Best Sheepshead App
Best for games against the computer: Sheepshead, the App, the most-rated option. Best for being told why a play is right: K9 Sheepshead: Schafkopf, whose listing says each strategic decision is explained. Best for online tables with friends and every house rule: Sheepshead: Card Game. Best for adjustable rules and large-print cards: Sheepshead by Derek Hoffmeister. Best for short drills on trump, the blind and the bury: Sheepshead Trainer, the app I make.
Most Sheepshead apps are games. Four of the five here are, and one is a practice app with no opponents, so the question is whether you want to play hands or sharpen decisions between games.
How we compared (October 2026): I did not run these apps for this page. I read each App Store listing, checked ratings, update dates, devices and purchase types from Apple's lookup data, and read a sample of recent reviews on October 11 and 12. Where I describe a weakness, it comes from what reviewers wrote and I say so. Prices are left out on purpose, because they vary by region and change.
Disclosure: Jack Wallner makes Sheepshead Trainer, one of the apps below. I tried to start every description with what the app does well.
Side by side
Ratings and counts are the US App Store figures as of October 2026. Last updated is the date of the current version.
| App | Best for | Price model | Apple Watch | iPad | Account | Rating (count) | Last updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sheepshead, the App | Quick games vs the computer | Free, no purchases | No | Yes | Not stated | 4.48 (2,490) | 2024-02-17 |
| K9 Sheepshead: Schafkopf | Learning from an AI that explains its choices | Free + one-time ad removal | No | Yes | Not stated | 4.66 (156) | 2026-06-12 |
| Sheepshead: Card Game | Online tables with friends and every variant | Free, no purchases | No | Yes | Not stated | 4.62 (26) | 2026-09-25 |
| Sheepshead (Derek Hoffmeister) | Adjustable rules and large-print cards | Free (ads reported in reviews) | No | Yes | Not stated | 3.27 (82) | 2026-04-24 |
| Sheepshead Trainer | Short drills with the why on every answer | Free + subscription or lifetime purchase | No | Yes | None | No ratings yet | 2026-10-09 |
The apps, one by one
Sheepshead, the App
Sheepshead, the App is the most-rated Sheepshead app on the iPhone. You play against computer players drawn as friendly animals, with three-, four- or five-handed games, regular or tournament scoring, jack or ace partner, and leasters or doublers, per the listing. Reviewers like that it is quick and ad-free and that you can learn without table pressure. The trade-offs: the current version dates from early 2024, and some reviewers say the bots mishandle partner play and that deals feel lopsided.
K9 Sheepshead: Schafkopf
K9 Sheepshead is the closest game to a teacher. The listing describes a five-player game with any mix of friends and AI bots, multiplayer, and an AI that explains each strategic decision, plus a puppy-training progression that advances as you learn. It is also updated often. The trade-offs: the puppy theme is a matter of taste, and the listing does not say which partner variants it supports.
Sheepshead: Card Game
This newer app focuses on playing with people: private tables you share by link, quick-match into open games, and 3-, 4- and 5-player matches. The listing claims wide variant coverage (Sheepshead and Schafkopf, called ace or Jack of Diamonds, leaster, doubler or choose-on-end, cracking, Blitz and Schneider scoring), a step-by-step tutorial, four AI characters, daily challenges and ratings. The trade-off is age: it was released in 2026, so it has few ratings and a short track record.
Sheepshead (Derek Hoffmeister)
This long-running single-player app supports three-, four- and five-handed play, called ace or Jack of Diamonds partners, optional leasters, knocking, a ten-hand tournament mode, statistics, Game Center and large-print cards. Reviewers praise rules that match home games and a developer who answers. Its rating is the lowest of the five: reviewers cite deals that feel lopsided, bots that go alone on weak hands, and freezes after updates. Check the latest reviews before relying on it.
Sheepshead Trainer (my app)
Sheepshead Trainer has four free practice rooms: Card, Trump, Bury and Trick. You learn the 32-card deck and point values, identify trump and fail cards in a holding, choose two cards to bury from an eight-card holding and compare with the coach's reasoning, then practice following suit, ordering trump and finding the partner. There are no opponents and no account. Its limits are real. It is not a game, so you never play a hand. It focuses on the five-player called-ace game, and it is new with no ratings yet. Endless practice, Fix My Mistakes and the timed challenge need Sheepshead+.
Which should you pick?
- You want to play hands on the train: Sheepshead, the App, or K9 Sheepshead if you want explanations.
- You want a game night online with your regular group: Sheepshead: Card Game, then check its latest reviews.
- You want your home rules and big cards: Sheepshead by Derek Hoffmeister, if its current version works well for you.
- You are learning and want to know why you should pick, bury or lead trump: Sheepshead Trainer for the drills, with a game app for practice hands. The how to play Sheepshead guide covers the rules first.
- You want no bot at the table: Sheepshead Trainer has no opponents.
Practice trump, the blind and the bury
Sheepshead Trainer has four free rooms for the deck, trump, burying and trick play, with the reason on every answer. No account needed.
See Sheepshead TrainerQuestions
What is the best Sheepshead app for iPhone?
For games against the computer, Sheepshead, the App is the most-rated. For explanations, K9 Sheepshead says it explains each strategic decision. For online tables, Sheepshead: Card Game. For practice drills, Sheepshead Trainer. The best one depends on whether you want to play or practice.
Is there a Sheepshead app to play with friends?
Sheepshead: Card Game lists private tables you share by link and quick-match online play. K9 Sheepshead lists a five-player game with any mix of friends and AI bots. Check each listing for the current online features.
Which Sheepshead app teaches strategy?
K9 Sheepshead says it explains each decision, Sheepshead: Card Game lists a step-by-step tutorial, and Sheepshead Trainer drills trump, picking and burying with a written reason for each answer.
Can I choose a called ace or Jack of Diamonds partner?
Sheepshead, the App and Sheepshead by Derek Hoffmeister both list jack or ace partner options, and Sheepshead: Card Game lists called ace and Jack of Diamonds. Sheepshead Trainer focuses on the called-ace game.
Is Schafkopf the same as Sheepshead?
They are related card games. Sheepshead is the American descendant of Schafkopf, and two of these listings mention Schafkopf by name. Rules differ by region, so check that an app matches your table.
Sources
- Sheepshead, the App (App Store)
- K9 Sheepshead: Schafkopf (App Store)
- Sheepshead: Card Game (App Store)
- Sheepshead (App Store)
- Sheepshead Trainer: Trump Play (App Store)
- Sheepshead (card game), Wikipedia
- Sheepshead rules, Card-Games.ca
Sheepshead rules vary by region and group. Sheepshead Trainer is an independent app and is not affiliated with any app compared here. App details were checked in October 2026 and may change.