BridgeDummy vs Tricky Bridge: Which Bridge App Fits You?

BridgeDummy vs Tricky Bridge is a question I get asked often, because the two apps look like competitors but solve different problems. I built BridgeDummy as a training tool for players who already know the basics and want to sharpen specific decisions. Tricky Bridge, by Forklift Entertainment, is a learning app for people who have never played bridge or are returning after years away.

As of August 2026, both apps are actively developed. Disclosure: I built BridgeDummy, so read this knowing that. I have kept every fact checkable.

Tricky Bridge teaches through a storyline. You work through 57 short lessons on bidding, play, and strategy. Each one mixes explanation with hands you play against AI. A hint button is always available. You progress from Rookie to Grand Master, and the app runs duplicate tournaments in Quick, Daily, and Knockout formats. It has a 4.9-star rating on the App Store with over 4,400 ratings. The ACBL recommends it as a learning resource.

I designed BridgeDummy for a different job. There is no comparable beginner curriculum: I have learn articles, guides, and one course, but those are reference material, not a step-by-step path. What BridgeDummy does instead is score your decisions. Each puzzle presents a real auction and asks you to pick the best bid or opening lead. Your choice is scored 1 to 5 stars against double-dummy analysis over 1,000+ simulated deals that match the auction. Every alternative in your hand is scored, so you see exactly how much each option costs in matchpoints or IMPs.

If you do not know what a takeout double is, start with Tricky Bridge. If you know but want to find out whether you use it at the right times, that is what I built BridgeDummy for.

Tricky Bridge covers bidding inside its lessons. You can customize the system, and practice mode gives you unlimited free deals against AI. The lessons walk through common sequences step by step. Some App Store reviewers note the bot bidding can be inconsistent (App Store reviews), but for learning purposes it gets the job done.

I built dedicated bidding puzzles that give you a hand and an auction, then score your bid against every alternative in both matchpoint and IMP formats over 1,000+ deals, graded 1 to 5 stars with an ELO rating per puzzle type. You can also run partnership bidding challenges with a friend: both pairs bid the same 8 boards and compare results with full contract evaluation.

Tricky Bridge embeds bidding in full gameplay. BridgeDummy isolates the bidding decision and puts a number on it.

This is the widest gap between the two apps, and the feature I am most proud of. I built dedicated lead puzzles that run entirely in the browser. Each puzzle shows a hand and an auction, you pick your opening lead, and every card in your hand is scored by double-dummy analysis across all layouts matching the auction, graded 1 to 5 stars with an ELO rating per puzzle type.

Tricky Bridge has no standalone opening lead trainer. You make leads during normal play, but there is no isolated practice mode or scoring for the lead decision. No other bridge app offers dedicated lead training either. I built it because the opening lead is a decision you make on every hand you defend, with only your 13 cards and the auction to go on, and until the lead puzzles there was nowhere to practice it with real feedback.

Both apps offer real free access. Prices below are as of August 2026. Prices change; check the vendor's pricing page.

Tricky Bridge's 57 lessons and practice mode are completely free with no ads. Tournament play costs $9.99/month or $99.99/year. Deal packs start at $3.99 for 50 deals (App Store).

BridgeDummy's Declarer Trainer, Analyzer, and all calculators are free and unlimited. Puzzles and challenges cost diamonds. Free accounts get 50 diamonds per month, enough for 50 practice puzzles at 1 diamond each, or 5 daily challenges. Paid plans range from $4.99/month (Basic) to $13.99/month (Premium), with annual billing saving 33%.

At the same $9.99/month price point, Tricky Bridge unlocks unlimited tournament deals. BridgeDummy Pro gives 1,000 diamonds, covering daily challenges, league entries, simulations, and hundreds of scored puzzles. Tricky Bridge gives you more deals to play through; BridgeDummy gives you more feedback per deal.

Tricky Bridge runs on iOS and Android. No web version. The app works offline for practice mode, which is a real advantage for travel. On Mac with an M1 chip or newer, you can install it from the App Store.

BridgeDummy runs on the web as an installable PWA and in the Android app. The iOS app is not out yet, but the web version works in Safari on iPhone and iPad.

If you are an iPhone user who wants a native app, Tricky Bridge wins today. If you prefer training on a computer, BridgeDummy is the only option of the two.

• Best beginner curriculum on mobile. 57 structured lessons that teach bridge from zero, with a storyline and interactive practice after each lesson.
• High app store ratings. 4.9 stars with 4,400+ ratings on iOS. Recommended by the ACBL and honored by the American Bridge Teachers' Association.
• Apple Vision Pro. Tricky Bridge also runs on Apple Vision Pro.
• Offline play. Practice mode works without an internet connection.
• Full hand play with hints. You play all four phases of a deal against AI, with a hint button at every step. BridgeDummy isolates decisions rather than playing full deals.

• Dedicated lead puzzles. No other bridge app has them. Every card in your hand is scored against double-dummy analysis across layouts matching the auction.
• Precise scoring on every decision. Instead of right or wrong, puzzles score every option 1 to 5 stars, showing exactly how much each alternative costs.
• Bidding puzzles with numerical scoring. Every call evaluated across 1,000+ deals in both MP and IMP.
• Competitive training. Daily challenges with leaderboards, a weekly league with promotion and relegation, 1v1 challenges, and ELO tracking.
• Custom simulations. Set constraints on all four hands, compare contracts and leads via double dummy, share results with a link.

Yes, and I think many players should. Tricky Bridge is the better starting point if you are learning bridge or returning after a long break. Work through the lessons, get comfortable with basic bidding and play, then move to BridgeDummy when you want your decisions measured.

The transition is cheap to try. A free account comes with 50 diamonds a month and each puzzle costs 1 diamond, so you can work through lead puzzles and bidding puzzles, pick a card or bid, and see your score. If the scored-feedback approach clicks for you, daily challenges and leagues are there too.

Tricky Bridge is one of the best learn-from-zero bridge apps on mobile. If you have never played, start there. Once you know the rules and want objective feedback on your bidding and opening leads, BridgeDummy is the better tool, and the lead puzzles are where I would start.