Poker Sites with the Best Software
Desktop, Mobile and In-Browser Poker Software
Comparing the software that poker sites use to host their games today with that of just 5 years ago shows some huge improvements. Many sites have fully resizable tables, are compatible with mobile devices – and allow you to play many games simultaneously. You’ll find a lot of variation. Some sites are still running poker software clients which look like they were created in the early to mid-2000’s. Don’t dismiss these sites - there are still good reasons to play at many of them – for example big poker bonuses or fishy games.
This page covers poker site software in detail. First below, you’ll see a list of what differentiates the software clients of the best and worst sites. After that 2 examples of sites which lead the field in terms of their software are covered. Finally, an example of a (US friendly) site which is worth checking out despite their ageing software!
Poker Sites with the Best Software
Rank | Poker Site | Country | Sign Up Bonus | Bonus Code | Play Now! |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 888 Poker | €22 Free + up to €400 | T & C's apply | » www.888.com | |
2 | Intertops Poker | 110% up to €600 | n/a - use links | » www.Intertops.com | |
3 | Party Poker | 100% to €250 | 500BPS | » www.PartyPoker.com | |
4 | PokerStars | 100% to €400 + €20 Free | MIK500 | » www.PokerStars.com | |
5 | Bet365 | See Bet365 for Details | use links | » www.Bet365.com |
Best Poker Software – What Makes a Great Client?
The best poker sites combine technical aspects of their design with a focus on making things easy for players. A site which is full of widgets and clever tools is not necessarily the ideal place to play. What players want is easy navigation, clear action buttons and resizable tables which fit on their device.
Here are some of the key factors which the best poker software clients have in common.
Resizable Tables: Originally, you could either play a large or mini-view table. These days most sites have tables which can be resized. Using your mouse, you grab the corner of the table and expand or reduce the size – the graphics adjust to the new size automatically. This allows you to tile several tables across the screen, and to fit the game to your screen size.
Mobile Compatibility: This can be achieved either though an app, or via a responsive browser client. The best poker site software is compatible with phone and tablet devices. This will also cover the main mobile operating systems, Android, iOS and Windows.
Support for Multi-Tabling: Some players want to join 4, 8 or even 10+ games at once. The best software supports this without lags. This not only requires thought on how the table(s) requiring attention are highlighted, the code needs to be fast enough to support multiple games too.
Easy Navigation: In today’s online poker world, there are multiple poker formats, and a choice of tables and tournaments within each. Finding the games you prefer can be complex. The better sites have color coded listings and icons to help you find the best games.
Fast Cashier: This part of poker software is often overlooked. When you need to make a deposit, claim a bonus or promotional offer or withdraw your winnings – the quality of the cashier will show. Some sites have cashier functionality on their mobile poker clients.
Examples of Sites with the Best Poker Software
For me two sites stand out when it comes to the quality of their clients. These are the biggest 2 sites, PokerStars and 888 Poker.
PokerStars have led the way when it comes to software for many years. This was the first site to offer responsive sizing for tables – and to allow mass multi-tabling. Their mobile app offers the full range of cash games, zoom poker and tournaments. This is tabbed, which allows you to play up to 4 tables at once on tablet and phone devices. The smooth and smart interface of PokerStars is arguably the best poker software client out there.
888 Poker have a distinctive look and feel to their software. This site offer all possible variations of app, responsive browser access and downloadable software for both Mac and PCs. There is more to this client than simply striking good looks. Resizable tables, very fast and smooth play and intuitive navigation are all worth checking out. The focus on recreational players also makes 888 one of the fishiest poker sites around.
Software Is Not Everything – The US Friendly Ignition Poker
No site shows that software is only one element in making the selection of poker site better than Ignition Poker. This is the biggest US friendly site, and took over the poker room (and software) from Bovada. The client has a retro feel, with both the lobby and table views very simple compared with the bigger international poker brands.
What you will find is that the games are very easy to play, and that the recreational nature of the games makes the ‘ugly’ software worth enduring.
Importance of Quality Poker Software
The quality of poker software has a surprisingly profound effect on the quality of your experience at a poker site. Rock solid poker software keeps the games moving at a quick pace and makes it easy to see where the action is. Poor poker software is often cluttered by useless extra graphics, burdened by slow animations and sometimes even rendered completely useless by bugs.
Graphics aren’t everything when it comes to finding the best poker software. I’ve played at poker sites with photorealistic graphics but the tables were so cluttered by random images such as cigars, extra chips scattered around the table, and random junk laying on the floor that it was a major headache trying to find out whose turn it was to act. I’ve also played at poker sites in which everything looks fine but the buttons don’t respond instantly to user input. It is highly frustrating to have to click on a button several times to get anything to happen. I’ve found it very easy to commit misclicks and lose big pots at such sites.
Quality poker software not only makes your experience more enjoyable, but it actually helps you win more money. When you have annoying, buggy software, you end up paying too much attention to things that don’t matter. With clean software that works as it should, you can focus all your attention on the game at hand. In the end, both your heart and your wallet will thank you.