The best apps to learn video poker in 2026, compared
October 17, 2026. 4 min read.
Disclosure first: we make Perfect Hold, a Jacks or Better trainer for iPhone, and it is in this comparison. It is not on sale yet. We judged every app by the same criteria, and we say where others do things we don't.
All facts below come from each product's own App Store, Google Play or web page, checked on October 17, 2026. Prices and rating counts change. Feature claims are the developers' own descriptions; we did not test every app.
What matters in a trainer
- Strategy advice. Does it count every possible draw (exact), or use a strategy chart? Exact advice is always right; chart advice can miss rare exceptions.
- Feedback on mistakes. Does it tell you, as you play, that a hold was wrong, and what it cost?
- Games and pay tables. Jacks or Better only, or many games? Does it handle the pay table you actually play?
- Practice on weak spots. Does it bring back the hands you get wrong?
- Price model. One-time price, subscription, ads, or coin packs.
- Platform. iPhone, Android, desktop or browser.
The comparison
| App | Platforms | Price model | Games | What the listing says about advice |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Video Poker Tutor (Quatrian) | iPhone | Free; $4.99 unlimited play; $0.99 credit packs; $1.99 no-ads subscription | 5 games | Hint, warning and mastery modes. 2,462 ratings |
| Video Poker Strategy (Brainware) | iPhone | Free; sells coins and hints; all games $9.99 | Multiple | Checks every discard. 1,241 ratings; last updated Nov 2024 |
| Practice Video Poker (JGOmnimedia) | iPhone | Ads; ad-free $3.99; extra play funds $1.99 | About 10 | Feedback on errors. 740 ratings |
| WinPoker (Kaffer) | iPhone | $9.99 | 31 games | Warn mode and cost of errors. Last updated Nov 2023 |
| Play Perfect Video Poker Pro+ | iPhone, Android | $19.99; free Lite version | 400+ games | Best-hold advice mode and scored practice |
| Perfect Draw Video Poker Coach | iPhone | Jacks or Better free; Pro $9.99/mo or $99.99/yr; 9 more games $5.99 each | 10 games | Expected value of every hold |
| SmartHold | iPhone, Android | $5/mo, $50/yr or $100 lifetime | 12 games | Exact strategy, spaced-repetition review |
| Video Poker Edge | iPhone, Android | $4.99 | JoB 9/6 trainer; solver for 18 pay tables | Solves all 2,598,960 deals |
| VideoPoker.com training | Browser | Free play; Gold $9.99/mo; Pro Training $13.99/mo | Many | Best-hold hints (Gold); EV tables and coach mode (Pro) |
| Wizard of Odds free game | Browser | Free | Many | Optimal advice, warnings and error review |
| Perfect Hold (ours, coming soon) | iPhone | Free with ads; optional Pro subscription | Jacks or Better: 6 pay tables, both bet sizes | Exact advice on every hold, warnings before a costly hold, explanations, drills on your mistakes |
Best for…
The most-reviewed iPhone trainer: Video Poker Tutor. Thousands of ratings and long-standing hint and warning modes, with a one-time unlock.
The most games: Play Perfect Pro+ (400+ games, iPhone and Android) and WinPoker (31 games). If you play Deuces Wild, Double Double Bonus or other families, start here; Perfect Hold covers only Jacks or Better today.
Free, in the browser: the Wizard of Odds game. Its advice is based on all possible combinations of cards. Check that the advice mode works in your browser; the page mentions an older requirement.
Android: Play Perfect (Lite is free), SmartHold or Video Poker Edge.
Learning Jacks or Better on iPhone, deeply: this is what we built Perfect Hold for. Exact strategy for six Jacks or Better pay tables at both full and short bets, a tutor that explains each mistake in plain words, warnings before you draw, and drills that bring back the hands you miss. Its limits: iPhone only, and Jacks or Better only in version 1.
What to avoid
- Social casino apps built around coin packs. Popular "video poker" games often sell coin packs up to $99.99 (Video Poker Classic by Tapinator, for example). They are built to keep you spending, and most give no strategy feedback. Some trainers also sell small credit top-ups; you should never need them to learn.
- Old or unmaintained software. Some well-known desktop programs are no longer sold or supported. Check the last update date before you pay.
- Advice you cannot check. Test any app on a hand you can verify. Our free Jacks or Better strategy calculator shows the exact best hold for any hand on six pay tables.
A strategy card is still useful
If you want something for your pocket, the Dancer/Daily Jacks or Better strategy card ($9.95) has been a standard for years. Or print our 9/6 strategy chart for free.
Whatever you choose, remember what a trainer can do: help you make the best hold every time. On every common Jacks or Better table, the best hold still returns less than 100% over time.
Questions
What is the best free way to learn video poker?
The free game at Wizard of Odds gives optimal advice in the browser, and several phone trainers have free versions with ads. Avoid social casino apps that sell coins: they are built to sell credits, not to teach.
Do video poker trainers use exact strategy?
Many now say they do: they count every possible draw for each hold. Others give chart-based hints. Check the app's own description, and test it on a hand you can verify with a free calculator.
Is there a video poker trainer for Android?
Yes. Play Perfect, SmartHold, Video Poker Edge and several free Jacks or Better trainers are on Google Play. Perfect Hold is iPhone only for now.
Practise every hand with Perfect Hold
Perfect Hold shows the best hold on every Jacks or Better hand and explains why. Play credits only, no real money.
Coming soon to iPhone