# Gauntlet vs MTG Compendium

The clearest difference is rating: Gauntlet at 4.9 against MTG Compendium's 3.0. Gauntlet also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 3) and review sentiment (83% vs 50%). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. MTG Compendium sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Gauntlet asks for nothing beyond the download.

Gauntlet holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Gauntlet has 299 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 83% of Gauntlet's written reviews are positive against 50% of MTG Compendium's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 10, 2026 and September 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Gauntlet | MTG Compendium |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (299 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gauntlet-mtg-tracker/id1466578932/reviews)** | [3.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mtg-compendium-deck-builder/id6746125584/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **299** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | **83.3% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Weekly |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 18 MB | 70 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.4** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Scott Campbell](https://appshunter.io/developer/1266366249) | [Mark Webb](https://appshunter.io/developer/1331970256) |

## What reviewers say

### Gauntlet

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gauntlet-mtg-tracker/id1466578932)

This app helps Magic: The Gathering players track game lives, build and customize decks, and record game history. It offers detailed stats for players and decks, supports multiple players, and includes a powerful hand simulator.

**Highlights:** Life tracking for up to 6 players, Deck building and importing, Game history and stats, Hand simulator, Deck customization with card art, Deck organization with folders

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great deck builder
- 👍 Excellent life tracker
- 👍 Covers player profiles and match records
- 👍 Useful for tracking win/loss records
- 👍 Good for looking at card collections

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Search engine requires precise typing
- 🐛 General load time for cards is slow
- 🐛 Scrolling on the board can be annoying
- 🐛 App appears small on iPad Pro
- 🐛 Does not track win-rate for non-primary deck in matches

**Reported bugs**

- Developers have seemingly given up (according to one review)
- App ruined for jailbroken phones (iOS 14 and up)
- Board scrolls every time life or counters are moved
- Does not track win-rate for the deck not shown as primary in a match
- App is very small on iPad Pro

**Requested features**

- Scan cars to make adding decks easier
- More precise search engine
- Faster card loading times
- Display card prices
- Scan cards in deck building


### MTG Compendium

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mtg-compendium-deck-builder/id6746125584)

This app is a comprehensive companion for Magic: The Gathering players. It allows you to scan and collect cards, build and analyze decks with detailed statistics, track your game history, and get personalized advice from an AI deck coach. It also provides tools for exploring game sets and preconstructed decks.

**Highlights:** Card scanning and collection management, Advanced deck building and analysis, Life counter and game log, AI-powered deck advice and insights, Price tracking and history, Set exploration and deck comparison

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlimited Evals and Chat | $2.99 | per month |
| Annual Pro Subscription | $34.99 | per year |
| Compendium 3 Deck Evaluations | $1.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Gauntlet free?

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

### Is MTG Compendium free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Gauntlet or MTG Compendium?

Gauntlet is rated higher. Gauntlet averages 4.9 out of 5 from 299 ratings, while MTG Compendium averages 3.0 from 4 ratings.

### Do Gauntlet or MTG Compendium have ads?

Neither Gauntlet nor MTG Compendium shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Gauntlet or MTG Compendium?

Gauntlet ships an update weekly, and MTG Compendium weekly. Most recently, Gauntlet was updated on September 10, 2026 and MTG Compendium on September 13, 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.*