Free city building games you can play in your browser
Updated 5 November 2026
The best free city builder you can play in a browser on any device, including a phone, is Metropolis 3000. It has zoning, roads, power, water and a budget, with goals, timed challenges and a Daily map, and nothing to download. On a computer, MicropolisWeb and micropolisJS run the open-sourced original 1989 city sim in a browser. LinCity-NG is free to download. Townscaper and Islanders are small, relaxed builders: Townscaper has a free browser demo, and Islanders is paid.
| Game | Plays in | Cost | What you need | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metropolis 3000 | Browser, phone or PC | Free | Nothing | A full city sim on any device, phones included |
| MicropolisWeb | Browser (computer) | Free, open source | Nothing | The original 1989 city sim, as it was |
| micropolisJS | Browser (computer only) | Free, open source | A mouse; not made for touch | The classic city sim in a lightweight browser port |
| LinCity-NG | Linux, Windows | Free, open source | A download | A deep, free economy sim on a computer |
| Townscaper | Browser demo (computer); full game on PC, consoles, phones | Demo free; full game paid | A computer for the demo | Relaxed town building with no goals |
| Islanders | PC, consoles | Paid | Steam or a console store | A calm city-building puzzle |
The six, in more detail
1. Metropolis 3000
Metropolis 3000 is our own game, so judge it for yourself. You start with an empty field and a budget, then lay roads, zone homes, shops and industry, and keep the power, water and rubbish flowing as the city climbs through its tiers. An advisory team grows with your city and tells you what's going wrong.
There's a Career on any map size with a Mayor's Charter of goals, eighteen timed challenges, and a Daily map that's the same for everyone. Run up debt for two years, or stay under 20% approval for a year, and the voters recall you. It saves in your browser, with no account and no ads; a free account keeps your cities on every device.
2. MicropolisWeb
The source code of the original 1989 city sim was released as open source under the name Micropolis. MicropolisWeb runs that code in a browser, with its original rules and top-down look. Its author calls it unfinished and evolving, so expect rough edges.
3. micropolisJS
A hand-written JavaScript port of Micropolis. It plays the classic game in a browser tab and saves in your browser. It isn't built for touch screens, so use a computer.
4. LinCity-NG
A long-running open-source city and economy simulation. Its look is dated, but the economy runs deep: you balance resources, jobs and pollution until the city can sustain itself.
5. Townscaper (browser demo)
Not a city sim: there's no budget and no traffic. You click to place houses on the water and the town arranges itself. The free browser demo is trimmed down and doesn't run on phones.
6. Islanders
A minimalist builder where every building scores points from what's around it, so each island is a small spatial puzzle. It's cheap, short and relaxing.
Questions
- What is the best free city building game in a browser?
- For a full city sim on any device, phones included, Metropolis 3000: free, no ads, no download, with goals, timed challenges and a Daily. On a computer, MicropolisWeb runs the original 1989 city sim in a browser.
- Can I play a city builder on my phone without downloading anything?
- Yes. Metropolis 3000 runs in the phone's browser, upright or sideways. MicropolisWeb, micropolisJS and the Townscaper demo are made for computers.
- Do I need an account to play?
- Not for any of the browser picks here. Metropolis 3000 saves in your browser; a free Etheria account is optional and keeps your cities on all your devices.
Looking for the classics specifically? See games like SimCity, or free tycoon games to run a business.
The other games named here belong to their makers. We list them because they're good, and we don't earn anything from the links.