NMJL Online vs First Bloom
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
NMJL Online
Experience the official online version of the National Mah Jongg League's tabletop game. Play against others or AI, customize your game with themes and tile sets, and access a detailed tutorial. Requires the physical annual card and an online game membership to play online.
- Online multiplayer matches
- Play against AI opponents
- Interactive tutorial for new players
- Customizable themes and tile sets
- AI can take over for dropped players
- Optional voice and sound effects
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Play Official NMJL Mah Jongg versus other players online or polish your skills against seven different AI players. Includes a detailed interactive tutorial for new players. Each year since 1937, the National Mah Jongg League has mailed out cards containing their "Official Standard Hands and Rules" for the year. In the spring, members eagerly await the arrival of the new card, which brings fresh challenges for players. Now, the National Mah Jongg League has created NMJL Online(tm), its very own official online version of the tabletop game. Anyone with the official annual card plus an online game membership can play NMJL Online. Select from several colorful visual themes and four beautiful tile sets. Optional male and female voices and sound effects help players keep up the pace. If three friends aren’t available to play, meet new friends in the lobby or select from a wide range of AI players to add to your game. In addition, if a player drops out or loses their Internet connection, AI players can take over and keep the game moving until the original player is able to re-join. Downloading the app is free. Those without a membership can still play through the tutorial. In order to play the online game, however, you must purchase the physical card and online game membership from the National Mah Jongg League. An Internet connection is also required. This app includes auto-renewing subscription options and is offered under the terms of the standard Apple End-User License Agreement, which may be viewed here: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/. Additional details of our Terms of Service may be viewed here: https://faqs.nmjlonline.com/legal/NMJL-Online_Terms-of-Service.html
First Bloom
Learn, practice, and play American Mahjong with this comprehensive guide. Features structured lessons, quick reference guides for gameplay, daily tips, quizzes, and an interactive solo mode. Ideal for beginners, experienced players, and teachers.
- Structured Mahjong lessons
- Quick reference guides
- Daily Mahjong tips
- Tile and strategy quizzes
- Interactive solo play mode
- Digital tool for teachers
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First Bloom - Mahjong Anywhere is a pocket companion that every American Mahjong player has been waiting for. Whether you're a total beginner trying to understand the tiles for the first time, a seasoned player who wants a quick reference during game night, or a teacher looking for a modern alternative to printed handouts - this app has you covered for 2026 Mahjong play and practice. COMPLETE LESSONS Work through a full library of structured lessons covering everything from tile basics and Charleston rules to hand categories, scoring, and strategy. Learn at your own pace and track your progress as you go. QUICK GUIDES Designed for real-life play. Each guide is clean, screenshot-friendly, and laid out so you can pull it up mid-game or share it with players at the table. No more paper cheat sheets. DAILY TIPS A new Mahjong tip every day to sharpen your game over time - perfect for the commute, coffee break, or the five minutes before your group sits down to play. QUIZZES Test your knowledge with tile identification and strategy quizzes. Track your scores and watch your skills improve across multiple difficulty levels. SOLO PLAY Practice the Charleston and work through hands on your own with a fully interactive solo game mode. Features multiple visual themes designed to be refreshed for seasons, holidays, and special occasions so the app always feels fresh. FOR TEACHERS First Bloom (and subsequently Bloom Mahjong Anywhere) works beautifully as a digital companion to in-person lessons. Share quick guides on screen, assign quizzes to students, or simply replace the stack of printed references you've been lugging around. The app is a great take home offering for reference for your students! BUILT FOR PLAYERS, BY PLAYERS No ads. No subscriptions. No internet connection required. Just everything you need to learn, teach, and play American Mahjong — all in one place. First Bloom (and subsequently Bloom Mahjong Anywhere) is an independent educational app and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the National Mah Jongg League, Inc Sounds Provided by Freesound: S: Level Up 01 by mokasza | License: Attribution 4.0 | S: sfx_win_3.wav by Mihacappy | License: Creative Commons 0 | S: Pushing Large Stones Down Shoreline on Stony Beach 2.wav by F.M.Audio | License: Attribution 4.0 S: Lowering Door Handle 2.wav by F.M.Audio | License: Attribution 4.0 | S: Raising Door Handle Slowly 5.wav by F.M.Audio | License: Attribution 4.0 | S: Interface Delete 4.wav by F.M.Audio | License: Attribution 4.0 S: Interface Exit 2.wav by F.M.Audio | License: Attribution 4.0
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: NMJL Online at Free against First Bloom's $4.99. First Bloom's advantage is rating (4.8 vs 1.8) and in-app purchases (none vs 6). On ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
NMJL Online is free to download; First Bloom costs $4.99 up front. NMJL Online sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. First Bloom asks for nothing beyond the download.
First Bloom holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 1.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: First Bloom has 79 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two.
| Parameter | NMJL Online | First Bloom |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — better | $4.99 |
| Rating | 1.8 (4 ratings) | 4.8 (79 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | — | 95.5% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 4 | 79 — better |
| Update frequency | — | Every 2 days |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases — better | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | #70 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 15.1 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 118 MB | 71 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Quicksilver Software, Inc. | Kelly Faris |
In-app purchases
NMJL Online
- Online Subscription (Monthly)$4.991 Month
- Online Subscription (Quarterly)$12.993 Months
- Online Subscription (Yearly)$49.991 Year
- 1-Mo Subscription, NonRenewing$4.99
- 3-Mo Subscription, NonRenewing$12.99
- 1-Yr Subscription, NonRenewing$49.99
First Bloom
No in-app purchases








