Starting out you should make sure to shop around for the poker rooms that offer good bonus deals and other promotions, as these will be of significant value for you. We have negotiated with most leading online poker rooms to offer our users a significantly higher sign-up bonus as well as special promotions such as private high-value free rolls for loyal players. See ranking of current highest online poker bonuses.
Be sure to look for soft competition, where the games are loose, friendly and " passive" . It's not as much fun to sit at tight/aggressive tables with mostly experienced players and you will most surely lose money. The poker rooms with the loosest games are often the most active marketers and the ones that also have an online casino. They attract the highest proportion of beginners and gamblers, which makes the games easier to survive and thrive in. See ranking of the current most soft online poker games.
Some of the software offers a nicer playing experience, which is far more enjoyable. The poker room software varies in speed, sound, graphics and other options. Bottom line is that some poker rooms have a far better playability where you can easily play at several simultaneous tables without much hassle. Some poker rooms give you the option of using a picture of yourself or choosing between different characters. See ranking of the current best poker room software.
The selection of low-limit games in fixed limit Texas Hold'em cash games and tournaments (and maybe another game variation) will be important to you. Player volume and game selection often goes hand in hand, but some of the rooms have a stronger focus on offering a diverse selection of games and lower limits. See ranking of poker-games.
Despite the fact that it is hard to generalize, below is a " Beginners short list of online poker rooms" for your convenience. The focus has been to choose rooms which have very soft games (weaker players), good selection of low-limit games and a good sign-up bonus.

End Of Key Criteria For The Beginner |