Comparison

MasterDex vs MTG Compendium

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

Head to head
About

MasterDex

This app serves as a comprehensive guide for fans and trainers, offering detailed information on creatures, team building, and the trading card game. It features offline access, advanced search, and tracking for favorite creatures and shinies, updated for the latest generation.

Highlights
  • Updated creature information
  • Team builder tool
  • Trading Card Game details
  • Offline functionality
  • Shiny creature tracker
  • Advanced search filters
Features
Read full description

Embark on an epic journey with MasterDex, the ultimate companion for all the fans and trainers. Key Features: ▶ Updated to Scarlet and Violet: Stay up-to-date with the latest generation of creatures, including their unique forms, evolutions, and abilities. ▶ Team Builder: Strategize and assemble your dream team using MasterDex's intuitive team-building feature. Plan your battles and unleash the power of synergy. ▶ TCG Info Included: Dive into the Trading Card Game world with comprehensive TCG information, including card details, prices, and rarity. ▶ No Login Required: Get instant access to a wealth of creature knowledge without the hassle of creating an account or remembering credentials. ▶ Works Offline: MasterDex is designed to be your reliable companion, even when you're offline. Access crucial information on the go, no matter where your adventures take you. ▶ Special Evolutions and Alternative Forms: Uncover the secrets of special evolutions and explore the diverse range of alternative forms within this captivating universe. ▶ Create a List of Your Favorite Creatures: Keep track of your most cherished companions. ▶ Keep Track of Your Shinies: Stay organized and track your shiny creatures with ease. MasterDex helps you monitor and celebrate your rare and unique discoveries. ▶ Detailed Information: Access to comprehensive details on creatures, moves, abilities, natures, items locations, and types. ▶ Advanced Search Filters: Find the creatures you're looking for effortlessly using advanced search filters. Narrow down your search based on various criteria. Embark on an extraordinary journey with MasterDex, your go-to companion. Please note that MasterDex is an unofficial, fan-made, and free-to-use app. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the creators of the captivating world. Start your adventure today and become a true master!"

About

MTG Compendium

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
Read full description

Stop passing the phone. Compendium is the Magic: The Gathering companion for your whole pod: a live multiplayer life counter, trades and head-to-head with the people you play, plus a deck builder, card scanner and a deck coach that knows your games. New: the Pod Hub puts your invites, pod mates, games together and possible trades in one place, and a QR code gets everyone at the table into your game (and your pod, if they want). Only one with the app? Add the others as guests. No account needed to scan, build and count life. Sign in (free) to play or trade with your pod. YOUR POD Pod Hub—invites, pod mates, games together and possible trades on one screen, one tap from the Decks tab Join by QR—show a code in game setup and friends join by scanning or typing a six-character code, and can add you to their pod as they join Names and commander art—choose a display name and a signature commander so your pod sees who's who Head-to-head with each pod mate from your live and shared games, on the Hub and on their profile Your pod this week on Discover: recent games, new binder cards and possible trades, plus a Rematch button After a game, "At this table" sends a pod invite to everyone you played with "In your pod" on card pages shows which pod mates have a card for trade or want it One Invites inbox for pod invites and live games, with alerts you control. All free PLAY & IMPROVE Life counter for 1–6 players with commander damage, poison, and custom counters Live Games—every player syncs life, commander damage and counters from their own phone in real time, no passing one device around the table. Works on whatever phone each pod mate has Game log that tracks your wins, losses, commanders faced, and finish position Share a logged game with your pod so everyone can fill in their own side of the story Win/loss trend analysis, play/draw splits, and rival tracking over time Pre-game matchup prep—know what you're up against before you sit down POD TRADING Invite friends into your pod and Compendium spots every card they want that's sitting in your binder, and every card you want that's sitting in theirs—no more "anyone got a...?" in the group chat Once connected, binders stay in sync automatically—no exporting, no back-and-forth messaging MEET MOX Mox knows Magic: The Gathering inside and out—and now it knows your games too. Ask Mox for deck advice, card questions, rules or upgrade ideas Get personalized Game Insights based on your real play history—not generic advice Let Mox build you a deck from scratch or finish your half-built list Add cards to your wishlist, collection, or deck with a tap SCAN & COLLECT Instant card scanning—add cards to your collection in seconds Smart filters, sets, and custom organization Real-time prices from TCGPlayer, CardMarket, and Cardhoarder 90-day price history so you can spot trends at a glance BUILD BETTER DECKS Deck builder for any format: Commander/EDH, Standard, Modern, Pioneer, Legacy, and more Set a budget ceiling and Mox will keep your list within it Opening-hand probabilities, mana curve, color distribution, and mana health Deck value tracking with 1-year price history Import from Moxfield, Archidekt, or any text list—export anywhere Browse, compare and import official preconstructed decks Discover feed with Card of the Week, trending decks and recent sets FREE TO START. UPGRADE WHEN YOU'RE READY. Compendium is free to download and use, and pods, Live Games and Pod Trading are free. Pro unlocks advanced analytics, unlimited deck evaluations, Game Insights, syncing your own collection and decks across your devices, and the full power of Mox—including chat, deck creation, and matchup prep. Magic: The Gathering and all related properties are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast LLC. Compendium is not affiliated with or endorsed by Wizards of the Coast. EULA: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

MasterDex4 screens
MTG Compendium4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: MasterDex at 4.8 against MTG Compendium's 3.0. MasterDex also leads on review sentiment (87% vs 50%) and ratings volume (1.7K vs 4). MTG Compendium's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support 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. MasterDex sells 2 one-off in-app purchases 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.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

MasterDex holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: MasterDex has 1.7K ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 87% of MasterDex's written reviews are positive against 50% of MTG Compendium's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

MasterDex ships an update every 3 weeks, MTG Compendium weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
MasterDex versus MTG Compendium: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMasterDexMTG Compendium
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (1.7K ratings) — better3.0 (4 ratings)
Positive reviews87.0% of reviews — better50.0% of reviews
Number of ratings1.7K — better4
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksWeekly — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS16.6 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size196 MB71 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperLorenzo GrecoMark Webb

Customer experience

MasterDex

All ratings1,713 ratings
Positive94.9%
Neutral1.9%
Negative3.3%
Written reviews377 reviews
Positive87.0%
Neutral4.2%
Negative8.8%

MTG Compendium

All ratings4 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral25.0%
Negative25.0%
Written reviews6 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral16.7%
Negative33.3%

Bugs and requests

MasterDex

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Shiny toggle not working in team builder
  • Pokémon 3D models and artwork not displaying
  • Johto region locations missing
  • Crashes when adding Pokémon to teams
  • Incorrect information for some Pokémon (e.g., Necrozma's ability, Pikachu's classification)

Requested features

9 requests
  • Add Pokémon location filters
  • Implement ability to mark Pokémon as caught/seen
  • Add damage calculator
  • Allow reorganizing of teams
  • Include Pokémon cries and Dynamax/Gigantamax forms
Show 4 more
  • Add Pokémon trainer and villain information
  • Provide option to change default sprite view
  • Implement Tera Type information
  • Add item location and TM/HM information

MTG Compendium

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

2 purchases

MasterDex

One-time2
  • Masteredex - Sale$1.99
  • Masterdex PRO$7.99
3 purchases

MTG Compendium

Subscriptions2
  • Unlimited Evals and Chat7 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • Annual Pro Subscription7 Days trial$34.991 Year
One-time1
  • Compendium 3 Deck Evaluations$1.99

Questions

Is MasterDex free?
MasterDex 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, MasterDex or MTG Compendium?
MasterDex is rated higher. MasterDex averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1.7K ratings, while MTG Compendium averages 3.0 from 4 ratings.
Do MasterDex or MTG Compendium have ads?
MasterDex shows ads; MTG Compendium does not.
Which is updated more often, MasterDex or MTG Compendium?
MasterDex ships an update every 3 weeks, and MTG Compendium weekly. Most recently, MasterDex was updated on September 30, 2026 and MTG Compendium on October 1, 2026.

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