Best Mahjong App in 2026: 8 Apps Compared

Mahjong Soul is the best starting point for four-player mahjong, specifically Japanese Riichi rules. Its tutorials explain the basics, from drawing and discarding to scoring concepts such as riichi and dora, in a way that a beginner can follow while playing. Ranked matches pair players of similar skill, so a new player is not thrown against experts on the first day.

The anime presentation divides opinion, and players who want a traditional tile look may prefer Tenhou or Kemono Mahjong. Mahjong Soul also covers Riichi only, so a player who wants American mahjong with a yearly card will need a different app. Cosmetic purchases for characters and outfits are optional and do not affect gameplay. We would pick Mahjong Soul for anyone curious about Riichi who wants a friendly, active community.

Microsoft Mahjong is the polished solo option, with hundreds of tile-matching puzzles, relaxing backgrounds and five daily challenges. Players earn badges for completing challenges through a month, and they can customise tile sets and boards as they level up. The pace is calm, with hints and shuffles available when a board stalls, which suits a short daily puzzle habit.

This is solitaire, not the four-player game, so a player looking for opponents will be disappointed. Ads appear on the free tier, and a premium subscription, about one dollar and ninety-nine cents per month, removes ads and opens past daily challenges. We would pick Microsoft Mahjong for a solo player who wants a reliable daily puzzle without learning four-player rules.

MobilityWare is known for simple card and board games, and its Mahjong Solitaire follows that pattern. It offers clean tile-matching boards, offline play, and undo and hint tools, without a story mode or heavy progression system. That simplicity is a strength for a player who wants to open the app, solve a board in a few minutes, and close it again.

The plain look will not appeal to players who want themed levels or a story, and there is no four-player mode. Ads appear on the free tier, though offline play can reduce them. We would pick MobilityWare Mahjong Solitaire for quick, offline solo puzzles, especially on a commute or flight where a connection is not guaranteed.

Mahjong City Tours adds travel themes to tile-matching, with levels set in different cities and progression that opens new places as boards are cleared. Daily rewards give a reason to return, and offline play helps on trips. The theme layer makes a simple puzzle feel less repetitive than a plain board collection, especially for a player who likes collecting new layouts.

It remains a solo puzzle app, with no four-player rules, and hints and extra moves sit behind in-app purchases. Ads appear on the free tier, though a premium option removes them. We would pick Mahjong City Tours for a solo player who wants themed progression and a sense of travel, rather than a plain puzzle list.

Mahjong Journey wraps tile-matching in a quest story, where solving boards advances a journey and collects artefacts. Power-ups help on hard boards, and the story gives a reason to keep playing beyond a single puzzle. That structure suits a player who likes a goal and a narrative, rather than an endless board list.

The energy or progression system can limit how many boards a player clears in one sitting, and power-ups sit behind purchases. It is also solitaire only, with no four-player mode. We would pick Mahjong Journey for a solo player who wants a story with their puzzles, and we would warn that free play may pause until energy refills or a purchase is made.

Kemono Mahjong is a good choice for learning the four-player game without facing live opponents. It lets a player practise against AI, learn tile combinations and scoring, and make mistakes in private. Offline play means practice can happen anywhere, and the pace is set by the player, not by a ranked ladder.

The limit is multiplayer. There is no live online matchmaking, so a player who wants human opponents will need Mahjong Soul or Tenhou after learning the basics. The art style is also niche and will not suit everyone. We would pick Kemono Mahjong as a practice app for four-player rules, used before moving to a live multiplayer app.

Tenhou is the long-running home of competitive online Riichi mahjong. It offers ranked play against a large player base, with a focus on serious competition rather than presentation. Experienced Riichi players value its ranking system and the depth of its player pool, which means matches at many skill levels are available.

Beginners will find the interface dated and the learning support thin, with far less tutorial help than Mahjong Soul offers. Tenhou also covers Riichi only, so players of other rulesets need another app. We would pick Tenhou for a Riichi player who already knows the rules and wants competitive ranked play, and Mahjong Soul for a beginner.

Mahjong Time stands out for players who want more than one ruleset. It supports several four-player styles, including Hong Kong, Chinese official, American and Riichi rules, with online tables and tournaments. Private tables let friends play together, which is useful for a group that learned different styles or wants to try a new ruleset.

The interface feels older than Mahjong Soul, and some features sit behind paid plans. Its player base for any single ruleset is also smaller than the Riichi pool on Mahjong Soul or Tenhou. We would pick Mahjong Time for a group that wants to play several rulesets in one place, especially American or Chinese styles that other apps in this list do not cover.