Games to play in your group chat — no app needed
Send one link in the group chat, and everyone plays a live auction, Imposter or a quiz on their own phone. Free for up to 4, no download, no sign-up.
By Martin Nymann (AddonNordic ApS), who made Deadline Day with his son Viktor. Updated 14 October 2026.
On this page: How it works · Which game · Games in the chat itself · What it costs · Questions
How does a group chat game work without an app?
One of you starts a game in the browser and drops the link in the chat. Everyone taps it and plays on their own phone. The chat stays the place for the trash talk, and the game keeps the bids, the secret words, the votes and the score, so nobody has to count or referee.
- Start a game. Open Deadline Day, tap "Play with friends" and pick a game.
- Send one link. Paste it in the group chat, or share the 4-letter code.
- Everyone joins on their own phone. No app and no account; names pop up as people join.
- Play, then switch. When a round ends, pick the next game in the same room, with no new link.
It works whether you are on one sofa or spread across five cities. Together in a room? Put the game on the big screen with the TV party game setup. On a call? See games to play on a video call.
Start a free gameWhich game fits your group chat?
Pick by the mood in the chat tonight: rivalry, bluffing or quick guesses. Every game below starts from the same link.
| If your chat wants to… | Play | What happens | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prove who knows sport best | Live auction | Everyone bids on real players from their phone; every bid restarts the clock, and the strongest team wins | ~30 min |
| Settle it before bedtime | Quick draft | The same auction, starting line-up only | 5–10 min |
| Catch a liar | Imposter | Everyone gets the same word except one bluffer; pick "Play online" and type your word | ~10 min |
| Test what you know | Guess the player | Everyone answers at once on their own phone, so nobody is put on the spot | 5–10 min |
| Argue about taste | This or That | Two players, one secret pick; guess what your friend chose | 5–10 min |
| Fight about music and films | Music quiz or trailer game | Bid on songs or trailers; the real result decides, and the host's screen plays them | ~15 min |
The auctions come in nine sports: football, basketball, handball, ice hockey, racing, darts, rugby, esports and cricket, plus classic cars. Where a game uses real data, the real result picks the winner: hidden player ratings, real auction prices or real view counts. Nobody in the chat can argue with the score.
What should we play first?
- Three or four friends: Imposter. It explains itself in one sentence and needs only 3 people.
- A sports group chat: a Quick draft first, then the full auction at the weekend.
- A quiet chat, or people who barely know each other: Guess the player or This or That, where everyone answers at the same time.
- A big group of up to 20: Imposter or an auction, all in one room with a Host Pass.
- The family chat: Imposter with everyday words. See family game night.
Which games can you play in the chat itself?
Plenty of group chat games need nothing but messages. They are slower, and someone has to keep score, but they are good for a chat that drifts all day:
- Would you rather. One person posts two options, everyone answers, and the one who explains best picks the next pair.
- Two truths and a lie. Post three facts about yourself; the chat votes on the lie.
- Emoji guess. Describe a film, a song or a player in emojis only; first right answer goes next.
- Twenty questions. Think of someone famous; the chat gets 20 yes-or-no questions.
- Finish the lyric. Post the first line of a song and stop; first to finish it wins the round.
- A prediction league. Everyone predicts the weekend's scores, and one person keeps the table.
When the chat wants something faster, with a clock, secret roles and a score nobody has to keep, send the link. More ideas, with and without phones: games to play with friends, party games and football games to play with friends.
What does it cost?
- Up to 4 players
- Every game
- No sign-up, no download, no ads
- Up to 20 players
- Every game you host on that device
- No subscription — your friends never pay
Questions
Can we play without downloading anything?
Yes. Every game runs in the browser. One person sends the link in the group chat, and everyone opens it on their own phone, with no app, no sign-up and no ads.
Is it free?
Yes, every game is free for up to 4 players. For 5 to 20 players, the host buys a Host Pass once for €4.99, and nobody else pays.
Which group chat app works?
Any of them. The game is just a link, so it works in whatever chat your group already uses. Nothing plugs into the chat, and nobody has to add anything.
Do we need to be on a call?
No. The auctions, Guess the player and This or That work in silence, straight from the chat. Imposter is more fun when you can hear each other, so open a call for that one, or argue it out in the chat.
What is the best group chat game for three friends?
Imposter. It needs at least 3 players, a round takes a couple of minutes, and in "Play online" everyone types their word instead of saying it.
How many people can play?
Up to 4 for free, and up to 20 in one room with a Host Pass.
This text was generated with artificial intelligence (Geoa Content Studio) and edited for Deadline Day. EU AI Act, art. 50.
Deadline Day is made by AddonNordic ApS (CVR 46495985), Denmark · Questions? Contact us at contact@addonnordic.dk
Not affiliated with, endorsed or licensed by any player, club, league or association. Ratings are our own opinion.
For pubs and bars · For office parties · For festivals · Football · Basketball · Handball · Ice hockey · Racing · Darts · Rugby · Esports · Cricket · Imposter: words, Christmas, football, basketball, hockey, racing, esports, handball · Football Draft Game · Guess the Footballer · Guess the Basketball Player · Guess the Hockey Player · Guess the Driver · Guess the Esports Player · Guess the Handball Player · Football This or That · Basketball This or That · Basketball Blind Ranking · Basketball Charades · Football Blind Ranking · Football Charades · Cricket Blind Ranking · Cricket Charades · Hockey This or That · Racing This or That · Esports This or That · Handball This or That · Football Games with Friends · Party Games · Games to Play with Friends · Family Game Night · Cricket Mock Auction · TV Party Game · Video Call Games · Group Chat Games · Auction Game · Football Auction for Creators · Eurovision Party Game · Which Video Has More Views? · Funny Shorts Game · Music Quiz with Friends · Movie Trailer Game · Metal Music Quiz · Car Auction Game · Car Quiz · Privacy · Terms