# TCGplayer vs TCGSim

The clearest difference is review sentiment: TCGSim at 78% against TCGplayer's 21%. TCGSim also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 17.0). TCGplayer's advantage is rating (4.2 vs 3.0) and in-app purchases (none vs 4). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. TCGSim sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. TCGplayer asks for nothing beyond the download.

TCGplayer holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: TCGplayer has 16K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 21% of TCGplayer's written reviews are positive against 78% of TCGSim's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

TCGplayer ships an update fortnightly, TCGSim every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | TCGplayer | TCGSim |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.2 (16K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tcgplayer/id1247645833/reviews)** | [3.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tcgsim/id6474193450/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **16K** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 21.0% of reviews | **77.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#28** | — |
| Size | 68 MB | 167 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [TCGplayer, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1247645832) | [Kenta Hayakawa](https://appshunter.io/developer/1681275019) |

## What reviewers say

### TCGplayer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tcgplayer/id1247645833)

**Currently charting:** #28 Top Free · Card (US App Store)

Quickly scan and identify trading cards to track their market prices and manage your collection. Access your entire collection on the go and browse the extensive marketplace for seamless shopping.

**Highlights:** Blazingly fast card scanning, Effortless price tracking, Access collection anytime, anywhere, Seamless in-app shopping, Supports numerous TCGs

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast scanning
- 👍 Convenient for cataloging cards
- 💡 Integrated with TCGplayer website

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inaccurate scanning
- 🐛 Buggy and laggy performance
- 🔒 Poor account/login management
- 👎 Limited sorting/organization options

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes on startup
- Incorrect card information displayed
- Inability to properly scan certain card types (foils, black cards, etc.)

**Requested features**

- Ability to sync collection across devices
- More sorting/filtering options for collections
- Support for additional card games beyond MTG, Pokemon, and Yu-Gi-Oh


### TCGSim

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tcgsim/id6474193450)

Practice popular trading card games solo with this easy-to-use app. It supports deck tuning, strategy research, and includes features like free card manipulation and dice rolls. Customize your experience with optional in-app purchases.

**Highlights:** Solo play for 1-2 player fields, Free card manipulation, Deck and card management, Import decks via codes/CSV, Dice roll and coin toss, Customizable backgrounds

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock Custom Field Image | $1.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Custom Card Back | $1.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads | $2.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Deck Slots | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is TCGplayer free?

TCGplayer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is TCGSim free?

TCGSim is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, TCGplayer or TCGSim?

TCGplayer is rated higher. TCGplayer averages 4.2 out of 5 from 16K ratings, while TCGSim averages 3.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do TCGplayer or TCGSim have ads?

TCGSim shows ads; TCGplayer does not.

### Which is updated more often, TCGplayer or TCGSim?

TCGplayer ships an update fortnightly, and TCGSim every 3 months. Most recently, TCGplayer was updated on October 18, 2026 and TCGSim on September 30, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*