Games Like Jackbox You Can Play Free, on Phones or One Screen

Jackbox is the name most groups know for party games on phones. One person buys a Party Pack, puts it on a TV or a shared screen, and everyone else joins at jackbox.tv with a room code. If nobody in your group owns a pack, or you have no TV, you can play tonight for free. This guide compares them by cost, group size and setup, so you can pick one in a minute.

We make CardYard, one of the options below, and we've included the other free games we'd send a friend to.

Key takeaways

• Jackbox needs one owner and a shared screen. Players join free from their phones.

• For a free browser game on many devices, skribbl.io (drawing, up to 20 per private room) and Gartic Phone (drawing telephone, no account) are the easiest starts.

• For a game with no shared screen, use one phone passed around the table. CardYard's one-phone games are free to start.

• For Jackbox-style Rooms where each phone shows its own private view, CardYard Rooms work like Jackbox: one Premium host, and everyone else joins free in a browser.

How the options compare

Facts checked on 2026-10-17 against each game's own site. Prices and limits change, so check before you plan a big night.

What makes a game "like Jackbox"?

A Jackbox night has three parts: everyone plays on their own phone, the phone shows private information (your answer, your drawing, your vote), and a shared screen shows the results. Free alternatives keep one or two of those parts and drop the rest. Pick based on the part your group cares about most.

• Own phone, private input: CardYard Rooms, Codenames online.

• Drawing on every screen: skribbl.io, Gartic Phone.

• No devices beyond one phone: CardYard one-phone games.

Jackbox Party Packs: the paid benchmark

Jackbox's own how-to page says only one person in your group needs to own a Jackbox product to host. Players join on their phones at jackbox.tv with the room code shown on the host's screen, and Jackbox suggests a screen-sharing app such as Discord or Zoom for remote groups (Jackbox Games, How to Play, retrieved 2026-10-17).

Jackbox fits a group with a TV in the room and someone happy to buy a pack. Without a pack or a big screen, the options below get you playing in under a minute.

CardYard Rooms: the closest free-to-join match

CardYard Rooms copy the Jackbox model without a TV. The host creates a Room, shares a six-character code, and everyone joins from a phone or laptop browser. Each phone shows only what that player should see, so the clue-giver in Taboo sees the card while the guessers don't.

The host uses CardYard Premium. Everyone else joins free and installs nothing. That mirrors Jackbox's one-owner setup, with a phone browser replacing the TV.

Room games to start with:

• Taboo online: 4 to 12 players in two teams. The clue-giver sees the card, opponents get a buzzer.

• Match the Room: 3 to 12 players answer in secret and score by matching the most popular answer.

• Spectrum Guess online: 2 to 12 players guess where a clue sits on a scale, each on their own dial.

• Hue Hunt: 2 to 10 players guess a color from a one-word clue.

• Truth or Dare online: 2 to 12 players with shared prompts and optional dare timers.

Rooms work over a video call too. Keep your call open for voices and let CardYard handle cards, timers and scores.

CardYard on one phone: free, and no screen at all

You can also skip devices and pass one phone around the table. CardYard's one-phone games hide each player's secret until it's their turn. In Imposter, each player taps to see their secret word, then passes the phone on. In Charades, the actor reads the prompt and the room guesses.

One-phone play is free to start, with a daily allowance of AI-generated rounds. Premium opens every category and lets you create custom themes. For a group of 15 or 30, one phone and two teams often beats getting everyone into a lobby.

Good one-phone picks:

• Charades for big, loud groups.

• Imposter for 3 or more players who like bluffing.

• 15 Words or Less for teams that like word games.

• Stop the Timer for a quick challenge between rounds.

skribbl.io and Gartic Phone: free drawing on every device

skribbl.io calls itself a free online multiplayer drawing and guessing game. Its private rooms take up to 20 players and support custom word lists (skribbl.io, retrieved 2026-10-17). Pick it when your group wants a Drawful-style night for free.

Gartic Phone runs the telephone game with drawings: you write a sentence, the next player draws it, the next describes the drawing. You can start as an anonymous player with no account (Gartic Phone, retrieved 2026-10-17). It gets funnier as the group grows.

Both need a browser on each device. Neither runs a word, bluffing or trivia game, so pair them with something else for a longer night.

Codenames online: a free word game with a room link

Czech Games Edition's Codenames online asks for a nickname, not an account. You set up a game and share the room URL with friends (retrieved 2026-10-17). Choose it for two teams who like a slower, thinking game.

Which one should you pick?

• You want Jackbox-style phones with private cards and no TV: CardYard Rooms.

• You have one phone and a crowd: CardYard on one phone.

• You have a TV and someone owns a pack: Jackbox.

• Your group loves drawing: skribbl.io or Gartic Phone.

• You want a quiet strategy word game: Codenames online.

For the full list of what we offer, browse all CardYard games.