Words With Friends vs Scrabble

What is the same

• A 15×15 grid with double and triple letter and word squares.
• A seven-tile rack, refilled after every turn.
• The opening play covers the centre square.
• Every word a play forms must be valid, including the short ones formed sideways.
• Blanks take any letter and score nothing.

Which means almost all the strategy transfers: hooks, parallel plays, rack balance, blocking, and holding blanks for a long play.

What differs, and why it matters

• The premium squares are in different places. Habits about where the dangerous squares sit do not carry over — the geometry that matters here is a triple letter beside a triple word, and it is not where you expect it.
• The centre does not double. Opening plays are worth face value, so the opening is worth less and rack balance is worth more.
• All seven tiles pays 35, not 50. Enough to matter, small enough that a good premium square can beat it. The calculation you carry from Scrabble is wrong here.
• The tile prices differ. N is two, not one. C, M, P, W, B and F are four. Y is three. A rack that looks cheap in Scrabble is often worth more here.

The dictionaries are not the same either

Each game has its own accepted-word list and neither is public property. This site checks against an open reference dictionary and says so, rather than claiming to match either — you can check any word against what it actually uses.

A note on affiliation

This is an independent tool. It is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by Zynga, or by the publisher of any other word game, and it uses no artwork or branding from either. It exists because a fast, private, free companion is a useful thing to have while you play.