# MTG Builder vs MTG Compendium

The clearest difference is ads: MTG Compendium at none against MTG Builder's shown. MTG Compendium also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months). MTG Builder's advantage is review sentiment (67% vs 50%) and rating (3.2 vs 3.0). On price, ratings volume, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. MTG Builder sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $2.49 per month and MTG Compendium sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

MTG Builder holds the better App Store score, 3.2 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 5 and 4 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of MTG Builder's written reviews are positive against 50% of MTG Compendium's.

MTG Builder ships an update every 2 months, MTG Compendium weekly. The most recent releases landed on August 22, 2026 and September 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | MTG Builder | MTG Compendium |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.2 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mtg-builder/id1486535102/reviews)** | [3.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mtg-compendium-deck-builder/id6746125584/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **5** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | **66.7% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 254 MB | 70 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Yuki Abe](https://appshunter.io/developer/1486535101) | [Mark Webb](https://appshunter.io/developer/1331970256) |

## What reviewers say

### MTG Builder

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mtg-builder/id1486535102)

This app helps Magic: The Gathering players manage their decks. It offers card searching, deck building, and export options for popular platforms like MTG Arena. Share your deck lists and registration sheets with friends or use them for tournaments.

**Highlights:** Card search by multiple parameters, Deck management and editing, MTG Arena deck list export, Tournament deck registration sheet output, Card image download, Multi-language support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| MTG Builder Pro | $2.49 | per month |


### 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 MTG Builder free?

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

### Is MTG Compendium free?

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

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

MTG Builder is rated higher. MTG Builder averages 3.2 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while MTG Compendium averages 3.0 from 4 ratings.

### Do MTG Builder or MTG Compendium have ads?

MTG Builder shows ads; MTG Compendium does not.

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

MTG Builder ships an update every 2 months, and MTG Compendium weekly. Most recently, MTG Builder was updated on August 22, 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.*