Looking for some free mobile games? There are plenty out there, from big names offering free-to-play experiences, to smaller studios offering some bang for your lack of buck, you could fill up your storage in no time. So, to help you navigate Google Play or the App Store, we’ve put together a list of the best free mobile games, making it easier for you to pick something up and play.
For more exciting titles for your Android or iPhone, be sure to browse through our lists of the best mobile puzzle games, best mobile racing games, best mobile strategy games, and best mobile casual games. Or, if you’re looking for something a little more retro, check out our picks for the best GBA games and the best Game Boy games.
With that out of the way, let’s get into our list of free mobile games.
Raid: Shadow Legends
This one is a bit of a big fish in the free mobile games pond. Most mobile gamers will have heard of Raid: Shadow Legends, in part, because of the rather relentless YouTube advertising campaign. For those who don’t know much about it, it’s essentially a game that sees you building a collection of champions so that you can take them through dungeons filled with a series of turn-based RPG battles.
The champions range from super cool warriors to charming quirky characters. There’s the Ultimate Deathknight, who’s a bumbling skeleton and loose mascot or the series, there’s Sir Nicholas, who’s a edgy version of Santa Claus, and here’s Abbess – a strong and elegant magic-user. There’s a huge spread, and it can be fun to put together the right team for different challenges. If you enjoy mobile multiplayer games, you’ll probably be pleased to know that you can also try and put together the ultimate party so that you can dominate other players in an online arena.
Play Raid: Shadow Legends for free.
Legend of Mushroom
It’s time to grab your sword, my fungi friend, as we charge forth into Legend of Mushroom. Combining elements of idle, RPG, and gacha game, this sweet little chestnut invites you into a vivid fantasy world, where your main goal is to continue growing stronger until you finally evolve into a human warrior.
Best beasties, unlock skills, pets, and equipment, wish on a magic lamp, challenge other players in an arena, hop into the mine to dig up some resources – there’s so mush-room for exploration and growth. But don’t sweat it, there are some nifty automated systems that allow you to sit back, relax, and reap the rewards. Best of all? There’s heaps of ways to get stronger without spending a single cent.
If you fancy getting in on the fungi fun, be sure to check out our Legend of Mushroom tier list and snap up some freebies with our Legend of Mushroom codes.
Play Legend of Mushroom for free.
Mech Arena
Like Raid: Shadow Legends, this is another from Plarium on our list of the best free mobile games, though it is completely different. This game, as we’re sure you can imagine, is about doing battle in mech suits. You play online and do battle with countless players from its huge user base. Like many of the entries on our list, you’ll never struggle to find a match in Mech Arena.
You can really cultivate your own playstyle, too. There are so many options available for customizing your mech suit, and they all accommodate different battle tactics. You can experiment with different styles, and eventually find the one that suits you best, and most effectively enables you to dominate on the battlefield.
Idle Miner Tycoon
Idle Miner Tycoon is a free mobile game that has you earning mountains of in-game cash, all while giving you a peek into the true workings of capitalism. In summary, you must work your way up by upgrading your mine, and eventually hiring specialists, so you can sit back and watch the money roll in.
Much like many of the other best idle games, your mine even stays operational when you’re offline. That means that even while you’re sleeping, working, or heading off to school, your mine keeps bringing in resources. Now that’s efficient.
Play Idle Miner Tycoon for free.
Honkai Star Rail
From mobile mavericks Hoyoverse, Honkai Star Rail is a rip-roaring RPG with some serious PS2-era vibes. With an ever-revolving cast of interesting characters, plenty of quests to involve yourself with, and a good old-fashioned space train, there’s a reason a lot of people are calling this the free-to-play game around.
The best thing about Honkai Star Rail is that it constantly receives new updates that add extra hours of playability or give you more level goals to build your characters up to. Seriously, for something that costs you nothing, there’s more value here than some console games that would set you back upwards of $70. If you want a helping hand getting started, check out our Honkai Star Rail tier list and Honkai Star Rail codes.
Hero Wars
We don’t doubt that you’ve seen the adverts for this one. With countless warriors to pick from, you’re certainly getting bang for your non-existent buck with Hero Wars, one of the more popular and engaging entries on our list of free mobile games.
With a mix of turn-based RPG gameplay and brain-boggling puzzles, this entry on our list of the best free mobile games is perfect for playing for hours at a time or just passing time on a quick train ride. Just don’t blame us if you find yourself losing sleep and staying up late for a few more battles.
Iron Order 1919
Looking for something that makes you think? We recommend Iron Order 1919. This is a game based on a fascinating alternate history, where the First World War didn’t end in 1918, but instead kept going, with a kind of mech suit steampunk technology emerging from it. That concept alone is pretty cool, but the gameplay is definitely to be applauded too, as it is a grand strategy game that you’ll play over multiple weeks, with up to 101 players at a time.
With a game of this scale, you’ll spend a lot of time pondering maps of the world and considering the strength and location of your forces. There’s a lot for you to consider in Iron Order 1919, and the country that you take control of will have numerous options open to it – do you want to dominate the world with your military might? Do you want to improve living conditions for your people? Or maybe you want to invest in advancing your technology? Either way, there are many ways for you to approach the game, with no right answer as to how you proceed.
Play Iron Order 1919 for free.
Genshin Impact
On release, many thought that Genshin Impact was trying to cash in on the success of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, with plenty of comparisons between the two vivid worlds of adventure. Now, a few short years later, Genshin is one of the biggest titles in the world, with tens of millions flocking to the game to experience Teyvat for all its serene beauty and badass boss battles.
With so much now available in the game all these years after launch, it can be a bit tricky to know where to start in Genshin but don’t worry, we’ve got your back there too. Our Genshin Impact tier list guide has plenty of information on which of the colourful cast you want to seek out first, while our Genshin Impact Traveler build guide can put you on the front foot with the first character you play as. Oh, and there’s our Genshin Impact codes list too, just in case you fancy a freebie.
Marvel Snap
With studio Second Dinner forming out of a rabble of Hearthstone’s most talented game designers, most notably Ben Brode, just to create Marvel Snap, you would expect a game worthy of your time. Instead, you get something that eats your time in two-to-five-minute chunks for hours at a time, with the quick-fire gameplay giving such strong “one more match” vibes that you may very well find yourself still playing at 3 AM.
In this pick for our list of the best free mobile games, you can find all of your favorite heroes, and a few villains to boot, in a mobile card game like no other. With simultaneous turns, a smaller pool of cards to limit the meta possibilities, and a balance across the roster that makes every game feel fair, it’s no wonder that Marvel Snap revenue is through the roof. If you do want to take the plunge into this superpowered title, be sure to check out our Marvel Snap decks guide and Marvel Snap tier list.
Animal Restaurant
If you’re a fan of an idle title and can’t turn down a cute face asking for a treat, Animal Restaurant is one of Pocket Tactics’ favourite free mobile games, with plenty going on in the kitchen to keep you busy. If you can’t guess from the title, Animal Restaurant makes you the sole proprietor of a thriving mammal eatery, with cats, dogs, rabbits, frogs, and more coming through the doors for some tasty snacks.
One of the best things about Animal Restaurant is though it does have the option of paying for in-game resources, you never really feel like you have to, and you can simply jump on for a few minutes a day to see to your customers and keep the money coming in. There’s also a host of adorable kitchen and wait staff you can hire, so even if the profits don’t come in, at least there’s a tabby waiter to keep you distracted.
Coin Master
Coins! Coins! COINS! If you want to make some serious – but still imaginary – moolah, then Coin Master is the game for you, with the slot machine-heavy title forcing you to raise cash in order to afford the Coin Master village cost. These aren’t lame old samey villages either, with locations ranging from L.A.-inspired Hollywood hovels, to steampunk townships keeping things fresh as you continue on your quest.
Better still, we hand out daily Coin Master free spins to fill your coffers with the precious resources you need to keep fixing up all of the fixer-uppers. So, if you’re feeling lucky, and think you can help the Coin Master pig spend their way to restoring all the villages to their former glory, be sure to give this a try.
Pokémon Go
It’s only in the era of free mobile games that you can play a Pokémon title without having to part with a cent, and that’s something we all benefit from. With over six years of updates, events, and new monsters, Pokémon Go is something of a titan in the industry, pulling in massive revenues for The Pokémon Company and Niantic, while offering a way for fans of the series to bring their favourite creatures to life.
The best thing about Pokémon Go is that it suits all kinds of trainers. Looking to just collect? That’s fine. Looking to battle your strongest monsters? That’s fine too. There are no expectations in Pokémon Go, outside of the research tasks, which means you can take it at your own pace, even if that just means enjoying a nice stroll alongside a beautiful Butterfree. If you do want to get in on the action, check out our Pokémon Go Community day, Pokémon Go raids, and Pokémon Go event guides. Or, grab some freebies with our Pokémon Go codes.
Cookie Run: Kingdom
If this list was written five years ago, it might be another sweet-as-sugar title on this list, but these days it’s pretty hard to ignore Cookie Run: Kingdom. Combining city-building, gacha, and RPG mechanics, this treat of a free mobile title is one that you might find increasingly hard to put down, with every element of the game designed to keep you playing for as long as possible.
Still, the biggest Cookie Run: Kingdom highlight must be the sheer variety of available players, with almost all sweet treats and baked goods represented with their own in-game character. If you don’t believe me, our Cookie Run: Kingdom characters guide details each and every one of the playable possibilities, and you can find some delicious tips on how to use them there too. Or if it’s freebies you’re after, check out our Cookie Run Kingdom codes.
Clash Royale
If you like snappy battles that keep pulling you in for more, Clash Royale is the pick for you from our list of the best free mobile games. With a whole community of players trying to take out each other’s towers, there’s always someone to play, and the variety of cards and mechanics means there’s a lovely learning curve to ease you into the game.
If you like the sound of this one, check out our Clash Royale decks guide to get started. Your kingdom awaits, and so does the battlefield.
My Singing Monsters
If you’re a musical maestro looking to try out something more fun than hours of piano practice, or if you simply want to make some noise and lack the classical training, My Singing Monsters combines the world of music with collecting monsters for a title that’s much more interesting than it sounds. Simply put, the tunes these little terrors make are actually incredibly catchy, with the mechanics just as difficult to get out of your noggin.
Due to the sheer number of available monsters in-game, and trust me there are a few, we’ve got a My Singing Monsters breeding guide to get you off the ground. Or, if you need some resources to buy your first fledgling singers, check out our My Singing Monsters gems guide.
Reverse: 1999
This time-traveling gacha game was one of the most engaging new releases of 2023, and with regular new updates, it’s still offering plenty of value for a free-to-play game. The core of Reverse: 1999 is its fantastic card-based RPG battle mechanic, but the twisting and turning narrative and some fantastic characters certainly add to the experience.
If you’re thinking of checking this one out, be sure to get off on the right footing by picking up some freebies with our guide to Reverse: 1999 codes. Once you have some in-game currency, you can try and pick up some of the characters from our Reverse: 1999 tier list to make in-game progression a bit easier.
There you have it, our picks for the best free mobile games. If you also own a Nintendo Switch, keep on saving with our guide to the best free Switch games.