Ready to discover the best poker apps in Canada? The best CA poker apps blend security, convenience and fast payments with an array of rewarding bonuses and busy tables.
Before we take a more detailed look at our recommendations, here’s a full list of the best CA poker apps available today.
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New: No Limit Texas and Omaha
Now it’s time to reveal the best mobile software for playing real money poker, as researched by our expert team.
There’s an awful lot to love about CoinPoker, starting with one of the country’s leading poker welcome bonuses and an unbeatable rakeback deal.
Deposits and withdrawals are fast and secure, thanks to multiple cryptocurrency payment options. While the tables are busy, the design is sleek and the customer support team is extremely helpful.
The selection of cash game stakes and tournament buy-ins suits a wide range of bankrolls. You’re just as likely to spot Tony G playing nosebleed PLO games as you are newcomers at the $0.01/$0.02 Hold’em tables.
Although CoinPoker is unquestionably the leading poker app on Android, there is a minor drawback – the Apple iOS version has yet to be released. Watch this space, as it’s set to be just as impressive.
Our second favorite real money poker app is BetOnline, which is part of the busy Chico Poker network. As such, there’s no lack of cash game activity.
In addition to iOS and Android apps, plus a desktop client, you can play poker at BetOnline without even downloading any software. Just log in using your desktop or mobile browser for instant and ultra-convenient access.
Like all of the best poker apps, it’s possible to play Hold’em, as well as Omaha and several of its most popular variants. However, you won’t find any stud or draw poker here.
Aside from the weekly $100,000 Sunday Showdown, look out for millions of dollars worth of guarantees every month.
Bovada claims third place on our list of the best poker apps in Canada. This site, which is best known for its well-established sportsbook, is also a member of the PaiWangLuo network – one of the busiest in North America.
The steady flow of sports bettors helps keep the games beatable. Plus, with a varied range of busy cash game tables, and tournament buy-ins to suit all bankrolls, you won’t be short of action.
Bovada is also the best online poker app for real money if you’re into fast-fold poker. That’s known as “Zone Poker” at this particular site, and it’s one of the best examples of the genre.
Finally, there’s a real money poker app for both iPhone and Android devices alike.
The newest entry to our collection of Canada’s best poker apps is BC.Game. Although the cryptocurrency casino only launched its poker product in December 2024, it’s already ruffled a few feathers.
One of our favorite features is the ability to play Short Deck Hold’em, which many other poker apps lack. However, the usual No Limit Hold’em and Pot Limit Omaha cash games are also available, at limits ranging from $0.01/$0.02 to $100/$200.
The design is just as slick and modern-looking as CoinPoker. But, as a fairly new site, the tables aren’t quite as busy just yet.
Still, it’s been a promising start to life for the high quality BC.Game poker app, which offers more than 100 cryptocurrency payment methods.
Completing our list of Canada’s best poker apps, we have Ignition. Primarily known for its casino, Ignition also happens to be one of the best real money online poker sites in Canada.
It’s a particularly good option for low to mid-stakes players. Most tournament buy-ins are priced at least than $300, while $0.02/$0.05 is the lowest available cash game limit. Even better, with so many casino players hitting the tables, the games can be pretty soft.
Another site that offers instant play using a mobile browser, convenience and user-friendliness are clearly high on the Ignition agenda.
Finally, it’s fair to say that you can find better looking software out there. But in terms of functionality, Ignition more than gets the job done.
Canada’s best poker apps have a lot in common. A notable example is how they all provide a plentiful supply of rewarding bonuses to new and existing players.
Usually, such promotions apply equally to desktop players, as well as those using an app. However, on rare occasions, you’ll find special offers targeting mobile users only.
When choosing a poker app, keep your eyes peeled for the following promotions.
These days, it’s rare to see a poker app without some form of welcome bonus, as the industry is highly competitive. They come in several forms, but they’re always exclusively reserved for first time registrants.
As such, if you’ve been playing through a desktop poker client, you can’t simply download the app and claim another welcome bonus.
As the name suggests, these require a real money deposit before you can pick up your reward.
Add money to your account and you’ll receive a percentage bonus on top. For example, 150% on a deposit of $100 would yield a $150 bonus, meaning $250 in total.
Deposit match offers may be awarded to existing players, where they’re usually referred to as “reload bonuses”. But most online poker apps also use this type of offer for their welcome bonuses.
The opposite of a deposit bonus, this type of promotion is increasingly rare. They’re usually given to new players. But it’s not impossible to find no deposit offers for existing players, often as part of a VIP program.
All you need to do is create an account – and possibly opt into the promotion manually – to receive your free bonus credits.
These are undoubtedly one of the best poker bonuses, as you don’t need to risk any of your own money to start playing.
Some poker sites offer free entry to selected tournaments as part of the welcome package, or as a reward for loyal players.
We’re not talking about freeroll tournaments here, where none of the players involved pay a buy-in. These are regular tournaments with a real-money entry fee, but your bonus tickets allow you to play for free.
BetOnline is just one example of a real cash poker app that offers free tournament entries for new registrants.
Pretty much all of the country’s best poker apps encourage you to tell your friends about how great they are. If you successfully recruit someone to join, there’ll be a juicy bonus in it for you.
Normally, the referred friend needs to make a real money deposit after registering, in order for the reward to be paid.
They’ll also be required to insert your special referral code when signing up, or join through a unique link that’s tied to your account.
As we continue to learn more about Canada’s best poker apps, it’s time to look into the different games on offer.
This is by no means a complete list, as some poker rooms offer additional games. But the following forms of poker are among the most noteworthy.
What are the benefits of playing app poker compared to a laptop or desktop computer?
Let’s put some meat on the bones and learn exactly how the best poker apps compare to their desktop counterparts.
Selecting the best poker app for new players depends entirely on what you’re looking to achieve.
CoinPoker is an excellent choice, mostly due to its user-friendly interface and plentiful supply of low-stakes games. And, if you’re new to poker, those are two very important considerations.
It’s possible to play No Limit Hold’em and Pot Limit Omaha from just $0.01 / $0.02 at CoinPoker. You’ll also find several daily freerolls, plus “centrolls” – tournaments with a buy-in of just one cent. These are ideal for newcomers seeking to build a bankroll.
However, CoinPoker does attract a higher standard of player than some other poker sites. If you’re looking for the softest possible games, using an app that’s linked to a sportsbook is often a better idea.
In that case, BetOnline could be a superior option. Not only are the poker tables full of fishy sports bettors, it’s also possible to play without even needing to download an app. That makes it nice and easy for you to try things out, before making the commitment to a specific app.
When you’re new to the game, it’s tempting to start out with a free poker app. However, that’s not something we’d recommend you do.
Although there’s no financial risk involved with these play money apps, there’s no incentive to play properly, either. As a result, the standard of play is appalling.
Most hands involve multiple players shoving all-in and there’s little, if any, post-flop play. You just won’t learn anything that’s applicable in a real money game.
A free poker app might be good for picking up the basics, such as poker hand rankings or how blinds work. But, if you’re looking to gain authentic experience and sharpen your strategy, it’s better to play on a real money poker app.
You can still find ways to minimize the risk, if that’s a concern. Claim a bankroll-boosting welcome bonus – perhaps even some free tournament tickets – or stick to playing in freeroll tournaments.
Either way, the standard will be much higher and you’ll learn far more than you ever would using free poker apps.
It’s been legal to play online poker in Canada ever since the passage of Bill C-218 in June 2021. However, regulation of the industry is handled on a provincial, rather than a national basis.
Most major online poker brands have a presence in the country, but these locally licensed sites and apps are only open to Canadians. If you want to play on busier networks, against international players, you’ll need to look overseas.
It’s possible to play using offshore apps, as most of them also accept Canadian players. They successfully operate within a legal grey area, so it’s certainly not illegal to use such software from Canada.
Just make sure you stick with apps that are licensed by a reputable international authority. That way, you’ll have someone to turn to in the unlikely event of a dispute. You’ll also know that the site is managing your money correctly and that the on-site security is trustworthy.
The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario regulates all forms of wagering in the province.
In January 2022, they announced the creation of iGaming Ontario to oversee the newly created online gambling market. That would include any new Ontario poker apps and websites, in addition to casinos and sports betting.
Online gambling officially launched on April 4, 2022, with PartyPoker, PokerStars and 888 among the brands vying to become the best poker apps in Ontario.
It’s time to take a more personal look at each of our recommended real money poker apps.
In the following section, I’ll discuss my own experience of playing with each one of the best poker apps in Canada featured in this guide.
This is definitely one the slickest and most modern-looking apps. Once you’ve installed it and registered an account, it’s also highly intuitive.
The signup process is a little more cumbersome than the rest, as you have to verify more of your personal details. However, I just see that as an app that’s taking player safety and security seriously, which is never a bad thing.
I’m also extremely comfortable using cryptocurrency, so I appreciate the quick withdrawals offered by the six different options. However, if you’re not into crypto, I can see how the lack of traditional banking options may be frustrating.
The BetOnline poker app is not the most aesthetically pleasing piece of software you’ll ever see. But you couldn’t really ask for something more functional.
I find it the best of our recommended poker apps when it comes to multi-tabling, thanks to the expertly-designed interface. It’s also really easy to navigate in general, while the payouts are among the quickest of any poker app.
The low-stakes cash game tables are always pretty busy and, thanks to the constant influx of sports bettors, I do quite well.
Another poker site that’s pretty soft, since it’s also full of sports bettors, Bovada is ideal for low- to mid-stakes players.
One of its better features is the ability to log in and play instantly, with no downloads. And the Bovada mobile poker software taps into that, as it’s a web app, rather than native software.
As such, I think it looks pretty basic. But it’s certainly easy to find and jump straight into a game, making it a good option for quick sessions on the move. It’s probably the best app for fast-fold games too.
This is one of the newest poker apps for real money available in Canada, and it took me a little time to get used to it.
For a start, I accidentally installed the casino app, not realising that BC Poker is a totally different app. Then I found the lobby a little clunky, until I wrapped my head around it.
It’s a shame there are no single table tournaments, but I like that it’s possible to play Short Deck. And, as a cryptocurrency enthusiast, I love that there are more coins here than you’ll ever need in your life.
The Ignition mobile poker software is actually a web app, rather than a native download for iOS and Android. That means you won’t need to surrender a ton of storage space on your device.
It’s part of another very busy network, so there’s no shortage of action, and I find the low-stakes No Limit Hold’em games to be especially soft.
For me, the main reason Ignition isn’t rated higher is the lack of a direct rakeback promotion. The Ignition Rewards program is ideal if you use the casino, but it’s sub-optimal for people who only play poker.
In addition to the many different mobile apps that actually let you play poker, you’ll find many other useful poker software tools, such as:
Tracking software – Build a comprehensive hand history database to help you spot and plug gaps in your game. Example: PokerTracker 4, which is compatible with all leading Canadian poker apps, including CoinPoker.
Ready to download a poker app and start playing? Remember to keep the following pointers in mind.
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