Comparison

VGC Helper vs DeckSense

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

Head to head
About

VGC Helper

This app assists players in building competitive teams for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet's Ranked Battles. It offers tools for damage calculation, speed ranking, and live battle assistance, along with comprehensive team management and Poképaste integration.

Highlights
  • Team Builder
  • Damage Calculator
  • Speed Ranking Calculator
  • Battle Assistant
  • Poképaste Support
  • Team Management
  • Pokémon/Move/Ability/Item Search
Features
Read full description

VGC Helper is your Ranked Battles companion app. • Features: - Team Builder - Damage calc - Speed ranking calc - Battle assistant for live calcs - Teams list management - Full Poképaste support - View team summaries such as type defenses, speeds, move coverage, etc. - Search Pokémon, Move, Abilities, and Items while sorting by convenient information - Search Pokémon, Move, Abilities, and Items from popular usage rankings • Disclaimer: Pokémon is a trademark of Nintendo, Creatures, and Game Freak. No copyright or trademark infringement is intended. VGC Helper is in no way sponsored, endorsed, or administered by, or associated with Nintendo, Creatures, and Game Freak.

About

DeckSense

This app helps Pokémon TCG players build competitive decks, track the meta, and manage their card collections. It provides data-driven insights from tournament results to improve gameplay and strategy.

Highlights
  • Smart deck suggestions
  • Live meta analysis
  • Tournament data integration
  • Complete card database
  • Price tracking
  • Deck builder and comparison
  • Rotation and legality alerts
Features
Read full description

DeckSense is the competitive companion for Pokémon TCG players. Whether you're building tournament-winning decks, tracking the meta, or managing your collection, DeckSense gives you the data-driven edge to play smarter. Built for competitive players, deck theorycrafters, and collectors -- powered by real tournament results. KEY FEATURES Smart Deck Suggestions Get intelligent deck recommendations backed by real win rate data. DeckSense analyzes thousands of tournament results to surface the builds that actually perform. Live Meta Analysis Stay ahead of the metagame with real-time tier rankings, archetype breakdowns, and format trends. Know what's winning before your next event. Tournament Data Integration Access comprehensive tournament results and standings. Study top-performing lists and track how the competitive landscape shifts week to week. Complete Card Database Search and browse over 20,000 cards across every set and format. Instantly check card details, legality status, and format availability. Price Tracking Monitor real-time market prices for singles. Track price trends over time and know the value of every card in your collection. Deck Builder and Comparison Build, save, and compare decks side by side. Analyze card counts, energy curves, and matchup profiles to refine your strategy. Rotation and Legality Alerts Never get caught off guard. Receive notifications when cards rotate out of Standard or when ban list updates affect your decks. BUILT FOR EVERY PLAYER Whether you grind Regional Championships or play casually at your local league, DeckSense adapts to how you play. Beginners get guided deck suggestions. Veterans get deep analytical tools. Everyone gets a faster path to better results. DeckSense requires a subscription to access all features. Subscription details and pricing are displayed at the time of purchase. Payment will be charged to your Apple ID account at confirmation of purchase. Subscription automatically renews unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage and cancel subscriptions in your account settings on the App Store after purchase. Privacy Policy: https://decksense.app/privacy Terms of Use: https://decksense.app/terms

Screenshots

VGC Helper4 screens
DeckSense4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is monetization model: VGC Helper at free with in-app purchases against DeckSense's subscription. VGC Helper also leads on ratings volume (569 vs 10) and rating (4.8 vs 4.6). DeckSense's advantage is update cadence (every 5 days vs every 3 weeks) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). On price, review sentiment, ads 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. VGC Helper sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and DeckSense sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

VGC Helper holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: VGC Helper has 569 ratings behind it against 10, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 91% of VGC Helper's written reviews are positive against 88% of DeckSense's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

VGC Helper ships an update every 3 weeks, DeckSense every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
VGC Helper versus DeckSense: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterVGC HelperDeckSense
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (569 ratings) — better4.6 (10 ratings)
Positive reviews90.9% of reviews — better87.5% of reviews
Number of ratings569 — better10
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterSubscription
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.015.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size66 MB53 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJohn Rommel EstropiaAidan Lowell

Customer experience

VGC Helper

All ratings550 ratings
Positive96.7%
Neutral1.8%
Negative1.5%
Written reviews44 reviews
Positive90.9%
Neutral4.5%
Negative4.5%

DeckSense

All ratings10 ratings
Positive90.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative10.0%
Written reviews8 reviews
Positive87.5%
Neutral0.0%
Negative12.5%

Bugs and requests

VGC Helper

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Tatsugiri only learns 4 moves (Draco Meteor, Helping Hand, Muddy Water, Celebrate)
  • Level select for team building non-functional
  • Team reorganization causes duplicate teams and override issues
  • Overridden teams become uneditable until menu exit
  • Missing Pokémon data for certain species (e.g., Emboar)

Requested features

10 requests
  • Shiny Pokémon option/toggle
  • Pokémon Box for storing specific builds
  • Save individual Pokémon builds across teams
  • Ability to set exact EV values
  • Level selection beyond level 50
Show 5 more
  • Regulation G and Regulation I support
  • Regulation E Pokémon and movesets
  • Battle feature for playing against friends
  • Folder system to organize teams
  • Character images or Pokémon thumbnails

DeckSense

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

3 purchases

VGC Helper

One-time3
  • Tip a Sandwich$0.99
  • Tip 5 Sandwiches$4.99
  • Tip 10 Sandwiches$9.99
2 purchases

DeckSense

Subscriptions2
  • DeckSense Monthly7 Days trial$4.991 Month
  • DeckSense Yearly7 Days trial$49.991 Year

Questions

Is VGC Helper free?
VGC Helper is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is DeckSense free?
DeckSense is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, VGC Helper or DeckSense?
VGC Helper is rated higher. VGC Helper averages 4.8 out of 5 from 569 ratings, while DeckSense averages 4.6 from 10 ratings.
Do VGC Helper or DeckSense have ads?
Neither VGC Helper nor DeckSense shows ads.
Which is updated more often, VGC Helper or DeckSense?
VGC Helper ships an update every 3 weeks, and DeckSense every 5 days. Most recently, VGC Helper was updated on November 3, 2026 and DeckSense on October 31, 2026.

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