The best Jackbox (Drawful) alternatives

Jackbox games like Drawful are fantastic — when someone owns them, the TV works, and everyone is on the same couch. When they aren't and it doesn't, these alternatives deliver the same phones-out party energy with less setup.

  1. 1.

    Imposketch

    A draw-and-bluff social deduction game: everyone draws the same secret prompt except one impostor, who secretly got a near-twin prompt and has to blend in. Drawings are revealed side by side, the group votes, and escaping as the impostor scores double. Rounds take about 4 minutes, nobody waits for a turn, and bad art is a feature, not a problem.

    Best for: Groups of 3–8 who like accusing each otherPrice: Free, browser + Android, no signup
    Play Imposketch free
  2. 2.

    Gartic Phone

    The telephone game with drawings: write a prompt, draw someone else's, describe what you see, and watch the chain mutate into nonsense at the reveal. No winner, pure comedy, and it genuinely gets better the more people you add.

    Best for: Big groups (8+) that want zero-stakes laughsPrice: Free, browser
    Full comparison: Imposketch vs Gartic Phone
  3. 3.

    skribbl.io

    The internet's default online Pictionary: one player draws a word, everyone else races to type the guess. Instant to explain, familiar to everyone, and private rooms take seconds to set up.

    Best for: Classic draw-and-guess with zero learning curvePrice: Free (ads), browser
    Full comparison: Imposketch vs skribbl.io
  4. 4.

    A Fake Artist Goes to New York

    The cult Oink Games tabletop title: everyone adds one stroke to a shared drawing, but the fake artist doesn't know the word. Tiny box, huge paranoia. Needs 5+ players around a real table and a question master who sits out.

    Best for: Tabletop nights with 5–10 peoplePrice: Board game purchase
    Full comparison: Imposketch vs A Fake Artist Goes to New York
  5. 5.

    Among Us

    The social deduction giant: crewmates do tasks, impostors sabotage and vent, emergency meetings decide who gets ejected. Needs everyone to install the game, and matches run 10–20 minutes — but the impostor tension is the genre benchmark.

    Best for: Committed gaming sessions with voice chatPrice: Free on mobile (ads), paid on PC
    Full comparison: Imposketch vs Among Us
  6. 6.

    Pictionary

    The original drawing party game: sketch a word, make your team guess before the timer dies. Still great around a coffee table — the box does require being in the same room with paper and pens.

    Best for: In-person team play, all agesPrice: Board game purchase
    Full comparison: Imposketch vs Pictionary

Frequently asked questions

What is the best free alternative to Drawful?

Imposketch is the closest in spirit — drawing plus fooling your friends — and it is free in the browser with no shared screen, so it also works for fully remote groups.

Do these alternatives work over video calls?

Imposketch, Gartic Phone, and skribbl.io all run in each player's own browser, so a voice or video call is all you need. Jackbox needs everyone to see one host screen.