To learn Texas Hold’em without real money, start with Poker Skill, which we make: free lessons, the Daily Puzzle and one Practice vs AI game a day, with a reason after every answer. Poker Skill is free. Forever. For free hands against other people, PokerStars Play Money and WSOP use play chips, and PokerTH is free and open source.
Four free ways to learn Texas Hold’em
- Poker Skill, for learning.
Free forever.
- PokerStars Play Money, for variety.
Free
- WSOP, for free tournaments.
Free
- PokerTH, for open-source poker.
Free
The four at a glance
| App | Best for | Free version | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
 Poker SkillOurs | Learning why each play is right or wrong | Every lesson, the Daily Puzzle and one Practice vs AI game a day | Free forever. |
 PokerStars Play Money | Play chips against people | 15,000 free chips every 4 hours | Chip packs $2.99 to $99.99 |
 WSOP | Tournaments against people | Free chips to start and daily bonuses | Chip packs $0.99 to $99.99 |
 PokerTH | Games against the computer | Every mode | Free, nothing to buy |
Prices and features checked October 2026.
Zynga Poker and more phone games are compared in the best poker game for beginners.
The four in detail
Poker Skill
Lessons, puzzles and coached hands, with a reason after every answer
Free forever.
Best for Beginners who want a reason after every decision, from the first lesson on.
Skip if You want hands against other people, or Omaha: Poker Skill's opponents are AI, and it teaches Texas Hold'em only.
Free version Every lesson, the Daily Puzzle and one Practice vs AI game a day. Plus adds unlimited Practice vs AI games.
Where it runs iPhone, iPad and Android
Lessons are short: you answer first, then Coach Max explains why. A new Daily Puzzle arrives every day, and in Practice vs AI you play full hands against AI opponents while Coach Max grades each decision. Nothing is played for real money, and there are no chips to buy.
PokerStars Play Money
Play-money Hold'em, Omaha and Stud against other players
Free chip packs $2.99 to $99.99
Best for Playing lots of hands against other people, in Hold'em, Omaha or Stud.
Skip if You want the game to explain your decisions, or a poker app with no slots or blackjack in it.
Free version You get 15,000 free chips every 4 hours. Chip packs are sold in the app.
Where it runs iPhone, iPad and Android
PokerStars Play Money, called PokerStars LITE in its own listing, has regular tables and tournaments, plus Spin & Go and Zoom, against a large pool of players. The same app has slots and blackjack, and the App Store rates it 18+.
Compared with Poker Skill: PokerStars Play Money is the pick for play chips against people in many formats, while Poker Skill tells you why each decision was right or wrong.
WSOP
Free Hold'em tables and tournaments under the World Series of Poker name
Free chip packs $0.99 to $99.99
Best for Free tournaments against players from around the world, with rings and bracelets for your profile.
Skip if You want the game to explain your decisions. Its listing doesn't say it does.
Free version Free chips when you start, plus daily bonuses. Chip packs are sold in the app.
Where it runs iPhone, iPad and Android
WSOP is Playtika's free-to-play poker game: Texas Hold'em tables and tournaments against players from around the world, with daily rewards and collectibles. Its listing says it is meant for players 21 and older and offers no way to win real money or prizes.
Compared with Poker Skill: WSOP is the pick for free tournaments against people, while Poker Skill explains each decision you make.
PokerTH
A free, open-source Hold'em game against computer players or people online
Free nothing to buy
Best for Free tournaments against up to nine computer players, with your odds on screen.
Skip if You want lessons, or to know whether a play was right. Its Odds tab shows your chances, and nothing in the game grades a decision.
Free version Every mode. There is nothing to buy, and every chip is play money.
Where it runs Any browser, plus apps for Windows, Mac and Linux
PokerTH has been free and open source since 2006. Its web client deals you into a table of computer players with no account or download, and its own network has games against people. Every game is a tournament with rising blinds.
Compared with Poker Skill: PokerTH is the pick for free games against the computer with nothing for sale, while Poker Skill teaches the game with a reason after every answer.
What each one costs
What to learn first, in order
Five things to learn before your first hand
Poker Skill’s lessons teach all five, and Coach Max explains each answer.
A home game with chips
A deck of cards and a box of chips teach the same game at a kitchen table. Give everyone the same stack and agree on the blinds: the small blind and big blind sit in the two seats left of the button, and the button moves one seat to the left after every hand. Raise the blinds every few rounds, as tournaments do. How to host a poker night covers the rest.
Where Poker Skill falls short
Poker Skill teaches Texas Hold’em only, so a player who wants Omaha needs another app. Free players get one Practice vs AI game a day, and the opponents are AI rather than people. Free lessons run on energy. Each question costs one energy the first time you answer it right, and a wrong answer costs nothing. When energy runs out, the lesson pauses until it refills.
How we compared
- What it teaches
- Who you play against
- What it sells
We compared what each one teaches, who you play against and what it sells. Who each one fits is our judgment.
Frequently asked questions
How can you learn Texas Hold'em safely without real money?
Learn the rules and hand rankings first, then play hands where a mistake costs nothing. Poker Skill teaches with lessons, the Daily Puzzle and one Practice vs AI game a day, and Coach Max explains each decision. Poker Skill is free. Forever. PokerStars Play Money, WSOP and PokerTH add free hands against people or computer players, and a home game with chips works at any kitchen table.
Is play money poker good for learning?
It is good for learning the rules, the order of betting and the pace of a hand against other people. A play-money table doesn't tell you why a play was right or wrong, so pair it with something that does. In Poker Skill, Coach Max explains the answer in every lesson, Daily Puzzle and Practice vs AI hand.
Is PokerStars Play Money free?
Yes. PokerStars Play Money is free to download and play, and it refills your stack with 15,000 free chips every 4 hours. It also sells chip packs at $2.99 to $99.99.
Is there a free way to play Texas Hold'em against the computer?
Yes. Poker Skill gives you one Practice vs AI game a day against AI opponents, with Coach Max grading each decision, and Plus adds unlimited Practice vs AI games. PokerTH's training mode deals you free tournaments against computer players in your browser, with nothing to buy.
Is WSOP free to play?
Yes. WSOP gives you free chips when you start and daily bonuses, and it sells chip packs at $0.99 to $99.99. Its listing says it is meant for players 21 and older and offers no way to win real money or prizes.