Which Online Bridge Platform is Right for You?

You want to play bridge online. You open Google and find six different platforms, each claiming to be the best. Which one do you actually need?

The answer depends on what you want from online bridge. Earning ACBL masterpoints? Playing at 2am? Seeing your partner’s face? Practicing alone? Different platforms excel at different things.

Here’s how to pick the right one for you.

The Quick Decision Tree

Want ACBL masterpoints? → Bridge Base Online (BBO)

Want solo practice on your phone? → Funbridge

Want video/voice with other players? → RealBridge

Want to watch world championships live? → BBO (vugraph)

Want scheduled club games online? → RealBridge or BBO

Want to play at 3am in your pajamas? → BBO or Funbridge

Want systematic improvement with lessons? → Funbridge

That covers 90% of players. But let’s dig into the details.

Bridge Base Online (BBO): The Dominant Platform

What BBO Does Best

ACBL tournaments constantly. New tournaments start every hour. Open pairs, speedball, daylongs, team games. If you want to earn masterpoints online, BBO has the most opportunities.

Massive player base. Hundreds of thousands of registered users, thousands online anytime. You can always find a game.

Vugraph of major championships. Watch world championships, USBF trials, and big European events live with expert commentary. Free access to the best bridge in the world.

Every format exists. Casual games, serious tournaments, money games, team matches, teaching tables, robot play. If it’s bridge, BBO supports it.

Free casual play. You can play pickup games, watch vugraph, and enter free tournaments without spending money.

What BBO Does Poorly

Interface looks ancient. Because it is. Clunky, dated, confusing for new users. You get used to it, but it’s ugly.

Inconsistent player quality in casual games. Your random partner might be solid or might not know basic conventions. Variance is high.

Robot partners are mediocre. BBO’s robots play okay but make frustrating errors. Don’t expect expert-level partnership.

No social features. You’re playing against usernames. Can’t see faces, can’t hear voices. It’s impersonal.

Can be toxic. Chat sometimes includes complaints and rude players. You can disable chat, but the atmosphere can be negative.

BBO Best For

Tournament players chasing ACBL points. People who want to play anytime without scheduling. Bridge addicts who want constant game availability. Anyone wanting to watch top-level bridge.

If you’re serious about competitive bridge, you need a BBO account. It’s that simple.

BBO Cost

Free for casual play and watching vugraph. Tournament entries $5-15 each. Robot subscription ~$10/month. Teaching tools extra.

Most players use free casual play and pay for tournaments they want to enter.

Funbridge: Mobile Solo Practice

What Funbridge Does Best

Gorgeous mobile app. Modern, polished, intuitive. Actually designed for phones and tablets. Beautiful interface that makes BBO look prehistoric.

Solo play anytime. No partner needed, no opponents needed. Just you and robots. Play one board or twenty whenever you want.

Social scoring against the field. Everyone plays the same deals. Your score compares to thousands of others. Did you make the contract 68% made? Did you find the line only 19% found?

Built-in lessons and improvement tracking. Systematic teaching tools, challenges focused on specific skills, statistics showing your progress over time.

Complete flexibility. Start a tournament, play three boards, finish it tomorrow. Life interrupts? No problem.

Works offline. Download tournaments, play without internet, sync scores later. Perfect for flights.

What Funbridge Does Poorly

No human opponents. You’re always playing against robots. Psychological element of bridge disappears.

No ACBL masterpoints. Funbridge tournaments don’t count toward life master ranks.

No partnership play. Can’t team up with a friend for real partnership bridge. Solo only.

No social interaction. You’re alone with your phone. No chat, no video, no community.

Limited bidding systems. Supports standard methods. If you play unusual conventions, you’ll have to adapt.

Funbridge Best For

Daily practice and improvement. Players with unpredictable schedules. People who travel frequently. Anyone wanting systematic learning tools. Solo players who don’t need partners.

If you want bridge in your pocket for practice anytime, Funbridge is perfect.

Funbridge Cost

Free version is very limited. Premium subscription $7-10/month for unlimited play and all features.

Good value if you play several times per week. Flat fee beats paying per game.

RealBridge: Video and Voice

What RealBridge Does Best

Video conferencing built in. See your partner and opponents on camera while playing. Actually feel like you’re at a table with people.

Voice communication. Talk during and after hands. Discuss bidding, apologize for bad plays, joke between rounds. Feels like real bridge.

Modern, clean interface. Polished design, easy to use, everything works smoothly. Looks professional.

Club games work great. Clubs use RealBridge for online sessions. Play with familiar faces from your regular club without leaving home.

World Bridge Federation tournaments. WBF runs major championships on RealBridge. If you qualify, you’re playing on this platform.

Brings back the social element. Online bridge loses the human connection. RealBridge fixes that.

What RealBridge Does Poorly

Smaller player base than BBO. Can’t just log in and find instant pickup games. Need organized sessions.

Requires webcam and mic. No camera, no play. If you don’t want to be on video, RealBridge isn’t for you.

Scheduled sessions only. Can’t play at 3am unless someone’s running a game then. Need to join organized events.

Less ACBL tournaments than BBO. Some sanctioned games exist, but BBO has way more.

Higher internet bandwidth needed. Video uses data. Slow connections struggle. Need reliable internet.

RealBridge Best For

Club games moving online. Regular partnerships wanting face-to-face interaction. Social players who miss the human element. Team matches where communication matters.

If you want online bridge to feel like actual bridge with real people, RealBridge delivers.

RealBridge Cost

Free for players. Game organizers pay hosting fees. You pay entry fees to clubs running games ($5-15 typically).

No subscription needed to use the platform itself.

Feature Comparison Chart

By Player Type: Who Needs What

The ACBL Point Chaser

Primary platform: BBO Why: Most tournaments, most masterpoints, most opportunities Secondary: None needed, but Funbridge for practice

The Busy Professional

Primary platform: Funbridge Why: Play 10 minutes during lunch, finish later, always available Secondary: BBO for occasional tournaments when schedule allows

The Club Regular

Primary platform: RealBridge (if your club uses it) or BBO Why: Regular games with familiar people, scheduled sessions you can plan around Secondary: Funbridge for practice between club games

The Social Player

Primary platform: RealBridge Why: Video and voice bring back the social element Secondary: BBO for watching vugraph and occasional tournament

The Serious Student

Primary platform: Funbridge Why: Built-in lessons, progress tracking, systematic improvement Secondary: BBO for testing skills in tournaments

The Night Owl

Primary platform: BBO or Funbridge Why: Both available 24/7, no scheduling needed Secondary: The other one for variety

The Team Player

Primary platform: RealBridge or BBO Why: Both support team matches, RealBridge adds communication Secondary: Funbridge for solo practice of specific techniques

The Casual Player

Primary platform: BBO (free) or Funbridge (if willing to subscribe) Why: BBO is free for casual play, Funbridge is more pleasant Secondary: Whichever you didn’t pick primary

The World Championship Watcher

Primary platform: BBO Why: Best vugraph coverage, expert commentary, all major events Secondary: None needed for watching, add others for playing

Pricing Reality Check

BBO annual cost (typical player):

• Free casual play: $0
• 2 tournaments per week: $10-30/week = $520-1560/year
• Robot subscription: $120/year
• Total: $0-1680/year depending on tournament frequency

Funbridge annual cost:

• Premium subscription: $84-120/year
• Total: $84-120/year

RealBridge annual cost (typical player):

• Platform: $0
• Club games 2x/week: $10-30/week = $520-1560/year
• Total: $520-1560/year

Funbridge is cheapest for unlimited play. BBO is cheapest if you mostly play free casual games. RealBridge matches club game costs.

Multi-Platform Strategy

Most serious players use multiple platforms. Here’s what makes sense:

BBO + Funbridge (common combination)

• BBO for tournaments and competitive play
• Funbridge for daily practice and improvement
• Covers both serious bridge and casual practice

RealBridge + Funbridge (social + practice)

• RealBridge for club games and team matches
• Funbridge for solo practice
• Covers both social needs and individual improvement

All three (serious player)

• BBO for ACBL points and vugraph
• Funbridge for daily practice
• RealBridge for club games with friends
• Expensive but comprehensive

Just one platform (minimal investment)

• BBO if you want free casual play and don’t mind dated interface
• Funbridge if you want beautiful app and solo practice
• RealBridge if your club uses it and you have no choice

Technical Requirements Compared

BBO:

• Works in web browser (any modern browser)
• Desktop, tablet, phone all supported
• Modest bandwidth needed
• Old computers work fine

Funbridge:

• Mobile app required (iOS/Android)
• Desktop version available but secondary
• Works offline (can sync later)
• Modest storage for downloaded tournaments

RealBridge:

• Webcam required (phone, laptop, or external)
• Microphone required (built-in or headset)
• Higher bandwidth for video
• Modern browser needed
• Stable internet connection important

If your computer is old or internet is slow, BBO or Funbridge work better than RealBridge.

What About Other Platforms?

OKBridge: Older platform, smaller player base, charges fees. Still exists but less relevant than BBO.

Swan Games: Growing in Europe, not much North American presence. Good if you’re in Europe.

Trickster Cards: Casual social bridge with friends. Fine for kitchen table bridge online, not serious competition.

Shark Bridge: Educational software, not primarily a playing platform. Good for study, not for regular games.

These niche platforms serve specific purposes. The big three (BBO, Funbridge, RealBridge) cover most needs.

Making Your Decision

Ask yourself these questions:

1. Do you need ACBL masterpoints? If yes, BBO is required.

2. Do you value convenience over everything else? If yes, Funbridge.

3. Do you want to see and talk to other players? If yes, RealBridge.

4. What’s your budget? Free = BBO casual. Under $10/month = Funbridge. Willing to pay per game = any platform.

5. What times do you play? Odd hours = BBO or Funbridge. Scheduled regular games = RealBridge works.

6. Do you have a regular partner? Yes = BBO or RealBridge. No = Funbridge.

7. What’s your priority? Competition = BBO. Improvement = Funbridge. Social = RealBridge.

Most players need one platform primary and maybe one secondary. You don’t need all of them unless you’re extremely serious.

The Bottom Line

BBO is the 800-pound gorilla. Ugly but comprehensive. If you only pick one platform and want competitive bridge, pick this.

Funbridge is the best practice tool. Beautiful, convenient, educational. If you want to improve and don’t care about ACBL points, pick this.

RealBridge brings back the humanity. Video, voice, social interaction. If you miss seeing people while playing, pick this.

Try the free versions of each. See which one fits your style. You don’t need to commit immediately.

But you should pick something and start playing. Online bridge isn’t perfect, but it’s better than no bridge at all. Download an app, create an account, sit down at a virtual table.

The cards are waiting.