Disclosure: we make Palm Social, one of the games on this page. It is kept out of the list below and described separately at the end, so you can judge the others on their own.
The short answer
Club Penguin closed in 2017, and the people who played it are teenagers and adults now. What most of them want is the same feeling with an older crowd: real people to hang out with, an avatar that looks like a person, a place of your own and something to do together. Ten online worlds below fit that, from 2000s nostalgia to 3D avatar hangouts, and every one is free to start.
Looking for kids' worlds instead, or for what happened to Club Penguin and its fan remakes? That is in our main Club Penguin alternatives guide.
Comparison table
| Game | Status | Platforms | Price | Minimum age | Avatars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Habbo Hotel: Origins | Running, on Steam since 2025 | Windows, Mac | Free, optional purchases | 18+ | Pixel people |
| Toontown Rewritten | Running, updated in 2026 | Windows, macOS, Linux (download) | Free | All ages | Cartoon animals |
| Habbo | Running | Windows and Mac app, iOS, Android | Free, optional purchases | 16+ to sign up | Pixel people |
| Highrise | Running, weekly updates | iOS, Android, Windows, Mac | Free, optional purchases | 13+, some features 18+ (App Store: 16+) | 3D people |
| Hotel Hideaway | Running | iOS, Android, Windows, Mac (Steam) | Free, optional purchases | 13+ (App Store: 18+) | 3D people |
| IMVU | Running | Browser, Windows, Mac, iOS, Android | Free, optional VIP and credits | 13+; 18+ areas need age verification (App Store: 16+) | 3D people |
| Avakin Life | Running | iOS, Android, Windows (Steam) | Free, optional purchases | 13+ in the US | 3D people |
| Second Life | Running | Windows, macOS, Linux; iOS and Android app | Free, optional Premium | 16+ (App Store: 18+); adult areas need age verification | Realistic 3D people |
| VRChat | Running | PC (Steam), Meta Quest, Pico, iOS, Android | Free, optional VRChat+ | 13+ (under 18 with a parent's consent) | Any avatar, made by players |
| Pony Town | Running | Browser, Android | Free, optional purchases | Rated Everyone (Google Play) | Pixel ponies |
All ten are online multiplayer worlds. Where an app store rates a game older than its own rules, we show both.
Pick by what you miss
- The 2000s themselves. Habbo Hotel: Origins brings back the 2005 hotel for adults, and Toontown Rewritten revives Disney's other online world from the Club Penguin years.
- People, not penguins. Habbo, Highrise, Hotel Hideaway, IMVU, Avakin Life and Second Life all use human avatars and give you a room or home to decorate.
- Talking out loud. VRChat is built around voice chat, Highrise has voice chat for players 18 and older, and IMVU has voice in its desktop app.
- Free in a browser tab. IMVU's 3D chat rooms and Pony Town open in a browser with nothing to install; the rest need an app or a download.
For more pixel hotels and room-and-chat apps, see our Habbo alternatives; for 3D avatar worlds in depth, games like IMVU and Second Life.
Each one in a sentence or two
Habbo Hotel: Origins
Sulake's own restoration of the 2005 Habbo Hotel, made for adults only. If you grew up in the pixel hotel as well as on the penguin island, this is the nostalgia pick.
Toontown Rewritten
A free fan-run revival of Disney's Toontown Online, from the same era as Club Penguin. It describes itself as built for kids, teens and adults of all ages. It needs the Toontown Launcher and has no mobile version.
Habbo
The original pixel hotel is still open, with rooms to furnish and player-run roleplay groups. Sign-up on habbo.com asks players to be 16 or older.
Highrise
Avatar fashion, rooms you design yourself and social games, plus voice chat for players 18 and older, with one account across phone and desktop.
Hotel Hideaway
A 3D hotel with rooms to decorate, outfits to collect and live events, the nearest thing to a 3D Habbo. Since September 2026 it is part of Pocket Worlds, the company behind Highrise.
IMVU
3D avatar chat rooms and a huge fashion catalog. The chat rooms now open on the IMVU website without a download (voice chat still needs the desktop app), and players under 18 are kept in a separate community from adults.
Avakin Life
A 3D life world with outfits, a home to furnish and parties to join. The PC version left early access on Steam in May 2026.
Second Life
The big world built by its residents: homes, shops, clubs, art and roleplay. Deeper than anything else here, with a steeper learning curve. Its mobile app is free for everyone.
VRChat
Voice chat in player-made worlds, with player-made avatars. You do not need a VR headset; it also runs on a PC or a phone.
Pony Town
The closest match to Club Penguin's open-a-tab-and-play feel: a relaxed 2D world for chatting and roleplay. It is rated Everyone on Google Play, so expect a mixed-age crowd.
Ages and safety for teens and adults
- Check the minimum age first. On this page it runs from 13 (IMVU, Highrise, Hotel Hideaway, VRChat, Avakin Life in the US) to 16 (Habbo, Second Life) and 18 (Habbo Hotel: Origins).
- Store ratings can be stricter than the rules. The App Store rates Hotel Hideaway 18+ and IMVU and Highrise 16+, although their own terms start at 13.
- Adult areas need proof of age. Second Life's Moderate and Adult areas and IMVU's 18+ rooms are only for players who verify their age, and VRChat offers optional age verification with an ID.
- Mixed ages mean extra care. In worlds where teens and adults meet, keep your real name, school, address and social accounts to yourself, and be wary of anyone who pushes to move the chat to another app.
- Free coins do not exist. Never share your password, and ignore offers of free currency or rare items from strangers.
Recently closed
Older lists still recommend this one. It is not playable today.
- Rec Room. Closed on June 1, 2026. A separate Steam page, Rec Room: A New Semester from Thunderstorm Games, lists a planned release on November 24, 2026; it is not out yet.
Our game: Palm Social
Palm Social is a free 3D social game set in a realistic beach town, where everyone has a human avatar. It runs in your web browser on a computer or phone, with nothing to download: surf, ride jet skis, take café shifts and build a home of your own, with other players around you.
You can try it without an account by playing as a guest. Guests chat with quick phrases and emotes; friends, messages and a home of your own need a free account. Players must be 13 or older, and players under 18 need a parent or guardian's permission. It opened on October 24, 2026 and is made by Kirouff Games, an independent studio.
How we checked
On October 29, 2026 we checked each game against its official site, help center or terms, and its App Store, Google Play or Steam listing, for whether it is running, where it runs, how it is priced and the minimum age it states. We do not include ratings or scores, we never guess player numbers, we do not link to unofficial servers, and nobody paid to be listed. If something here is out of date, email support@playpalmsocial.com and we will correct it.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a Club Penguin for adults?
Not an official one. Disney closed Club Penguin in 2017 and never made a grown-up version. The closest adult options are Habbo Hotel: Origins (18+), Second Life (16+, with 18+ areas) and IMVU, which keeps adults and players under 18 in separate communities. Toontown Rewritten, from the same era, is for all ages.
Is there a game like Club Penguin but with humans?
Yes. Habbo and Habbo Hotel: Origins use pixel people, and Highrise, Hotel Hideaway, IMVU, Avakin Life and Second Life use 3D human avatars. In each one you can meet people and decorate a room or home of your own.
Are there free Club Penguin-style games online?
Yes. Every game on this page is free to start, and most sell optional items or memberships. IMVU's 3D chat rooms and Pony Town open in a web browser; the others need an app or a download.
How old do you need to be?
It depends on the game. Habbo Hotel: Origins is 18+. Habbo and Second Life start at 16, and Second Life's Moderate and Adult areas are only for verified adults. IMVU, Highrise, Hotel Hideaway, VRChat and Avakin Life (in the US) start at 13. Toontown Rewritten is for all ages.
Which ones can I play on a Mac?
Habbo, Habbo Hotel: Origins, Highrise, Hotel Hideaway, IMVU, Second Life and Toontown Rewritten all have Mac versions. Pony Town and IMVU's chat rooms also run in a browser on a Mac.
More guides
- Games like The Sims you can play in a browser: Which life sims actually run in a browser, which are free, and which have multiplayer.
- Is there a free Sims online game?: What happened to The Sims Online, and the multiplayer life sims you can play with real people today.
- Games like Club Penguin that are still running: Ten virtual worlds that are still online in 2026, from kids’ worlds to hangouts for adults.
- Games like Habbo: Pixel hotels, avatar chat apps and 3D social worlds for Habbo fans, and who each one is for.
- Games like Animal Crossing on PC and in a browser: Cozy alternatives for people without a Switch: which are free, which are online, which run in a browser.
- Free virtual world games to make friends: Virtual worlds for teens 13+ and adults, what each one is like, and how to make friends safely.
- Games like IMVU and Second Life: 3D avatar worlds compared: which are free, which run in a browser or on PC, and the age rules for each.
See all guides, read about Palm Social or catch up on the latest news.