations: Apple devices only, no online play. Pricing note: Tile Wise's website and App Store description describe a $14.99 one-time unlock and "no subscription." The App Store's in-app purchase list also shows "Monthly" ($12.99) and "Yearly" ($99.99) items. The listing doesn't say what those items are or whether they're offered to new users, so check the price on the purchase screen before you buy.

American Mahjong Practice (Eight Bam LLC). Fast solo games built around each year's hands, with suggested hands, rule alerts, a Daily Challenge hand and leaderboard (paid tiers), and a large-tile option. Free with 2018 hands on iPhone and iPad, per its App Store listing. For Android, the developer says in a Google Play reply that you can practice free on 2025 hands. Limitations: no lesson course, no online play with friends, and current hands are bought per year or by subscription. iOS and Android prices differ.

Maylee (Lora Kuehn Thompson). Hand-illustrated tiles, a beginner tutorial, offline play, daily challenge hands, hand hints, official 2026 cards (its claim) and its own beginner cards. Two free games a day, then $3.99 a month or $19.99 a year. On iPhone, iPad, Mac* and Android. Limitations: a tutorial, not a lesson course, and no online play with friends.

The Mahjong App (Windy City Games). A tutorial and Learn to Play section, computer opponents at several levels, a Daily Challenge, and private multiplayer rooms. Free with ads. Premium ($5.99 a month with a 7-day trial for new subscribers, $59.99 a year or $149.99 lifetime) adds hosting, themes and an American Mahjong Society card. Limitations: no lesson course, and hosting a game with friends needs Premium.

Mahjong 4 Friends (Unwind Media). Free unlimited play with ads, against computer players with adjustable difficulty or with friends in private or public rooms, on almost any device including a browser. Suggested hands can be turned off. Also offers other mahjong styles. Limitations: no lesson course. Learning comes from tips, guides and videos.

Real Mah Jongg (Mattron Entertainment). Play with live players, computer players or a mix, invite friends, voice and text chat, and hand suggestions. It says it supports the NMJL card plus The Big Card and Mah Jongg Press cards. 2-week free trial, then a subscription that differs by store. Limitations: no lessons found, and no ongoing free tier.

MahJongg4Fun (Wei Qian). Practice against the computer, ranked matches, private "Friendly Match" tables, voice chat and a Beginner Hub with rule drills. It says it fully supports the 2026 NMJL, Big Card and Mahjong Press cards. Free players get limited daily games. Limitations: the App Store lists two memberships, at $6.99 and $69.99, without saying what period each covers. The terms on its website say memberships can be monthly or annual and renew until cancelled, but don't say which price is which, so check the purchase screen. We found no Google Play listing, although its site shows an Android icon.

Bam Good Time Mahjong Online (Bam Good Time LLC). A free game app: solo practice against the computer with no sign-up, private online tables by code (free account), a welcome tutorial and a rules reference, a skill rating, and "no gambling or real-money play." The only in-app purchase is optional ID verification ($29.99). Its listing says every hand follows the current NMJL card, and its latest update notes say its tutorial now explains that the card itself isn't in the app. Limitations: Apple devices only. The Android Bam Good Time app is a club-member app with "no computer opponent."

I Love Mahj (Mind Partnership LLC). A browser service with computer players at three levels, live games with built-in video calling, learning resources and in-person group tools. 2-week trial, then $6 a month or $60 a year. Limitations: no app-store apps and no ongoing free tier.

NMJL Online (the NMJL's own game, developed by Quicksilver Software). Play other members online in private tables shared by code or through the lobby, or play against computer players. The tutorial is free. To play, you need the physical card plus an online membership: $4.99 for 1 month, $12.99 for 3 months or $49.99 for a year, in the app stores or at the NMJL store. The NMJL's website says sales of online subscriptions bought there are final. Limitations: no free play beyond the tutorial, and each player needs their own membership and card.

How subscriptions and one-time prices compare

• One-time purchases are paid once. Examples: MAHJ ($4.99) and Tile Wise, which advertises a $14.99 one-time unlock. Tile Wise's App Store page also lists monthly ($12.99) and yearly ($99.99) purchase items without explaining them, so check its purchase screen before you buy. Eight Bam's one-time option covers one card year ($17.99 on iOS, $14.99 on Android for 2026), so expect to buy again for the next card.
• Subscriptions renew until you cancel. Compare each app's monthly and yearly prices in the table above, and check the store page for any other purchase options before you buy.
• Trials start free. Most then roll into a paid subscription unless you cancel. Check the cancellation date when you start one.
• Per-player costs: for online play, check whether only the host pays (The Mahjong App's hosting) or every player needs access (NMJL Online's membership).

Before you download: a quick checklist

1. What do you need most this month: learning, solo practice, or playing with people?
2. What's free? Try the free lessons or games before paying.
3. How are you charged? One-time, per card year or monthly?
4. Does it run on your devices? Several apps are Apple-only. I Love Mahj runs only in a browser.
5. Which card does it use? Its own practice hands, this year's hands, or your own physical card?
6. Ask your group which current card it plays, and buy that card before you join a regular game.

About MAHJ, plainly

MAHJ is a learning app for complete beginners. In it, you can:

• work through 18 lessons in order, with narration and short knowledge checks;
• play practice games against three computer players, with hints and coaching you can turn off;
• learn from original teaching hands. They aren't the hands on the NMJL's annual card, so you'll still need whichever current card your group plays;
• keep score at a real table with Host Mode;
• ask the AI Coach questions (part of Premium; it needs an internet connection, isn't available under 13, needs a parent's or guardian's permission for ages 13–17, and asks for your consent before sending questions to a third-party AI service).

What's free: Lessons 1–3, tile drills, the glossary, the cheat sheet, Host Mode and one full practice game against the computer players. A one-time $4.99 purchase in the U.S. unlocks everything else. There's no subscription and there are no ads.

Where it runs: iPhone, iPad and Android. Lessons 1–3 also work on the MAHJ website.

What MAHJ doesn't do: online games with other people, drills on this year's exact hands, or club management. For those, an app from the sections above will serve you better.

MAHJ is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the National Mah Jongg League.

Sources

We checked these pages on October 27, 2026. Prices and features can change after that date.

• MAHJ: App Store · Google Play · website
• Mahj Parlour: App Store · website
• MahjCall: App Store · website
• Tile Wise: App Store · website
• American Mahjong Practice (Eight Bam): App Store · Google Play · website · Android pricing
• Maylee: App Store · Google Play
• The Mahjong App: App Store · Google Play · website
• Mahjong 4 Friends: App Store · Google Play · website
• Real Mah Jongg: App Store · Google Play · website
• MahJongg4Fun: App Store · website
• Bam Good Time: Mahjong Online game app (App Store) · Mahjong Club app (App Store) · Mahjong Club app (Google Play) · club pricing
• I Love Mahj: website
• NMJL Online: App Store · Google Play · game setup help
• The NMJL card and online memberships: NMJL store · subscription policy

Research-based comparison by MAHJ, not a hands-on review. Facts last verified October 27, 2026, from developer websites, each app's U.S. store listings where it has them, and help pages. We did not play-test competitors' apps for this guide. If something has changed, please let us know.