What this guide covers
This guide identifies the poker tools that give you genuine study value for nothing — fully free software and the free tiers of paid products. We group them by job: equity calculation, GTO (Game Theory Optimal) solving, range analysis, and tournament ICM (Independent Chip Model) work.
The information is based on official product pages and verified third-party sources, checked on 18 October 2026. We have not hands-on tested these tools, and we re-verified each tool’s free status at that date — free tiers change, so treat the details as of that verification.
The point of the guide is practical: what does the free version actually let you do, where does it stop, and how do the pieces fit into a no-cost study routine.
Quick recommendations by need
- For GTO solving on a free tier: GTO Wizard (web-based, small daily hand allowance) or MonkerSolver (local, free for turn and river).
- For range and equity analysis: Equilab or Flopzilla (both free to start; Flopzilla’s $25 licence is effectively a one-off).
- For quick raw equity: PokerStove (free download) or the PokerNews Odds Calculator (free, no install).
- For tournament ICM: ICMIZER 3 (free plan, one calculation a day) plus the free HoldemResources web calculator.
The free tools
GTO Wizard (free tier)
GTO Wizard is the web-based GTO platform — solutions, a pre-solved library and a trainer in your browser, with no install on any operating system. The free plan gives a small daily hand allowance (a third-party source reports around 10 hands per day) — enough to check specific spots, not enough for a serious study block. The paid tiers start at $39 per month (annual billing; $49 monthly) since the March 2026 format merger, and there is a free iPhone app (PokerArena) for lighter study. Read our full GTO Wizard review.
MonkerSolver (free version)
MonkerSolver is the solver for games the others ignore: Omaha and multiway pots, on any street. The free download is limited to turn and river solving — a genuine, usable piece of the product, but preflop and flop work requires the €499 full version. It runs on Windows 64-bit and macOS (8GB+ RAM), and the free MonkerViewer displays solutions. Read our full MonkerSolver review.
Simple Postflop (free features)
Simple Postflop is a local Windows solver for heads-up No-Limit and Fixed-Limit Hold’em (Mac via Parallels or Bootcamp per the official page). The free portion is unusually useful: turn and river GTO solving for everyone, plus pre-solved content — three solved flops from John Juanda’s book and a preflop tree attributed to Will Tipton. Unlimited local solving (including preflop) costs $299 one-time. Read our full Simple Postflop review.
Equilab (free)
Equilab is PokerStrategy’s classic free equity calculator for Windows: hand-versus-hand and hand-versus-range equity, with a heads-up focus. Completely free, no account, no time limit. A separate paid product, Power-Equilab (14-day trial), exists but is not part of free Equilab. Read our full Equilab review.
Flopzilla (free version + $25 lifetime)
Flopzilla turns a range and a board into an instant visual breakdown — how many combos are top pair, flush draws, gutshots — with no compute step. The free version is available to download; the $25 lifetime licence (two computers, all upgrades, and it also covers FlopzillaPro and the original v1) is the cheapest paid tool in this entire guide. Read our full Flopzilla review.
PokerStove (free)
The veteran of the group: a minimal, free, no-account Windows equity calculator that has done hand-versus-range maths preflop and postflop for years. No visual frills, no range-builder polish — but zero cost and zero fuss. Read our full PokerStove review.
PokerNews Odds Calculator (free, no install)
The fastest way on this list to check a probability: pick your cards, the board, and an opponent holding, and it calculates your win chances in the browser. No install, no account, Texas Hold’em only. It is a sanity-check tool, not a study environment. Read our full PokerNews Odds Calculator review.
ICMIZER 3 (free plan)
For tournament players, ICMIZER 3’s free plan is the standout: one full ICM calculation per day, all basic functions, free forever. That single daily “ICMIZE” is enough to properly analyse the one decision that nagged you all week. Paid plans (Basic $99.99/year, PRO $179.99/year) remove the daily limit and add the SNG Coach and cloud speed; it runs on Windows and Mac. Read our full ICMIZER 3 review.
HoldemResources ICM Calculator (free, no install)
A free web calculator using the classic Malmuth-Harville ICM for up to 20 players and prizes, plus a separate larger-field MTT calculator. It answers “what is this stack worth given the payout?” — not “what is the balanced push/fold range” (that is ICMIZER’s job).
MTTDB ICM Calculator (free, no install)
Another free browser ICM tool for quick chip-value checks. Simple, no install, useful in a break when you do not want to open desktop software.
Comparison table
| Tool | Category | Platform | What is free | What is paid (18 Oct 2026) | Full review |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GTO Wizard | GTO platform | Any OS (browser) | Daily hand allowance (~10/day reported) | From $39/mo (annual) | GTO Wizard |
| MonkerSolver | Solver | Win / macOS | Turn & river solving | €499 full version | MonkerSolver |
| Simple Postflop | Solver | Windows | Turn & river + solved content | $299 one-time | Simple Postflop |
| Equilab | Equity | Windows | Everything | — (Power-Equilab is separate) | Equilab |
| Flopzilla | Range/equity | Windows | Free version | $25 lifetime (2 PCs) | Flopzilla |
| PokerStove | Equity | Windows | Everything | — | PokerStove |
| PokerNews Odds | Odds | Browser | Everything | — | PokerNews |
| ICMIZER 3 | ICM | Win / Mac | 1 calculation/day, basic functions | $99.99–$179.99/yr | ICMIZER 3 |
| HoldemResources ICM | ICM | Browser | Everything | — | — |
| MTTDB ICM | ICM | Browser | Everything | — | — |
Building a free study stack
You do not need a budget to build a serious study routine — you need the right combination.
Postflop strategy stack. Use the GTO Wizard free allowance to check the balanced play for specific spots you encounter, then go deeper on the mechanics with Simple Postflop’s free turn/river solving and its pre-solved content. One tool shows the answer; the other helps you understand why.
Range analysis stack. Start with Equilab for quick hand-versus-range equity, then move to Flopzilla to see how an entire range behaves across many boards. Together they build the “feel” for board texture that most players only read about.
Tournament stack. Use ICMIZER 3’s free daily calculation for the one endgame spot worth a real analysis, and the HoldemResources or MTTDB web calculators for quick chip-value checks elsewhere.
Run those three stacks for a month before spending a penny. If a specific limit starts costing you real study time, that — and only that — is what to pay to remove.
Where free runs out
The free tiers have deliberate edges, and knowing them keeps expectations honest:
- Volume limits. GTO Wizard’s daily hands and ICMIZER’s one daily calculation are taste-sized, not study-sized.
- Street limits. MonkerSolver and Simple Postflop both stop at the turn for free users — the preflop/flop “root” of the hand is the paid part.
- Platform limits. Equilab, Flopzilla, PokerStove and Simple Postflop are Windows tools; Mac users need Parallels/Bootcamp (or accept the web options).
- The cost of removing limits. Roughly $25 for a lifetime range tool, $99.99–$179.99 a year for unlimited ICM, $299 for a local postflop solver, and €450–€800 for the heavyweight specialist solvers.
FAQs
Do I need a powerful computer for these tools? Web tools need nothing. MonkerSolver wants 8GB+ RAM (its documented requirement); the equity calculators run on modest hardware.
Is Equilab really completely free? Yes — the standard Equilab download is free with no account or time limit. Power-Equilab is a separate paid product.
What is the difference between a calculator and a solver? A calculator tells you how often a hand or range wins. A solver tells you how to play a spot so the balance cannot be exploited. Different questions, different tools.
Why would I use PokerStove when Flopzilla exists? PokerStove is the zero-effort option: free, tiny, no licence. Flopzilla gives you visual range breakdowns and multiway equity — and its paid step is only $25.
Can I use any of this while playing? Equity/odds checks and study, no — using tools for decisions during a live hand is Real-Time Assistance and is banned at major rooms. These are off-table study tools; check each room’s software policy.
Do the free tiers ever expire? The tools’ free status was verified 18 October 2026; vendors can change tiers at any time, so re-check the official pages before building a plan around them.