How Friends at Mahjong Memberships and the Shop Work Together
Friends at Mahjong separates how you play from how your table looks by keeping memberships and the Shop as two distinct parts of the experience.
Memberships determine what you can do when you play, while the Shop determines how your table looks.
Memberships: How You Play
Friends at Mahjong is a browser-based place to learn, practice, and play American Mah Jongg by yourself or with friends. You can start playing right away in your browser with:
- 1 free game without an account
- 4 additional free games after you create an account (5 total)
- No credit card required
- No expiration on your free games
From there, memberships expand what you can do when you play. Depending on your membership level, benefits can include:
- Unlimited games
- Joining private tables with friends
- Hosting private tables
- Inviting friends by link
- Text chat
- Voice chat
- Building a personalized table theme
- Seasonal table designs
- Additional table choices
In short: your membership determines how you play.
For current pricing and plan details, see the live membership page at https://friendsatmahjong.com/membership.
The Shop: How Your Table Looks
The Shop is focused on how your American Mah Jongg table looks while you play.
Shop items are digital in-game designs, not physical products. They can include:
- Tile sets
- Mah Jongg mats
- Racks
When you buy a Shop item, it is associated with your Friends at Mahjong account so you can use it whenever you sign in and play.
The About page also notes that Shop items are bought once and usable on every table you play at both Friends at Mahjong and Mahjong Lexington. This portability applies to Shop items only.
In short: the Shop determines how your table looks.
How Memberships and the Shop Fit Together
Memberships and the Shop are designed to work side by side without overlapping roles:
- Memberships focus on gameplay access and social features.
- The Shop focuses on cosmetic designs for your table.
Some membership levels include the ability to build a personalized table theme and access additional table choices. Shop items then give you more ways to customize that table with specific mats, tiles, and racks.
This supports Friends at Mahjong’s core idea:
Same game. Your look.
You get a familiar American Mah Jongg experience, in your browser, on a table you can make your own.
Free Games and Memberships
Because Friends at Mahjong offers 1 free game without an account and 4 more after you create one, you can:
- Try the game in your browser without creating an account
- Continue with four additional free games after sign-up
- Play those free games without a credit card and without an expiration date
When you are ready for more, memberships expand your play options, especially around unlimited games and private tables with friends.
Independent American Mah Jongg Play
Friends at Mahjong is an independent teaching and gaming resource for American Mah Jongg. It can be used both by players who already know the game and by people who want to learn.
Friends at Mahjong can reference cards such as its own card and the annual card published by the National Mah Jongg League, but it does not need to provide a player’s NMJL card for that player to use it as a personal reference while playing.
Friends at Mahjong is an independent teaching and gaming resource and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the National Mah Jongg League.
Next Steps
If you want to see how memberships and the Shop feel in practice:
- Start a free game in your browser at https://friendsatmahjong.com
- Create an account after your first game to unlock four more free games
- Explore membership options at https://friendsatmahjong.com/membership
- Browse Shop items that change how your table looks at https://friendsatmahjong.com/shop
This way you can experience the core gameplay, understand how memberships shape what you can do, and see how Shop items personalize your table.