A recent Eurogamer piece on Forbidden Solitaire, a lost 1990s CD-ROM oddity, reminded us how much people still miss the old version of the game. What they miss is specific. A quiet card table. No timer nagging you. No pop-up asking you to watch a 30-second ad before the next deal. Classic solitaire on Windows XP was one of the calmest pieces of software Microsoft ever shipped, and for a while it felt like that experience had quietly disappeared into subscriptions and mobile stores.
The good news is that a proper desktop Klondike, FreeCell or Spider game is still very much available in 2026. You just have to know which apps still respect your attention. We tested seven options across Windows, Mac and Linux (plus one browser pick for anyone who bounces between machines) and put them in order below.
What to look for in a solitaire app
A good desktop solitaire app is not about flashy visuals. It is about getting out of the way. Here is what we weighed:
- Variety of game types. Klondike is the default, but FreeCell, Spider, Pyramid, TriPeaks and Yukon should be one click away.
- An ad-free option. Free with ads is fine as a trial, but a one-time purchase or offline mode is the actual goal.
- Offline play. You should be able to play on a plane, in a cafe with bad Wi-Fi, or on a locked-down work laptop.
- Undo history. Full undo back to the deal, not just the last move.
- Statistics and win-rate tracking, kept locally.
- Keyboard shortcuts. Drag-and-drop is fine, but a right-click or spacebar auto-move is what makes a session feel fast.
Quick comparison
| App | Best for | Platforms | Free plan | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Solitaire Collection | The exact Windows experience | Windows | Yes, ad-supported | ~$2/mo (Premium) |
| Pretty Good Solitaire | Depth and variant hunting | Windows, Mac | 30-day trial | ~$25 (one-time) |
| SolSuite Solitaire | Tournaments and stats | Windows, Mac | Limited trial | ~$25 (one-time) |
| Solitaired | Cross-platform browser play | Web (any OS) | Yes, ad-supported | Free |
| KDE Kpat | Linux (KDE desktops) | Linux | Yes | Free |
| Aisleriot | Linux (GNOME desktops) | Linux | Yes | Free |
| Solitaire Homecoming | Story and atmosphere | Windows, Mac | Demo on Steam | ~$15 |
The 7 best classic solitaire apps for desktop
1. Microsoft Solitaire Collection
Microsoft Solitaire Collection is the direct descendant of the Windows Solitaire many of us grew up with, and it ships pre-installed on Windows 10 and Windows 11. It covers Klondike, Spider, FreeCell, TriPeaks and Pyramid in one place, with daily challenges, achievements and cloud-saved stats. Card animations are cleaner than they used to be, and the FreeCell implementation in particular is very good.
Where it falls short: the free tier runs video ads between hands and pushes the Premium upsell in the menu. Premium is the only way to get an ad-free experience, and there is no one-time purchase option.
Pricing: free with ads. Premium is around $2 per month, or roughly $20 per year.
Platforms: Windows 10 and Windows 11.
Download: microsoft.com
Bottom line: the closest thing to the classic Windows experience, but you will want Premium to make the ads go away.
2. Pretty Good Solitaire
Pretty Good Solitaire has been in active development since the mid-1990s and still gets regular updates. The Windows and Mac versions include more than 1,000 game variants, from the familiar Klondike and Spider through to obscure historical patiences you have probably never heard of. Statistics, custom card backs, favorites lists and a clean, low-key interface make it the pick for anyone who wants to go deep.
Where it falls short: the interface looks its age, and the sheer number of games can feel overwhelming until you build a favorites list. The Mac version tends to lag a version or two behind Windows.
Pricing: free trial, then around $25 for a permanent registration. No subscription and no ads.
Platforms: Windows, Mac.
Download: goodsol.com
Bottom line: the deepest solitaire collection on desktop, and a fair one-time price for what you get.
3. SolSuite Solitaire
SolSuite Solitaire is the other veteran collection, with over 800 variants, an in-app statistics engine, and daily and weekly tournaments where your scores are ranked against other players. Card sets and backgrounds are highly customizable, and there is a solid rule-book built in for the more obscure games.
Where it falls short: Windows-first, with a Mac build that historically lagged the Windows one. The UI has a slightly cluttered, early-2010s feel that not everyone will love.
Pricing: free trial, then around $25 for a full registration.
Platforms: Windows, Mac.
Download: solsuite.com
Bottom line: the pick if you like leaderboards and tournaments as much as the cards themselves.
4. Solitaired
Solitaired is browser-based, which is exactly why it earns a spot here. It runs on any desktop with a modern browser, and it gives you clean, no-signup versions of Klondike, FreeCell, Spider, Pyramid and TriPeaks. Hint and undo buttons are always visible, and you can bookmark a specific game number to replay the same deal.
Where it falls short: it is ad-supported, and you need an internet connection to play. There is no native desktop app, so it will not launch when you are offline on a plane.
Pricing: free, ad-supported, no signup required.
Platforms: browser (Windows, Mac, Linux, ChromeOS).
Download: solitaired.com
Bottom line: the fastest way to play a hand of Klondike on any computer you happen to be sitting in front of.
5. KDE Kpat (KDE Patience)
KDE Kpat is the solitaire suite that ships with the KDE Plasma desktop. It covers Klondike, FreeCell, Spider, Yukon, Forty & Eight, Mod3 and a dozen more, all in a single app that respects your system theme. It is open source, ad-free, offline by default and available in most Linux distribution repositories under the name kpat.
Where it falls short: it is Linux-only, and while it runs fine under GNOME or other desktops, it pulls in KDE libraries you may not otherwise want. The theme options are limited compared to the commercial suites.
Pricing: free (GPL).
Platforms: Linux (works best on KDE Plasma).
Download: apps.kde.org
Bottom line: the natural default for KDE users, and the closest thing Linux has to the old Windows feel.
6. Aisleriot (GNOME Solitaire)
Aisleriot, sometimes called GNOME Solitaire, is Kpat’s counterpart in the GNOME world. It bundles 82 different solitaire variants into one program, from the standard Klondike (Draw One and Draw Three) through to Freecell, Spider, Klondike Three Decks and Napoleon’s Tomb. Games use standard SVG card decks, so they scale cleanly on HiDPI screens.
Where it falls short: it is Linux-only, and the interface is functional rather than beautiful. Some of the more obscure games have terse rule descriptions, so expect to look up the odd variant.
Pricing: free (GPL).
Platforms: Linux (works best on GNOME).
Download: wiki.gnome.org
Bottom line: the default pick for GNOME users, and a well-maintained bundle of variants for anyone on Linux.
7. Solitaire Homecoming
Solitaire Homecoming takes a different swing at the genre. It wraps a Klondike-style deck-clearing loop in a narrative about restoring a run-down family house, so between hands you use your winnings to fix up rooms, unlock new locations and slowly uncover a small story. The card game underneath is a fair, well-tuned Klondike variant, and the mood is deliberately calm.
Where it falls short: it is not a pure solitaire compendium. If you only want to load a game of FreeCell and play, the story and progression will feel like extra layers you did not ask for.
Pricing: around $15 on Steam, with a free demo. Also available on itch.io.
Platforms: Windows, Mac.
Download: store.steampowered.com
Bottom line: the pick if you want atmosphere and a slow drip of progression alongside your Klondike.
How to pick the right one
If you want the exact Windows Solitaire experience, install Microsoft Solitaire Collection from the Microsoft Store and decide whether the ads bother you enough to pay for Premium. For most people they will, and $20 a year is a reasonable ask for the game you probably grew up with.
If you want depth, variety and the biggest catalogue of games you can find in one place, Pretty Good Solitaire and SolSuite Solitaire are the two heavyweights. Pretty Good Solitaire has the larger library and a cleaner feel; SolSuite is stronger if you like tournaments and leaderboards.
On Linux, the choice is essentially between Kpat and Aisleriot, and both are good. Pick the one that matches your desktop environment (Kpat for KDE, Aisleriot for GNOME) so it fits your system theme.
If you just want to play a quick hand in a browser tab, Solitaired is the fastest option and works on any operating system. And if you want something a bit different, a solitaire game with atmosphere and a story wrapped around it, Solitaire Homecoming is worth the $15.
FAQ
Where can I play free Solitaire on my PC without ads?
On Linux, Kpat and Aisleriot are both fully free and ad-free. On Windows and Mac, the free tiers of Microsoft Solitaire Collection and Solitaired both show ads. To get an ad-free experience without a subscription, the practical picks are Pretty Good Solitaire or SolSuite Solitaire, both around a $25 one-time payment. Solitaire Homecoming is also ad-free once purchased.
Is Microsoft Solitaire Collection free?
Yes, it is free to download and play on Windows 10 and Windows 11, and it comes pre-installed on most Windows installations. The free tier includes short video ads between some hands. To remove ads and unlock a few extra features, you need Premium, which is around $2 per month or roughly $20 per year.
What is the best solitaire app for Windows 11?
For most people, the built-in Microsoft Solitaire Collection is the best starting point on Windows 11 because it is already installed and covers the five main variants. If you want more depth, a larger variety of games or a fully offline, ad-free experience with a one-time price, Pretty Good Solitaire is our top pick for Windows 11.
Do I have to pay for solitaire on Windows?
No. Microsoft Solitaire Collection is free (with ads) and covers Klondike, Spider, FreeCell, TriPeaks and Pyramid. Solitaired is free in the browser. You only need to pay if you want an ad-free experience without a subscription, a much larger catalogue of variants, or a story-driven title like Solitaire Homecoming.
What are the best solitaire variants to play?
Klondike is the classic Windows default and still the most popular. FreeCell is the pick for players who prefer skill over luck, since almost every deal is solvable. Spider (two-suit or four-suit) is the harder, longer game for people who want a proper challenge. Pyramid and TriPeaks are lighter, faster variants that suit short sessions. All five ship in Microsoft Solitaire Collection, Solitaired, Kpat and Aisleriot.
