# Bugko vs Archivist

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.

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

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bugko | Archivist |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (89 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bugko/id1325400403/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/archivist-mtg-scanner/id6770096041/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **89** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 73.3% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 501 MB | 12 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Keng Siang Ooi](https://appshunter.io/developer/1325400402) | [Ryan Fontenot](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896715332) |

## What reviewers say

### Bugko

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bugko/id1325400403)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Archivist

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/archivist-mtg-scanner/id6770096041)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Archivist Plus (Monthly) | $4.99 | per month |
| Archivist Plus (Yearly) | $39.99 | per year |
| Archivist Lifetime | $99.99 | one-time |


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