Comparison

Bugko vs Archivist

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Bugko

This fan-made app serves as an all-in-one companion for Magic: The Gathering players and judges. It offers news aggregation, spoiler alerts, deck building tools, and an offline card database with pricing. It also includes specialized features for judges, such as rule references and timers.

Highlights
  • News aggregation from 40+ sources
  • Spoiler alerts with push notifications
  • Offline card database with syntax search
  • Card pricing from TCGPlayer and Cardmarket
  • Life counter for 2-8 players
  • Deck builder with winning decklists
  • Tools for MTG judges (IPG, MTR, timers)
Features
Read full description

Bugko is an unofficial app (fan made) all-in-one companion app designed for Magic: The Gathering (MTG) players and judges. Bugko focused on offering unique core features such as news aggregation, spoiler alert, tournament deck list update, card syntax search and many more. Other familiar features like life counter, wish list, collection tracker, offline card search, random card, comprehensive rule, deck building are also built inside Bugko for a complete experience. Bugko will be the first modern designed MTG app you will truly enjoy. Bugko is the only app that bring together all favorite MTG, MTGO and Arena news sources into one place. News channel currently available including Channel Fireball, MTG Goldfish, Mythic Spoiler, Star City Games and 40+ news sources. You can scroll through all news and spoilers happening right now once you open the app. With push notification in app, you surely will never miss a single important news update from your favorite news channels. Latest spoiled card? Bugko got you covered. Bugko is built with a powerful yet offline accessible cards database. You can choose to search through 30,000+ cards using our blazing fast syntax search designed for power users or simply use the search filter available with user friendly interface. With latest card pricing directly from TCGPlayer and Cardmarket, you can check, buy, trade, or track your collection wherever you are. Are you a Magic judge? Bugko has tools specially designed for judges. Scripted draft timer, Infraction Procedure Guide (IPG) reference, Magic Tournament Rule (MTR) document, offline comprehensive rule with complete search functionality inside etc. Many of the features in Bugko are carefully designed to cater to the needs of judges as well. For example, an offline card database, card text in multiple languages, judge blog or news update and more. Great for judges that travel around the world for events. Features: - Latest MTG news and spoiler from 40+ popular news channels with notification alert. - Life counter support 2-8 players, 15 different counters, counter changes history, mana pool and modern design. - Offline complete database including all latest cards printed, promo cards, 11+ printed languages, 20+ formats banlist, card rulings, reserved list and etc. - Powerful card search engine that support syntax search, 25+ card properties filter, random card and etc. - Latest card pricing including all promo cards, foil cards, different art variety directly from TCGPlayer or Cardmarket. - Auto currency converter available in 30+ currencies. - Track your collection, trading and wish list with up-to-date price wherever you go. - Deck builder with winning decklist from Standard, Modern and Legacy formats. - Tools for judges like offline searchable comprehensive rule, MTG, IPG, quick reference, scripted draft timer, decklist counter, offline documents and etc. Disclaimer: Magic: The Gathering (also known as MTG) card design, text, images, expansions, and symbols are trademark and copyright of Wizards of the Coast, Hasbro, LLC. Bugko is not affiliated with, endorsed, sponsored, or specifically approved by Wizards of the Coast LLC.

About

Archivist

Digitize your Magic: The Gathering card collection quickly and easily. Scan cards to read details, organize your collection, build decks, and track prices. Connect with other collectors and manage your wishlist.

Highlights
  • Scan cards with camera
  • Organize by box, condition, foil, language
  • Build decks with mana curve
  • Track card prices and set alerts
  • Wishlist cards with TCGplayer integration
  • Follow other collectors
Features
Read full description

Archivist is the fastest way to digitize your Magic: The Gathering collection. Point your phone at any card and the scanner reads the name, set, and collector number in under a second. WHAT YOU CAN DO • Scan cards with your camera — works in most lighting • Organize by box, condition, foil, and language • Build decks with section-aware quantities and a live mana curve • Track card prices and get alerts when a card hits your target • Wishlist cards and check out on TCGplayer in one tap • Follow other collectors and see their public lists ARCHIVIST PLUS Cloud sync across iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Per-card price alerts. Upgrade suggestions for any Commander deck powered by EDHREC. Plus is available as an auto-renewing subscription — Monthly ($4.99) or Yearly ($39.99) — or as a one-time Lifetime purchase ($99.99). Subscriptions renew unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the period ends. Magic: The Gathering, its logos, mana symbols, and card text are trademarks and copyrights of Wizards of the Coast LLC. Archivist is unofficial Fan Content permitted under Wizards' Fan Content Policy and is not approved or endorsed by Wizards. Terms of Use: https://getarchivist.app/terms Privacy Policy: https://getarchivist.app/privacy

Screenshots

Bugko4 screens
Archivist4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Bugko at none against Archivist's 3. Bugko also leads on ratings volume (89 vs 1) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). Archivist's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (100% vs 73%). On price, update cadence, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Archivist sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Bugko asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Archivist holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Bugko has 89 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 73% of Bugko's written reviews are positive against 100% of Archivist's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Bugko ships an update every 2 weeks, Archivist every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Bugko versus Archivist: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBugkoArchivist
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (89 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews73.3% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings89 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 9 days — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS13.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size501 MB12 MB
Age rating9+4+
DeveloperKeng Siang OoiRyan Fontenot

Customer experience

Bugko

All ratings89 ratings
Positive96.6%
Neutral0.0%
Negative3.4%
Written reviews15 reviews
Positive73.3%
Neutral6.7%
Negative20.0%

Archivist

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Bugko

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

Archivist

Subscriptions2
  • Archivist Plus (Monthly)$4.991 Month
  • Archivist Plus (Yearly)$39.991 Year
One-time1
  • Archivist Lifetime$99.99

Questions

Is Bugko free?
Bugko is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Archivist free?
Archivist is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Bugko or Archivist?
Archivist is rated higher. Bugko averages 4.8 out of 5 from 89 ratings, while Archivist averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Bugko or Archivist have ads?
Bugko shows ads; Archivist does not.
Which is updated more often, Bugko or Archivist?
Bugko ships an update every 2 weeks, and Archivist every 9 days. Most recently, Bugko was updated on October 14, 2026 and Archivist on October 15, 2026.

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