Online Poker Rankings: Cash Games

Compare the best sites for real money no limit cash game poker!

Last Updated: 19 March 2019

Best Online Cash Poker Rankings

We rank each online poker site based on their total net cost (rake minus rewards) for different table sizes (since table size has a significant impact on rake and in some cases the rewards offered). To download a poker site's software, click the banner or logo in the tables below. If you prefer to first read our detailed poker site review, click the site's name.

What is Cash Game Poker?

Cash game poker (also called "ring games") refers to poker games where chips have equivalent cash value and players can enter or exit the game at any time. The blinds (and/or) antes do not increase, meaning that you are playing for the same stakes for the duration of the game. 

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Full Table NL Cash Games

#1: Americas Cardroom

#1: Americas Cardroom

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       Score: Score:
  95.5 95.5
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Short-Handed NL Cash Games

#1: Americas Cardroom

#1: Americas Cardroom

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       Score: Score:
  96.3 96.3
  • 1

 

Heads-Up NL Cash Games

#1: Americas Cardroom

#1: Americas Cardroom

       Score: Score:
  93.7 93.7
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Finding Your Best Online Poker Cash Game Site

Each of the tables on this page rank the best online poker sites for no limit hold'em and other no limit and pot limit games. The scores for each site are calculated using:

  1. Average Net Cost. Net Cost is equal to the rake charged by the site, minus the site's equivalent rakeback. Since rake varies by stakes, and rakeback rewards typically increase with your volume of play, each site's score is based on the average net cost for a range of different volumes of play.
  2. Average Ranking. We have further ranked each site for 6 different categories of player (based on volume of play). Each site's score is based on the site's average ranking across all 6 categories.

Table size is one of the biggest factors in determining which online poker site is best for no limit (and pot limit) poker because rake often varies by table size, and some sites offer promotions for some table sizes, but not others. Some online poker sites do not offer no limit or pot limit poker for all table sizes.

These tables answer these commonly asked questions:

  • What is the best online poker site for full table no limit poker?
  • What is the best online poker site for 6-max no limit cash games?
  • What is the best online poker site for no limit heads-up poker?

Although these are better questions than the more generic "What's the best no limit poker site?", they're still not the right questions! The question you should be asking is, "What is the best online poker site FOR ME?", and the answer to that question depends on many different factors. For NL and PL cash game players, these tables address the second factor: what table size do you prefer?

While many sites try to answer the question, "What is the best online poker site?", we instead answer the question, "What is the best online poker site for ME?", because your playing preferences will affect the answer! Click to Tweet

Where Should You Play Real Money No Limit Poker?

The next question you should ask is "What is the best (full table / 6-handed / heads-up) no limit site for my volume of play?". That is, how much rake (or fees) do you typically pay per year? Since most online poker sites give higher rakeback rewards for higher volume players, your volume of play has a huge impact on which online poker site is best for you. This is why we have broken down each of these ranking tables into an additional 18 NL/PL Cash Game ranking tables (6 different player categories for each table size):

  1. Casual (rake <$100/year)
  2. Enthusiast (rake = $100 - $1,000/year)
  3. Amateur (rake = $1,000 - $5,000/year)
  4. Semi-Pro (rake = $5,000 - $25,000/year)
  5. Professional (rake = $25,000 - $100,000/year)
  6. Hardcore Pro (rake >$100,000/year) 

To view these more specific cash game poker rankings, simply click the table title or "More Info" button in the tables above.

* PokerStars

The new Stars Rewards program by PokerStars makes calculating your expected rakeback a challenge. Your PokerStars rakeback rewards will vary based on whether you are a net depositor, break-even player, or net withdrawer. A net depositor can earn as much as 27% rakeback (for low volume) up to 65% rakeback (high volume). A net withdrawer can earn as little as 4% rakeback (low volume), decreasing to as little as 3% rakeback (high volume). Break-even players earn 16 - 30% rakeback (with rakeback increasing with volume of play).

We considered listing PokerStars 3 times in each table, but the examples cited above are just the extremes; there are multiple combinations of Stars chest cost and boost points. As a result, most players will fall somewhere between break-even and either extreme. If you're a consistent winner, then PokerStars will always be one of the worst ranked sites for you. By contrast, if you're making monthly deposits (without ever withdrawing winnings), then PokerStars will almost always be the best site for you!

poker cash game quote anthony holden

Real Money Poker for Cash

Real money online cash games are much tougher to beat than live cash games. If you are new to playing online cash game poker, start off playing micro stakes (1¢/2¢ - 2¢/5¢) and only move up once you are comfortable.

Consider investing in some poker training, such as the One Percent Poker Course from SplitSuit, which will very quickly save you far more than it costs. You should also read every article on poker strategy that you can!

Once you have played several thousand online poker cash game hands, consider hiring a poker coach. You want to make sure you have hand histories you can share in order to get the most out of a poker coach, as most coaches use a system of identifying and correcting weaknesses in your game as opposed to teaching from scratch. Again, the cost of a good coach will quickly repay itself!

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