Compare / No download
Strategy games with no download: play in the browser
Every game below is playable from a browser tab, with no client to install and no launcher to keep updated. That matters for more than convenience: what plays in a browser also tends to work on a phone's mobile browser, and "no download" usually means your production and construction queues are timed on the server rather than by a program running on your machine. This page focuses on that platform question — developer, setting and map details are covered on the other comparison pages.
Updated 2026-09-13
| Game | Developer | Since | Setting | Map | Persistence | Pricing | Platform | Download |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tribal Wars | InnoGames GmbH | 2003 | Middle Ages | Continuous world map | Not published | Free, optional purchases | Browser, iOS, Android | Not required |
| Supremacy 1914 | Twin Harbour Interactive (formerly Bytro Labs) | Not published | World War I | Real-world geopolitical map (Europe and beyond) | Scheduled rounds | Free, optional purchases | Browser, iOS, Android, Steam | Not required |
| OGame | Gameforge | 2002 | Science fiction / space | Persistent universe of galaxies, solar systems and planets | Not published | Free, optional purchases | Browser, iOS, Android | Not required |
| Frontline Empire | Tim Geithner | 2026 | Modern military (fictional factions) | Single persistent world map with NPC camps and player bases | Persistent world | Free, optional purchases | Web browser | Not required |
| Travian | Travian Games GmbH | 2004 | Ancient history (Roman, Teuton and Gaul tribes) | Not published | Scheduled rounds | Free, optional purchases | Not published | Not required |
| Grepolis | InnoGames GmbH | 2009 | Ancient Greece | Archipelago of islands | Not published | Free, optional purchases | Browser | Not required |
Free to start and playable without a client install are the inclusion criteria for this comparison, so the Pricing and Download columns read the same for every game — they are not a finding about any one of them. Developer, launch year, setting, map and platform are filled in only where that game's own official site stated them; “Not published” means we looked there and did not find it, not that the game lacks the feature. No ratings, review scores or player counts are published for games we do not operate.
Game by game
Tribal Wars
Tribal Wars is confirmed playable on browser, iOS and Android from its own official site, with the mobile apps signing into the same account as the browser version.
Supremacy 1914
Supremacy 1914 lists browser, iOS, Android and Steam on its official site — the widest confirmed platform spread in this comparison.
OGame
OGame is browser-based with an official companion app for managing your empire away from a desktop.
Frontline Empire
Frontline Empire is browser-only by design: every timer, march and job runs server-side, so the game is fully usable from a phone's mobile browser without a dedicated app.
Travian
Travian's own site did not spell out a platform list in what we checked, so its Platform cell stays unpublished; like every game on this page it is reached through a browser with no client install.
Grepolis
Grepolis is confirmed browser-based on its official site, with the same server-timed production model as the rest of this list.
Who is it for
What "no download" actually means
In every game on this page, construction, research and training timers are tracked server-side: they keep running while your browser tab is closed, and the game simply shows you the current state next time you load it. That's different from a downloaded client that has to be running for time to pass. It also means the same account works from a different computer or a phone's browser without reinstalling anything — you're always looking at server state, not a local save file.
Browser vs. companion app
Several of these games also publish an optional companion app (OGame, Tribal Wars and Supremacy 1914 all confirm iOS/Android apps on their own sites) — but the app is an alternative way to reach the same account, not a requirement. Frontline Empire and Grepolis are confirmed browser-playable with no app dependency. Either way, the Download column above reads "Not required" across the board: that's the inclusion criterion for every game on this page, not a distinguishing feature of any one of them.
Frequently asked questions
Does progress save if I close the browser?
Yes. Every game here is a server-hosted browser game: your account lives on the operator's servers, not in the browser tab, so closing the tab does not lose anything. In Frontline Empire specifically, construction, research, training and marches all resolve server-side and keep running while you are away.
Can I play on my phone?
None of these games require a desktop client, so they open in a phone's browser; how comfortable each one is on a small screen is a matter of its own layout, and Frontline Empire is the only one we can speak for — its interface is built for mobile browsers. Tribal Wars, Supremacy 1914 and OGame additionally confirm dedicated iOS/Android apps on their official sites if you'd rather use one.
Do I need to create an account before I can look around?
That varies by game and is outside what this comparison verifies — check each game's own official site linked from the table above for its current sign-up flow.
Is a companion app required to play any of these?
No. Every game listed here is fully playable in a browser; where a companion app exists (OGame, Tribal Wars, Supremacy 1914) it's confirmed as an additional option, not a requirement.
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