Same Concept, Different Games
To a newcomer, Words With Friends and Scrabble look nearly identical: a grid, letter tiles, premium squares, taking turns spelling words. But experienced players know the games reward different skills, allow different words, and have meaningfully different board geometries. Choosing which one to invest your time in depends on what you want from a word game.
Difference 1: Board Layout
Scrabble uses a 15×15 board with a very specific arrangement of double letter (DL), triple letter (TL), double word (DW), and triple word (TW) squares. The triple word squares sit at the board's edges, making them harder to reach but explosive when achieved. The starting square in the center is a double word score.
Words With Friends uses a 15×15 board with a completely different premium square layout. The multiplier squares are distributed more toward the center, making high-scoring plays more accessible earlier in the game. Words With Friends has no triple word squares at the edges and uses a different tile distribution for its multipliers.
The practical effect: WWF games tend to score higher on average because multipliers are easier to chain. Scrabble games can have lower average scores but include more dramatic swings when a player reaches an edge triple word.
Difference 2: Tile Distribution
LetterScrabble TilesWWF Tiles ---------------------------------- A99 E1213 S45 Blank22 Q11 Z12
WWF has two Z tiles and one additional E and S compared to standard Scrabble. This subtly shifts optimal strategy — Z is somewhat less precious in WWF because there's a backup.
Difference 3: Letter Values
Tile point values differ between the two games. In Scrabble, Q=10, Z=10, X=8, J=8. In WWF, the values are adjusted: Q=10, Z=10, J=10, X=8. The J is worth more in WWF, making JA, JO, and JET even more valuable.
Difference 4: Valid Words (Dictionary)
This is the most significant practical difference. Scrabble (in North America) uses the NWL (North American Word List), formerly known as TWL. WWF uses its own proprietary dictionary, which is larger and includes many everyday words that NWL excludes.
Words valid in WWF but not Scrabble include: GONNA, WANNA, EMOJI, SELFIE, and various informal/slang terms. Conversely, some obscure words valid in competitive Scrabble are rejected by WWF's dictionary.
If you play both games, always check validity in the specific game before committing to a high-stakes play.
Difference 5: Skill Ceiling
Competitive Scrabble has a higher skill ceiling. The tighter dictionary rewards memorizing obscure but valid words (QI, ZOEAE, MUZJIKS, etc.) more than WWF does. Scrabble also has a deeper tournament and competitive scene with more established strategy literature.
WWF is more accessible because its dictionary is larger (harder to challenge successfully) and its board layout produces higher scores more frequently, which feels rewarding to casual players.
Difference 6: Social Features
WWF wins decisively on social features. Async play, in-game chat, emoji, friend-finding, and team challenges are built in. Zynga has invested heavily in making WWF a social platform, not just a game.
Scrabble GO (the mobile version) has improved significantly, but WWF's social integration remains stronger.
Difference 7: Challenges
In physical Scrabble, if you challenge an opponent's word and they're wrong, they lose a turn. If you challenge and they're right, you lose a turn. The challenge system creates real tension.
In WWF, the word checker is always available, effectively eliminating the social dynamics of challenging. This is more casual-friendly but reduces strategic depth.
Difference 8: Which Should You Play?
Play Scrabble if: You want to play competitively, you enjoy memorizing obscure words, or you prefer playing face-to-face with a physical board.
Play Words With Friends if: You want casual async play with friends, you prefer a larger valid-word dictionary, or you enjoy the social features of a mobile-first app.
Check any word in either dictionary instantly with our Dictionary tool.