The PokerNow alternative for real-money home games
PokerNow is a great way to deal a free game in the browser. Stacked deals the same way, one link and no download, and adds what PokerNow doesn't: games for real money where the table holds the buy-ins and pays the winners. No ledger to settle at the end of the night.
The short answer
PokerNow is the better pick if
You want to see and hear each other at the table.
Your group plays Omaha.
Your game runs on straddles and bomb pots.
Stacked is the better pick if
You play for money and you are done chasing people after the game.
You want tournaments with a real prize pool that pays itself out.
You host and want a share of every real-money pot.
You want tournaments bigger than 50 players without a subscription.
PokerNow vs Stacked, side by side
| Feature | PokerNow | Stacked |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free. Plus is $9.99 a month for extras like unlimited video, bomb pots and bigger tournaments. | Free, with no subscription. Real-money pots and buy-ins carry a platform fee. |
| Play for real money | No. Chips have no cash value. | Yes. Cash games and tournaments in dollars, or Free Play with play money. |
| Settling up | A ledger shows who is up and who is down. Paying each other happens outside the app. | Real-money tables pay each player when they stand up, usually in seconds. |
| Who holds the buy-ins | Nobody in the app. If your group plays for money, someone collects it. | The table itself. Not the Host, and not us. |
| Download or sign-up | None needed. | None for Free Play. Real money needs a free account: Google, Apple, email or phone. |
| Players per table | Up to 10. | Up to 10. |
| Games | Texas Hold’em and Pot-Limit Omaha (Hi and Hi/Lo). | Texas Hold’em only. |
| Video and voice | Built in. Unlimited with Plus. | No. Text chat with emotes. |
| Run it twice, rabbit hunt, time bank, spectators | Yes. | Yes. |
| Straddles, bomb pots, 7-2, double board | Yes. Bomb pots, 7-2 and double board need Plus. | No. |
| Tournaments | Free to host with play money. Up to 50 players, or 300 with Plus. | Free Play or real money. The Host sets the field size or leaves it open. Re-entry and late registration are optional. |
| Prize pools | No buy-in prize pools. | Buy-ins make the prize pool, paid to winners automatically. Free Play Hosts can write their own prizes. |
| Hosts earn | No. | 25% of the platform fee on every real-money hand at their table. |
| Hand history | Hand replayer and a full log download. A bigger archive with Plus. | Hand replays with a link you can share. |
PokerNow details are from pokernow.com, checked on 31 October 2026, and may have changed since.
Moving your game over
- 1
Create a table
Pick Free Play or real money and set the blinds. It takes under a minute.
- 2
Send the link
Friends open it on any phone or laptop. Free Play needs no account at all.
- 3
Deal
Players are seated as they arrive, or you approve each one yourself.
The full walkthrough, with screenshots, is in Playing with friends. New to poker yourself? Learn by playing.
Questions
What is the best PokerNow alternative?
It depends on why you are switching. If you want to play for real money without settling up afterwards, Stacked runs in the browser like PokerNow and adds cash games and tournaments where the table holds the buy-ins and pays the winners. If you want video chat or Omaha, PokerNow is still the stronger pick.
Is Stacked free like PokerNow?
Yes. Free Play tables and tournaments cost nothing, and there is no subscription. A platform fee applies only to real-money pots and tournament buy-ins.
Can you play PokerNow for real money?
No. PokerNow says its chips have no monetary value, so groups that play for money keep the ledger and pay each other outside the app. On Stacked, a real-money table holds every buy-in and pays each player out when they leave.
Do my friends need an account to join?
Not for Free Play: they open your link and sit down. For real money they log in with Google, Apple, email or a phone number, and their account is made for them. They can add money with a debit or credit card, with no app and no crypto know-how needed.
Where is the money held in a real-money game?
In the table itself, a smart contract on Base that holds buy-ins in USDC, a digital dollar. Not in a Stacked bank account and not with the Host. Winnings go back to your account when you stand up, usually within seconds.
Does Stacked have video or voice chat?
No. Tables have text chat with emotes. Many groups keep a Discord or video call open next to the game.
Can I play Omaha on Stacked?
Not today. Stacked deals Texas Hold’em, in cash games and tournaments.
Bring your game
Open a table in under a minute and send the link to your group. Start on Free Play if you want to try it first.
PokerNow is a trademark of its owner. Stacked is not affiliated with or endorsed by PokerNow.
The easiest way to play poker with friends. Player-hosted tables, and a wallet only you control.
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