Choosing the right mobile online poker app to suit your needs is no easy task, especially when you’re dealing with a platform like the Android O.S., which allows you to access countless extremely different poker clients. As a result, making the right choice is often a matter of getting your priorities straight. In this short guide, I’m going to provide you with some insight as to what really makes Android poker apps different from one another and what features you should keep an eye out for.
Can I play real-money poker games if I live in the United States?
Unfortunately, the legal regulations concerning poker tend to be rather strict in some parts of the world, so plenty of rooms will refuse to accept new user registrations from certain countries. Players from the United States have it particularly tough since most European poker sites won’t allow them to play, but fortunately there are a few US-facing poker rooms that won’t have any qualms about accepting American customers. Keep in mind that while this is by no means a standard practice, some sites might choose to restrict certain bonuses and promotions, making them available in a limited number of countries or regions.
Will I need to install this poker app or play from my browser?
While browser-based poker apps offer unrivalled compatibility, if you need an app for Android there’s absolutely no need to make it one of your priorities as downloadable poker apps will usually be better optimized to work with your hardware. Generally speaking, downloadable poker clients feature smoother gameplay as well as faster loading times due to the fact that the graphics are right there on your SD card and don’t have to be downloaded every single time. Consequently, you should always pick a downloadable poker app over a browser-based one, unless installing gaming related software is out of question for your particular machine. All the real money Android poker apps featured on this site work on Samsung Galaxy, HTC, Motorola and Google Nexus devices.
Does the poker app offer more variants than Texas Hold'em?
Another crucial feature that can really make or break a poker app is the amount of the poker games it offers. Despite the fact that Android is a very powerful platform, most apps still offer Texas Hold’em cash games only. Nevertheless, some poker rooms have made an effort to allow their customers to enjoy some fast fold, multi-table tournament and Sit & Go action on the go and the best apps even give you access to Pot Limit Omaha tables. Nevertheless, you have to keep in mind that the more obscure poker variants like 7 Card Stud are pretty much nowhere to be found when it comes to Android/iPhone apps, so you definitely should keep your expectations realistic while assessing this side of a poker app.
Can I play on more than one poker table simultaneously?
Most Android tablets and smartphone provides you with some excellent multi-tabling capacity thanks to their high-definition displays and the sheer amount of the available screen real estate, so it should come as no surprise that some developers of mobile poker apps have finally began introducing multi-tabling functionality. Most poker apps that support multi-tabling will allow you to grind up to four games at any single time, but keep in mind that the industry standard is still to limit the apps to one table only.
Does this Android compatible poker site offer tournaments or freerolls?
While Sit & Go tournaments are often included in both browser based and downloadable Droid poker apps, multi-table tournaments and freerolls aren’t available with most software packages. Nevertheless, some sites allow you to take part in larger events – and whenever they do, they usually cover all the poker variants supported by the app. The reasons for this are fairly simple – most mobile apps tend to favor instant action game modes, which isn’t all that surprising since adjusting your poker sessions to match a strict event schedule is pretty much at odds with the idea of pick up and play mobile gaming.
Can I select my own table or will I be automatically assigned a seat?
Android poker apps tend to differ considerably in terms of their approach to table selection – some will allow you to pick the specific table you want to play on, while others function exclusively in instant action mode, which means that the you will be assigned to a table automatically each time you choose the game and stakes you want to play. Nevertheless, even the apps that are based around an automatic matchmaking system allow you to dodge particularly irritating super tight opponents or boring tables. Usually you’ll just have to disconnect from the game, wait a moment and relaunch the game - odds are high you’ll be assigned to a more favorable table. What’s more, while most sites don’t offer any social functions whatsoever, some rooms do provide you with the ability to chat with your opponents during the game, add players to your friends list, send and receive instant messages and even host and join special private tables, which makes them particularly well suited for coaching sessions.
Does this Android poker site offer generous bonuses and promotions?
Most, if not all iPhone and Android poker apps allow you to take advantage of the same bonuses and promotions as their desktop based counterparts. In fact, mobile players are probably in a better situation than PC and Mac users, as there’s plenty of mobile-only poker rooms that will tempt you with extremely lucrative deals just to make a name for themselves in the exceptionally competitive online poker industry. What’s more, a few sites will offer exclusive mobile promotions to promote their shiny new apps, so if you enjoy hunting for value you’re probably going to have a field day as an Android poker player. Last, but definitely not least, playing on the go allows you to accumulate VIP points just like you’d get them as a desktop customer, so the only thing you’ll be missing out on are freerolls and promotions related to desktop-only game modes.
How quick and easy is it to make deposits or withdraw my money?
Last, but definitely not least, it’s important to remember that not every Android poker app will allow you to access Cashier from within the game. Some poker rooms might require you to use the desktop client or website to make a deposit or request a withdrawal – generally speaking, mobile-only sites are more likely to give you access to banking from within the app. The deposit and withdrawal options on the other hand are pretty much the same between Android and desktop apps and some rooms actually went as far as to introduce for micro-payments via a phone bill.
Does this Android poker room accept Bitcoin?
Bitcoin has become a widely accepted online payments option for many products and services. Some online gambling sites now give their players the option of using the crypt-currency to fund their accounts or cash out. It is particularly useful for United States poker players who would like to keep their identities a secret. A number of Bitcoin friendly US poker networks like Seals With Clubs have developed native poker clients that can be installed on any Android smartphone or tablet.
Can I play poker for fun or are there only real-money games?
Not every poker app for Android or iOS gives users the option of choosing whether they play for real-money or just for the fun of it. You should double check if the app supports play-for-free games if you prefer to gamble with a virtual currency rather than hard cash occasionally.
Unfortunately, the legal regulations concerning poker tend to be rather strict in some parts of the world, so plenty of rooms will refuse to accept new user registrations from certain countries. Players from the United States have it particularly tough since most European poker sites won’t allow them to play, but fortunately there are a few US-facing poker rooms that won’t have any qualms about accepting American customers. Keep in mind that while this is by no means a standard practice, some sites might choose to restrict certain bonuses and promotions, making them available in a limited number of countries or regions.
Will I need to install this poker app or play from my browser?
While browser-based poker apps offer unrivalled compatibility, if you need an app for Android there’s absolutely no need to make it one of your priorities as downloadable poker apps will usually be better optimized to work with your hardware. Generally speaking, downloadable poker clients feature smoother gameplay as well as faster loading times due to the fact that the graphics are right there on your SD card and don’t have to be downloaded every single time. Consequently, you should always pick a downloadable poker app over a browser-based one, unless installing gaming related software is out of question for your particular machine. All the real money Android poker apps featured on this site work on Samsung Galaxy, HTC, Motorola and Google Nexus devices.
Does the poker app offer more variants than Texas Hold'em?
Another crucial feature that can really make or break a poker app is the amount of the poker games it offers. Despite the fact that Android is a very powerful platform, most apps still offer Texas Hold’em cash games only. Nevertheless, some poker rooms have made an effort to allow their customers to enjoy some fast fold, multi-table tournament and Sit & Go action on the go and the best apps even give you access to Pot Limit Omaha tables. Nevertheless, you have to keep in mind that the more obscure poker variants like 7 Card Stud are pretty much nowhere to be found when it comes to Android/iPhone apps, so you definitely should keep your expectations realistic while assessing this side of a poker app.
Can I play on more than one poker table simultaneously?
Most Android tablets and smartphone provides you with some excellent multi-tabling capacity thanks to their high-definition displays and the sheer amount of the available screen real estate, so it should come as no surprise that some developers of mobile poker apps have finally began introducing multi-tabling functionality. Most poker apps that support multi-tabling will allow you to grind up to four games at any single time, but keep in mind that the industry standard is still to limit the apps to one table only.
Does this Android compatible poker site offer tournaments or freerolls?
While Sit & Go tournaments are often included in both browser based and downloadable Droid poker apps, multi-table tournaments and freerolls aren’t available with most software packages. Nevertheless, some sites allow you to take part in larger events – and whenever they do, they usually cover all the poker variants supported by the app. The reasons for this are fairly simple – most mobile apps tend to favor instant action game modes, which isn’t all that surprising since adjusting your poker sessions to match a strict event schedule is pretty much at odds with the idea of pick up and play mobile gaming.
Can I select my own table or will I be automatically assigned a seat?
Android poker apps tend to differ considerably in terms of their approach to table selection – some will allow you to pick the specific table you want to play on, while others function exclusively in instant action mode, which means that the you will be assigned to a table automatically each time you choose the game and stakes you want to play. Nevertheless, even the apps that are based around an automatic matchmaking system allow you to dodge particularly irritating super tight opponents or boring tables. Usually you’ll just have to disconnect from the game, wait a moment and relaunch the game - odds are high you’ll be assigned to a more favorable table. What’s more, while most sites don’t offer any social functions whatsoever, some rooms do provide you with the ability to chat with your opponents during the game, add players to your friends list, send and receive instant messages and even host and join special private tables, which makes them particularly well suited for coaching sessions.
Does this Android poker site offer generous bonuses and promotions?
Most, if not all iPhone and Android poker apps allow you to take advantage of the same bonuses and promotions as their desktop based counterparts. In fact, mobile players are probably in a better situation than PC and Mac users, as there’s plenty of mobile-only poker rooms that will tempt you with extremely lucrative deals just to make a name for themselves in the exceptionally competitive online poker industry. What’s more, a few sites will offer exclusive mobile promotions to promote their shiny new apps, so if you enjoy hunting for value you’re probably going to have a field day as an Android poker player. Last, but definitely not least, playing on the go allows you to accumulate VIP points just like you’d get them as a desktop customer, so the only thing you’ll be missing out on are freerolls and promotions related to desktop-only game modes.
How quick and easy is it to make deposits or withdraw my money?
Last, but definitely not least, it’s important to remember that not every Android poker app will allow you to access Cashier from within the game. Some poker rooms might require you to use the desktop client or website to make a deposit or request a withdrawal – generally speaking, mobile-only sites are more likely to give you access to banking from within the app. The deposit and withdrawal options on the other hand are pretty much the same between Android and desktop apps and some rooms actually went as far as to introduce for micro-payments via a phone bill.
Does this Android poker room accept Bitcoin?
Bitcoin has become a widely accepted online payments option for many products and services. Some online gambling sites now give their players the option of using the crypt-currency to fund their accounts or cash out. It is particularly useful for United States poker players who would like to keep their identities a secret. A number of Bitcoin friendly US poker networks like Seals With Clubs have developed native poker clients that can be installed on any Android smartphone or tablet.
Can I play poker for fun or are there only real-money games?
Not every poker app for Android or iOS gives users the option of choosing whether they play for real-money or just for the fun of it. You should double check if the app supports play-for-free games if you prefer to gamble with a virtual currency rather than hard cash occasionally.