When the online poker industry took off at the turn of the millennium, there were initially very few options for Mac users to get in on the action. In the year 2000, most poker websites had compatible software only for Windows PCs, which left Mac-using poker fans dismayed.

However, the incredible rise of Apple in the decade that followed meant that poker sites were facing a high demand for Mac-friendly software. Some of the initial Mac OS poker options were somewhat lacking in quality but soon many sites began releasing new poker clients that were completely optimized for Mac computers, and today’s Mac-compatible poker software is basically the exact same as that designed for Windows users. Any minor differences are so insignificant that they won’t be noticed, usually some tiny changes in how tables or seats are displayed on screen. Downloading poker software for Mac is no more effort than it is for Windows, just a matter of simply clicking a button. Banking is just as secure and transactions are just as fast with the Mac download as they are with Windows software.

When joining an online poker site, customers will usually have to either download a poker client or alternatively they can use a no-download version. There are pros and cons to both options – Mac-friendly client downloads will take up disk space and will subsequently require updating every now and then. A Flash based web program is always current and won’t need further updating, nor will it take up space on your computer. The only downside is the chance of losing some of the quality associated with downloadable platforms.

Whether you’re looking for some decent downloadable Mac poker software, or you’d prefer to stick to a no-download version that is compatible with your Macintosh, the fact that you are playing on a Mac computer should not hold you back. While not every poker site has software convenient to Apple devices, the UK poker sites we’ve included here all have downloads available for players that are easily (usually automatically) installed on any Mac computer.

While the standard is fairly high overall, there is still a hierarchy in terms of Mac-compatible poker software. Some function more smoothly than others, so we’ve had a thorough look into the best Mac-friendly poker clients out there so you don’t have to. We only include safe and trustworthy UK poker sites which allow Mac users to easily access the online poker games available. To find out which poker sites have the best client for Macintosh computers, simply have at look at our list below which should fill you in on which poker option is best for your Mac!

888 Poker

888 Poker offers a generous welcome bonus of £20 free when you sign up, and a 500% match for your first deposit. The site’s software features excellent multi-table action where up to 4 tables can be played at once. 888 is Mac-friendly, with a handy a step-by-step guide for Mac poker players on how to install and run the 888 poker client on their browser provided on the site. In addition to this they also have a no-download version available for Mac users.

Titan Poker

Titan is a popular Mac-friendly poker site for players all over the world, based on the iPoker Network. Customers using a Mac computer can enjoy all the poker action at Titan by just clicking on the ‘Instant Play’ button on the site’s homepage and they’ll be able to play without having to download or install any software. This handy no-download option is great time-saver for players, who also are rewarded with a first deposit bonus of 200% up to £1,200 when they join.

PokerStars

The kingpin of online poker, PokerStars can offer more traffic than any other site or network and has a first deposit bonus of 100%, up to a maximum of £400. PokerStars software is readily available for Macintosh-users, requiring Mac OS 10.5 or later to run.

Partypoker

Another hugely popular site, partypoker comes with a £20 free bonus for new players. The site’s downloadable software is is fully compatible with Mac computers, and for poker players with an IOS powered device there is a new App allowing players to enjoy partypoker from anywhere.

Full Tilt

The Full Tilt poker site claims to have the best poker software in the world. Their client is fully compatible with all devices including Mac, as long as the operating system is OS X 10.6 or higher (it recommends having Mac OS X 10.7 or higher). Full Tilt offers its new players a generous 100% first deposit bonus when they sign up, as well as a range of promotions for existing customers.