Trivia games scratch a specific itch: the thrill of knowing something. Whether it's pub quiz night or a solo session on your phone, the best trivia games make you feel brilliant when you're right and teach you something when you're wrong.
1. Trivia Crack
Developer: Etermax | Released: 2013
Platforms: iOS, Android, Web
Difficulty: Easy to medium | Price: Free (ads + IAP)
The most downloaded trivia game in mobile history — over 600 million downloads. Spin a wheel to select categories (Science, Entertainment, Art, Geography, History, Sports), compete head-to-head to collect all six crowns first. The social multiplayer format drove its viral growth.
2. Jeopardy! PlayShow
Developer: Sony Pictures Television | Released: 2020
Platforms: iOS, Android, Amazon Fire TV
Difficulty: Medium to hard | Price: Free (limited); subscription for full access
Play along with actual Jeopardy! episodes in real time. The app syncs with the TV broadcast, letting you answer as questions appear. Between broadcasts, a library of classic games is available for solo play. The longest-running quiz show in American TV history, now in your pocket.
3. Sporcle
Developer: Sporcle, Inc. | Released: 2007 (web); app 2012
Platforms: Web, iOS, Android
Difficulty: Easy to very hard | Price: Free (ads); premium available
Timed quizzes where you type as many answers as you can. "Name all 50 US states in 10 minutes." The user-generated quiz library has millions of entries. Sporcle is for testing yourself, not competing — the satisfaction (or humbling) is uniquely addictive.
4. Kahoot!
Developer: Kahoot! ASA | Released: 2013
Platforms: Web, iOS, Android
Difficulty: Varies | Price: Free for basic; paid plans for educators
The classroom trivia platform with over 9 billion cumulative participants across 200+ countries. Teachers create quizzes, students join on phones using a game code. The competitive leaderboard and countdown timer create genuine excitement. Also widely used in corporate training.
5. QuizUp (Legacy)
Developer: Plain Vanilla Games | Released: 2013 (shut down 2023)
Platforms: Was iOS, Android
Difficulty: Varies by topic | Price: Was free
The trivia game that proved niche topics drive massive engagement. Thousands of hyper-specific topics — The Office quotes, 1990s one-hit wonders, periodic table elements. At peak, 100 million registered players. The service shut down in 2023, but its influence on topic specificity lives on in every quiz app that followed.
6. HQ Trivia (Legacy)
Developer: Intermedia Labs | Released: 2017 (shut down 2020)
Platforms: Was iOS, Android
Difficulty: Medium to hard | Price: Free (cash prizes)
The live trivia app that briefly took over the internet. At peak in early 2018, over 2 million simultaneous players competing for real cash. Host Scott Rogowsky became a minor celebrity. 12 questions, elimination-style, real money. Burned bright and fast, but proved live synchronized trivia could generate massive engagement.
7. Trivia Royale
Developer: Teatime Games | Released: 2020
Platforms: iOS, Android
Difficulty: Medium | Price: Free
Battle-royale-style trivia: 1,000 players start answering simultaneously, slowest/wrong answers eliminated each round until one remains. Rounds take about 5 minutes. Creates genuine tension in a format that feels fresh.
8. Psych!
Developer: Warner Bros. / Ellen DeGeneres | Released: 2016
Platforms: iOS, Android
Difficulty: Social | Price: Free
Players make up fake answers to real trivia questions, then everyone votes on which is real. The fun isn't knowing the answer — it's writing a convincing fake. The best digital party trivia game for groups, and it works great over video calls.
9. Learned League
Developer: Community-run | Released: 2006 (web)
Platforms: Web only
Difficulty: Hard to extremely hard | Price: Free (invitation-only)
The most exclusive trivia community on the internet. Invitation-only, head-to-head daily rounds, typed answers (no multiple choice), and a league structure with promotion and relegation. If pub trivia is too easy, Learned League is where you'll find your people.
10. Trivial Pursuit (Digital)
Developer: Hasbro / Ubisoft | Released: Various digital versions
Platforms: iOS, Android, PC, Consoles
Difficulty: Medium | Price: Varies ($4.99–$19.99)
The board game that defined the trivia genre, now digital. Multiple editions cover different eras and themes. Best played with friends on a shared screen. The physical game has sold over 100 million copies worldwide since 1981 — the digital versions capture the same competitive energy.
Quick Guide
| If you want... | Try... |
|---|---|
| Head-to-head mobile | Trivia Crack |
| Niche topic quizzes | Sporcle |
| TV game show format | Jeopardy! PlayShow |
| Group/classroom | Kahoot! |
| Party game with friends | Psych! |
| Serious competition | Learned League |
Like games that test your brain? Try Pairdle — a daily word puzzle where logic beats luck.
By Tim Nye, Logic Loft Games