Magic vs Localhost
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Magic
This official app simplifies participation in local store events and personal tournaments for a popular trading card game. It features a life counter, event pairing, standings, and a comprehensive card database. Run your own events for friends or join official store tournaments with ease.
- Built-in life counter
- Official app for store events
- Event pairing and standings
- Home tournament organizer
- Card database with 17,000+ cards
- Track match results
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Introducing the official Magic: The Gathering Companion App, the quickest way to participate in events at your store - Show up. Magic Companion does the rest. - Built in Life Counter - The Official Magic App for Store Events - Get Event Pairs & Standings - Create & Run Personal Events at Home JOIN EVENTS AT YOUR STORE Quickly and easily join limited and constructed events at participating local stores. With Magic Companion you can easily find your next match and be notified when a new round begins. How to participate in an event with Magic Companion: 1. Attend an event at participating local stores. Find one at locator.wizards.com 2. Open Magic Companion and select JOIN EVENT 3. Enter the Event Code provided by your local store. 4. Find your first matchup and get playing! TRACK YOUR PLAY Tracking event play is now easier for stores and easier for you. Check event standings, get notifications on new rounds, report your match results automatically, and use a built-in life counter to chart you play. CARD DATABASE WITH 17,000+ CARDS Browse cards from Magic's entire history and search for the perfect addition to your deck. Keep up with the latest card previews and updated rulings on existing cards. RUN YOUR OWN EVENTS FROM ANYWHERE Stage tournaments for up to 8 friends in the Home Tournament Organizer. Add in their names, then let the app track pairing and standings. Magic Companion is in active development and will continue to release new features. We value your feedback! Note: A Wizards Account is required for in-store events, running events of more than 8 players at home, and unlocking advanced event setting at home.
Localhost
Discover and connect with gaming and esports centers. Purchase gameplay hours, join competitions, and find venues for casual play. The app allows account creation and finding nearby locations.
- Connect with gaming centers
- Discover esports competitions
- Purchase gameplay hours
- Find nearby venues
- Create a Localhost account
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Connect with Localhost gaming and esports centers and discover your new favorite way to play. Localhost serves as the premier network of esports competitions, training sessions, and a variety of casual play video games. Purchase hourly gameplay and keep the games going. Play with your friends or compete in friendly competitions on the best gaming gear and next generation of consoles. Via the Localhost mobile app, you can - Create a Localhost account - Find a Localhost venue near you - Add hours for PC gameplay to your Localhost account
Screenshots
Verdict
Magic and Localhost both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of Localhost's written reviews are positive against 40% of Magic's. Localhost also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.0). Magic's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price, rating, update cadence and in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Magic against 4.6 for Localhost. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Magic has 14K ratings behind it against 10, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 40% of Magic's written reviews are positive against 100% of Localhost's.
Magic ships an update fortnightly, Localhost weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Magic | Localhost |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (14K ratings) — better | 4.6 (10 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 39.8% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 14K — better | 10 |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | Weekly — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 13.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 223 MB | 31 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Wizards of the Coast | N3rd Street Gamers, LLC |
Customer experience
Magic
Localhost
Bugs and requests
Magic
Reported bugs
4 issues- App crashes frequently
- Event scores not properly recorded
- Card database missing information and images
- Search function often unresponsive
Requested features
4 requests- Add ability to view double-sided card details
- Improve search functionality and filters
- Implement deck building and management tools
- Provide historical event data and player statistics
Localhost
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Magic
No in-app purchases
Localhost
No in-app purchases
