If you want to play Scattergories online for free, ScattergoriesOnline.net and StopotS are the quickest ways to get a game going with other people, and Swellgarfo's list generator is the simplest option if you would rather play over a video call with friends. This guide covers the official rules, six ways to play online, and how to run a game yourself on a video call using AhaSlides as the letter spinner and answer board.
Scattergories is a trademark of Hasbro. AhaSlides is not affiliated with Hasbro or with any of the sites below. We describe the game and these sites for information only.
How does Scattergories work?
Scattergories is a category-based party game first published by Milton Bradley in 1988, for 2 to 6 players. It grew out of a much older pen-and-paper game called Categories. Here is how the published game is played, according to Hasbro's published rules a Scattergories entry on Wikipedia:
- Pick a list. Everyone plays from the same list of 12 categories, such as "a boy's name", "things that are cold" or "breakfast foods".
- Roll the letter. A 20-sided die picks the starting letter. It carries every letter except Q, U, V, X, Y and Z.
- Race the timer. The timer runs for up to three minutes. Each player writes one word or phrase per category, and every answer must start with the rolled letter.
- Compare answers. Players read their answers out. An answer that another player also wrote scores nothing. An answer nobody else gave scores one point.
- Challenge and vote. If a player thinks an answer does not fit its category, the group votes on it.
- Play three rounds. Add up the points. The highest score wins.
Online versions and house rules bend these numbers, and many let you change the timer or choose how many categories to play with.
Six ways to play Scattergories online
Which one suits you depends on who you are playing with. The table below gives the short version, and the sections after it explain each option.
| voľba | Najlepšie pre | Náklady | Hrat sa s |
|---|---|---|---|
| ScattergoriesOnline.net | Quick games with strangers or bots | zdarma | Online players, bots or friends |
| StopotS | Fast, app-style rounds | Zadarmo (reklamy) | Online players or friends |
| Swellgarfo list generator | Video calls with friends | Free, no ads | Friends on a call |
| ESL Kids Games | Language classes and learners | zdarma | A class or group on a call |
| Official Scattergories apps | The licensed mobile game | Check the app store | Friends or random opponents |
| AhaSlides | Hosting your own game for a group | Voľný plán k dispozícii | Any group, in a room or remote |
1. ScattergoriesOnline.net
ScattergoriesOnline.net is an online version of the Categories game, also known as Guggenheim or Scattergories. The site says it supports 40 languages and reports more than 25 million games played. You can play with friends, against AI bots, or with players matched from around the world, and you can create your own custom categories.
The scoring follows the classic rules: an empty field scores nothing, a word that matches another player's scores nothing, and a unique answer scores one point. The site also offers free PDF templates if you would rather play on paper.
2. Stopoty
StopotS describes itself as "the Stop game (Categories Game) on the Internet". It is free, needs no download, and also has web, Android and iOS versions. Ads come with the free price. You can log in with a social account or play anonymously, then create a room or be matched with others. The app guides players through each phase, from entering answers to checking them.
3. Swellgarfo's Scattergories list generator
Swellgarfo is a generator rather than a multiplayer game. It picks the letter, the categories and the timer, and one person shares their screen so everyone sees the same list. You can add your own categories, change how many appear per turn, and switch on a child-friendly list.
The site is free and it is easy to pair with Zoom or any other video call. Each player writes their answers on paper, then reads them out at the buzzer.
4. ESL Kids Games
ESL Kids Games has an "ESL Scattergories" game aimed at children learning English. Like Swellgarfo, it works best with one person sharing their screen on a video call, so it suits classes and language exchange groups.
5. The official Scattergories apps
Hasbro owns the Scattergories trademark. In 2021, Online Tech Tips reported that Magmic Inc. made the only official Scattergories mobile apps, with a classic version and a faster variant called Scattergories Blitz that drops the starting-letter rule. Their review is worth reading for the full list. Check the app store for what is available and what it costs today, since apps change more often than articles do.
6. AhaSlides, for hosting your own game
None of the options above is built for a group you are leading yourself: a team call, a class, a family reunion. With AhaSlides you can build the game as a short presentation and run it live. Everyone joins on their phones from a code or QR, so nobody needs an account or an app.
Here is one way to set it up:
- Make the letter generator. Pridať Kolovrat slide and add the 20 letters from the official die as its entries. Spin it at the start of each round.
- Show the categories. Put the round's 12 categories on a normal slide. Pick your own to suit the group, such as film titles for a movie night or "things you would find in a lab" for a science class.
- Collect the answers. Ask players to write their answers on paper as usual. For a faster check on one category at a time, run it as a Slovo mrak: the answers that appear biggest are the ones several people gave, which score nothing.
- Settle challenges. When someone disputes an answer, put it to the group in a živá anketa instead of shouting over each other.
If you already run games on a call, the AhaSlides integrácia with Zoom and other meeting tools mean you can keep everything in one window.
Tips for a better game
- Agree the house rules first. Decide how to treat answers such as "The Shining" (the published rules skip "A", "An" and "The", so it counts for S, not T) and how strict to be on categories. Arguments about rules cost more time than the timer does.
- Pick categories your group can answer. A list that suits the room makes for better rounds than a random one.
- Aim for the unusual answer. Because a matching answer scores nothing, "cheetah" beats "cat" in the Animals category with a room of pet owners.
- Shorten or lengthen the timer to match the group. Two minutes suits a lively call, and three suits a first game.
Často kladené otázky
Existuje spôsob, ako hrať Scattergories online?
Yes. ScattergoriesOnline.net and StopotS let you join a game in the browser, and a generator such as Swellgarfo's plus a video call lets you play with friends you already know.
Is Scattergories online free?
The sites in this guide are free to play, with ads on some. The official mobile apps are priced by the app store, so check there.
Koľko hráčov potrebujete?
The board game is written for 2 to 6 players. Online versions and hosted games can take larger groups, and ScattergoriesOnline.net also lets you play against bots if you are on your own.
What are the rules of virtual Scattergories?
The core rules match the board game: everyone gets the same categories and a starting letter, writes one answer per category before time runs out, and scores a point only when no one else wrote the same answer. Check each site's own rules page for its timer and scoring details.
Can I play Scattergories on Zoom?
Yes. One person shares a screen with the list generator, everyone writes answers on paper, and you take turns reading them out. Adding a spinner and a poll from AhaSlides makes it easier to run with a bigger group.
Zdroje
- The Game of Scattergories rules, Hasbro
- Scattergories, Wikipedia
- 6 Best Sites to Play Scattergories Online, Online Tech Tips (2021)
- ScattergoriesOnline.net, StopotS a Swellgarfo, each checked on 29 September 2026
Ready to host your own game? Skúsiť AhaSlides zadarmo and build a Scattergories round in a few minutes.
