Canasta is a game for four, and that’s often the problem: finding three other people who are free on the same evening. Playing online solves it. You can practice against the computer, sit down with players from around the world, or set up a private table for your family wherever they live.
I looked at the main places to play Canasta and Hand and Foot in your browser. These are the three I’d send you to, depending on which game you play and how you like to play it.
Best pick: Tableza. Free Canasta and Hand and Foot against the computer at three difficulty levels, with hints for beginners, and private tables to play with friends. Nothing to download, on desktop or mobile.
The 3 best Canasta sites compared
| Tableza | World of Card Games | Canasta Junction | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Learning and playing with friends | Full games, no signup | Modern American Canasta |
| Games | Canasta, Hand and Foot | Canasta, Hand and Foot | Modern American Canasta |
| Game length | Single hand | To 5,000 points | To 8,500 points |
| Price | Free | Free, with ads | Free game vs computer; membership from $6.99/month |
| Vs the computer | Yes, 3 levels | Yes | Yes |
| Live players | Yes | Yes | Yes, with chat and audio |
| Private tables | Yes | Yes | Yes, for 2 or 4 |
| Our review | Tableza review | World of Card Games review | Canasta Junction review |
1. Tableza: best overall
Tableza is a free classic games site with both Canasta and Hand and Foot, played the traditional way: four players in two partnerships.
What you get
- Canasta with 108 cards (two decks and four jokers), jokers and 2s wild, red threes, a frozen discard pile and a 50-point minimum first meld
- Hand and Foot with five decks, books of seven, and the rule that both partners must pick up their foot before the team can go out
- A computer opponent at three levels, easy, medium and hard
- A Hint button on easy in Canasta, which shows you a good play when you’re stuck
- Games against other players, and private tables to invite your partner and friends
- Free, on desktop or mobile, with nothing to download
Carol’s take: This is where I’d send anyone who’s learning, or teaching a grandchild. The hints on easy take the fear out of the first few games, and you can step up to hard when you’re ready. Note that each game is a single hand rather than a full game to 5,000, so it suits a quick round better than a long evening.
Read our full Tableza Canasta review.
Play Canasta & Hand and Foot on Tableza
Practise against the computer or invite your partner and friends to a private table, on desktop or mobile.
Play free on Tableza →Free to play · No download
2. World of Card Games: best for full games, no signup
World of Card Games is a free card games site with 18 classics. By its own count, about 1.3 million games of Canasta and 587,000 games of Hand and Foot have been played there.
What you get
- Four-player partnership Canasta, played all the way to 5,000 points
- Hand and Foot with five decks plus jokers, an 11-card hand and a 13-card foot
- You’re dealt into a game against bots as soon as the page loads, with no signup
- Live players, and private tables you share by link, with bots filling empty seats
- A free account if you want long-term stats and ranked games
Carol’s take: If you want a proper game to 5,000 points tonight, without creating an account, this is the quickest way to get one. It’s also handy when only two of you are free, as bots take the other seats. The site shows ads, and its Hand and Foot needs a wild book to go out, which not every family plays.
Read our full World of Card Games review.
3. Canasta Junction: best for Modern American Canasta
Canasta Junction is built around Modern American Canasta, the version played in many US clubs. It’s the official partner of the Canasta League of America (CLA), and the only Modern Canasta app endorsed by the CLA.
What you get
- Modern American Canasta under CLA rules: 108 cards, 13 dealt, games to 8,500
- A free game against the computer, plus a Solitaire mode against robots that works offline
- Live play with players worldwide, with chat and audio chat
- Private tables for 2 or 4 players
- Daily Duplicate tournaments sanctioned by the CLA, including beginner tournaments
- Web, iPhone and Android
Carol’s take: If your club plays Modern American Canasta, nothing else on this list plays your game. It’s the only one here built for serious players, with tournaments and the CLA behind it. Full access is by membership, $6.99 a month or $69.90 a year on the web.
Read our full Canasta Junction review.
Prefer to play on your phone?
All three sites work on a phone browser, and Canasta Junction also has iPhone and Android apps. If you’d rather have a dedicated app, two more are worth a look:
- LITE Games Canasta: a free Classic Canasta app for iPhone and Android, with ads.
- Extreme Hand and Foot: a $3.99 Hand and Foot app for iPhone and iPad.
See our Top 3 Best Canasta Apps for the full comparison.
How to choose
Which Canasta do you play?
Most of the rules on this site are Classic Canasta, which Tableza and World of Card Games play. If you play Modern American Canasta (13 cards, games to 8,500), go to Canasta Junction.
Do you play Hand and Foot?
Tableza and World of Card Games both have it. House rules vary a lot, so check our Hand and Foot rules against each site’s rules before you start.
Are you still learning?
Start on Tableza against the easy computer, with hints on in Canasta.
How long do you want to play?
A single hand on Tableza is a quick round. World of Card Games plays to 5,000, which takes about 36 to 37 minutes by the site’s own figures. Hand and Foot there takes about an hour.
Do you want to pay?
Tableza and World of Card Games are free. Canasta Junction has a free game against the computer, but full access is by membership.
The bottom line
For most players, Tableza is the place to start: both games, a computer that grows with you, and private tables for family and friends, all free. Choose World of Card Games when you want a full game to 5,000 without signing up, and Canasta Junction if your club plays Modern American Canasta.
New to the game? Read our Canasta rules first, then sit down at a table.
FAQ
Where can I play Canasta online for free?
Tableza and World of Card Games are both free in your browser. Canasta Junction offers a free game against the computer, with a paid membership for full access.
Can I play Canasta online with friends?
Yes. All three sites let you set up a private table and invite friends. On World of Card Games, bots fill the empty seats, so two people can play a four-player game.
Can I play Canasta against the computer?
Yes, on all three sites. Tableza has three difficulty levels, with hints on easy in Canasta.
Where can I play Hand and Foot online?
Tableza and World of Card Games both offer Hand and Foot for four players in two teams.
Where can I play Modern American Canasta online?
Canasta Junction. It’s the official partner of the Canasta League of America and plays CLA rules.
Do I need to download anything?
No. All three sites run in your browser on desktop or mobile.
