If you are comparing BridgeDummy vs Cuebids, you are probably trying to decide the best way to sharpen your bidding. Cuebids is the most popular app for practicing bidding with your regular partner: you bid real deals asynchronously, get instant double-dummy feedback, and track your partnership leaks over time. It does that job well, and it offers more system options than any competitor I know of.
I built BridgeDummy as a broader training platform. It covers partnership bidding, but also solo bidding puzzles, opening lead drills, declarer play, suit combinations, and simulations, all scored by double-dummy analysis. This comparison lays out the facts so you can pick the right tool. I built BridgeDummy, so read this knowing that. I have kept every fact checkable. All prices and features are as of August 2026. Prices change; check the vendor's pricing page.
TipQuick verdict: Choose Cuebids if partnership bidding is your only training goal and you want the deepest set of system options and deal types. Choose BridgeDummy if you want one platform that scores every alternative bid over 1,000+ deals in both MP and IMP, adds opening leads, declarer play, simulations, ELO, and mistake review. The solo Bidding Gym and Lead Gym are free, unlimited, and public: no account needed.
At a glance
| BridgeDummy | Cuebids | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Training platform: puzzles, lead drills, bidding, declarer play, simulations | Partnership bidding practice app |
| Best for | All-round improvement, solo or with a partner | Dedicated async bidding with your partner |
| Free tier | 50 diamonds/mo + Lead Gym, Bidding Gym, Declarer Trainer unlimited and public | Unlimited partner bidding, 48 tickets/mo, 1 deal type |
| Paid plans | Basic $4.99/mo, Pro $9.99/mo, Premium $13.99/mo | Diamond $5.99/mo, Heart $18.90/mo (covers both partners) |
| Bidding practice | Solo Bidding Gym (free, public), Bidding Challenges with a partner, scored puzzles (MP + IMP) | Async partner bidding (free), robot partner, daily/weekly events |
| Opening lead practice | Lead Gym (free, public, unlimited) + scored lead puzzles | None |
| Declarer play | Declarer Trainer (free), suit combinations | None |
| Play vs humans | 1v1 Friend Challenges, Bidding Challenges | Async partner bidding only (no card play) |
| Platforms | Web (PWA), Android | Web, iOS, Android |
| Feedback style | 1-5 stars, DD over 1,000+ deals, every alternative scored | 0-3 stars, DD simulation of the reached contract |
Training approach
Cuebids is built around one core loop: you and your partner bid a deal, the app runs a double-dummy simulation, and you both get a 0-3 star score. The focus is entirely on the auction. There is no card play, no lead selection, no declarer training. That narrow focus is a real strength for partnerships who want to align their system without distractions.
I designed BridgeDummy around a different idea: score every alternative, not just the one you chose. When you solve a bidding puzzle, every possible bid is evaluated across 1,000+ simulated deals that match the auction. You do not just see that 3NT scored better than 4♥. You see the average tricks and matchpoint percentage for every option side by side. That changes how you learn, because close decisions, the ones that actually move your results, become visible.
Bidding Challenges let you bid 8-board tables with your partner against EPBot opponents, then see what contracts other pairs reached. The Bidding Gym gives you unlimited free solo bidding practice in five systems, and it is public: no account needed. For opening leads, the Lead Gym is also free, unlimited, and public. No other app offers a dedicated opening lead trainer.
Partnership bidding features
This is where Cuebids has the most depth. It offers over 15 bidding systems (2/1, SAYC, Acol, Precision, Polish Club, Blue Team Club, Swedish standard, French standard, and more) plus full custom convention cards. Deal-type filters let you focus on slam bidding, competitive auctions, weak two openers, or other specific situations. The Leak Finder tool analyzes your results by category and highlights where your partnership loses the most points. Cuebids also runs daily and weekly events where every player bids the same deals, so you can compare against the field.
BridgeDummy's partnership bidding works differently. In Bidding Challenges, you and your partner bid 8-board tables with EPBot bots sitting East-West. After both partners finish a board, you see the full contract evaluation, including what contracts other pairs reached. I support five systems (2/1, SAYC, Acol, Precision, Polish Club) but do not yet offer custom convention cards or the same variety of deal-type filters. That is an honest gap. Cuebids has been building for partnership bidding longer, and it shows in the depth of that feature.
Opening lead and declarer training
Cuebids does not cover opening leads or declarer play. If your only goal is bidding practice with your partner, that is fine.
I see opening leads as one of the most undertrained skills in bridge. Most players never get objective feedback on a lead decision. The Lead Gym fills that gap: bots bid a random deal, you pick the opening lead, and every card in your hand is scored double-dummy across layouts that match the auction. It runs in the browser, it is free, and as of August 2026 it is public: no login, no account, no limits.
Scored lead puzzles add a competitive layer with 1-5 star grading, ELO tracking, and both matchpoint and IMP formats. The Declarer Trainer lets you play declarer against adaptive defense with client-side DDS, also free and unlimited. Suit Combinations focus on single-suit technique against best defense, and the custom solver handles any combination you enter.
Pricing and free tier
Cuebids' free tier is generous for partnership bidding: unlimited partner boards, 48 tickets per month, one deal type, daily and weekly events. Tickets are spent on extras such as robot partners. The Diamond plan ($5.99/mo or $59.99/yr) adds more deal types and tickets. The Heart plan ($18.90/mo or $189/yr) covers both partners with one subscription and gives unlimited tickets.
BridgeDummy's free tier gives you 50 diamonds per month plus a 75-diamond welcome bonus. Diamonds never expire and stack. Lead Gym, Bidding Gym, Declarer Trainer, and the Analyzer are free with no limits and no account required. Diamonds are spent on scored puzzles (1 each), daily challenges (10), simulations (15), and other modes. Paid plans: Basic $4.99/mo, Pro $9.99/mo (1,000 diamonds), Premium $13.99/mo (unlimited). Annual billing saves 33%. A full year of Pro costs about the same as one private bridge lesson.
Here is the honest math for partnerships. A Cuebids Heart subscription at $189/yr covers both players. On BridgeDummy, two free accounts can use Bidding Challenges (the creator pays 8 diamonds per 8-board table, the partner plays free; free-practice tables cost nothing) and the unlimited Bidding Gym at no cost. If both want full access to puzzles and leagues, two Pro annual plans total $159.98/yr.
Platforms
Cuebids runs on web, iOS, and Android. BridgeDummy runs on web (installable as a PWA) and Android via Google Play. I do not have an iOS app yet. The web app works in mobile Safari, but if you need a native iOS app today, Cuebids has the edge. iOS is the next thing I ship.
Where Cuebids is better
- More bidding systems and custom cards. Over 15 systems plus full custom convention cards. BridgeDummy supports five.
- Deal-type filters. Focus on slam bidding, competitive auctions, or other specific situations. BridgeDummy's Bidding Challenges use random deals without category filters.
- Leak Finder. A built-in tool that analyzes your partnership results by category and highlights weak areas. BridgeDummy tracks personal ELO and category stats but does not yet offer a partnership-level diagnostic.
- iOS app. Available today on all three platforms.
- Deeper partnership community. Daily and weekly events, professional comparisons, and 14,000+ users focused specifically on partnership bidding.
Where BridgeDummy is better
- Every alternative scored. Each puzzle evaluates every possible bid or lead across 1,000+ simulated deals in both MP and IMP. Cuebids grades the auction on a 0 to 3 star scale from double-dummy results.
- Opening lead training. The Lead Gym is the only dedicated interactive lead trainer I have found online. It is free, unlimited, and public. Cuebids does not cover leads.
- Declarer play and suit combinations. The Declarer Trainer and Suit Combinations cover card-play skills that Cuebids does not address.
- Free public practice tools. Lead Gym, Bidding Gym, Declarer Trainer, and the Analyzer cost nothing, have no daily limits, and need no account.
- Solo competitive structure. Daily Challenges, Weekly Leagues with promotion and relegation, Puzzle Rush, ELO, mistake review, and global leaderboards.
Can you use both?
Yes, and I think many players should. The two apps cover different ground with almost no overlap. Use Cuebids for focused async bidding sessions with your partner, especially if you play a less common system or want the Leak Finder analysis. Use BridgeDummy for daily solo practice: a few lead puzzles in the morning, a Bidding Gym session on the train, or suit combinations before bed.
Both offer meaningful free tiers, so you can try each without paying. Start with the free version of both and see which practice format sticks.
Bottom line
Cuebids is the specialist for partnership bidding, and if that is your only training goal, it is an excellent choice. BridgeDummy is the better overall improvement tool because it scores every alternative across 1,000+ deals, covers leads and declarer play alongside bidding, and offers free public gyms that need no account. For most serious players who want to get better at the whole game, not just one part of it, BridgeDummy is where I would start.