Comparison

MTG Guide vs Bugko

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

Head to head
About

MTG Guide

Access comprehensive Magic: The Gathering rules, card text, and rulings in a searchable offline format. Stay updated with the latest expansions and tournament guidelines for all formats.

Highlights
  • Card text and FAQs/rulings
  • Complete Comprehensive Rules
  • Offline database access
  • Searchable card and rules database
  • Legality information for formats
  • Card price and image integration
Features
Read full description

MTG Guide gives you access to the latest Magic card text, card-specific FAQs/rulings and the complete Comprehensive Rules, Magic Tournament Rules and Infraction Procedure Guide, all in an easy-to-read, searchable format. Features: • Card text and FAQs/rulings for all Magic expansions. • Current text of all existing Magic cards, including tokens, Planechase, Archenemy and Vanguard cards. • App can be used completely offline (except for card images). • Download database updates for new sets and rules document changes from within the app (requires Premium) • Browse or search for cards from individual MTG expansions. • Card-specific FAQ entries (rulings) for cards are displayed, where available. Includes all rulings available in Gatherer. • All printings for cards (including promos) are displayed with expansion, rarity, and collector number. • Tapping these expands to show card images (required Premium), non-foil and foil prices from TCGplayer.com, and a link to the Gatherer page. • Legality information is included for all cards for the Standard, Modern, Legacy, Vintage and Commander formats. • Quickly and easily search for particular cards by title, card #, full card text or rulings text. • Complete text of the Comprehensive Rules, Magic Tournament Rules and Infraction Procedure Guide in an easily browsable and searchable format. • Search the rules documents and instantly find and browse all the matching sections, rules and sub-rules for your query. • View related rules (e.g. "See also rule 204.3h.") by tapping on them. • Decklist counter. • Supports Dynamic Type for altering text size. • Universal app for iPhone, iPad and Mac (as an iPad app) • Supports iPad multitasking. This app has been carefully designed to be simple and fast to use. If you have any suggestions for improvements, please suggest them from within the app. Terms of use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ This app is not produced or endorsed by Wizards of the Coast, Inc.

About

Bugko

This fan-made app serves as an all-in-one companion for Magic: The Gathering players and judges. It offers news aggregation, spoiler alerts, deck building tools, and an offline card database with pricing. It also includes specialized features for judges, such as rule references and timers.

Highlights
  • News aggregation from 40+ sources
  • Spoiler alerts with push notifications
  • Offline card database with syntax search
  • Card pricing from TCGPlayer and Cardmarket
  • Life counter for 2-8 players
  • Deck builder with winning decklists
  • Tools for MTG judges (IPG, MTR, timers)
Features
Read full description

Bugko is an unofficial app (fan made) all-in-one companion app designed for Magic: The Gathering (MTG) players and judges. Bugko focused on offering unique core features such as news aggregation, spoiler alert, tournament deck list update, card syntax search and many more. Other familiar features like life counter, wish list, collection tracker, offline card search, random card, comprehensive rule, deck building are also built inside Bugko for a complete experience. Bugko will be the first modern designed MTG app you will truly enjoy. Bugko is the only app that bring together all favorite MTG, MTGO and Arena news sources into one place. News channel currently available including Channel Fireball, MTG Goldfish, Mythic Spoiler, Star City Games and 40+ news sources. You can scroll through all news and spoilers happening right now once you open the app. With push notification in app, you surely will never miss a single important news update from your favorite news channels. Latest spoiled card? Bugko got you covered. Bugko is built with a powerful yet offline accessible cards database. You can choose to search through 30,000+ cards using our blazing fast syntax search designed for power users or simply use the search filter available with user friendly interface. With latest card pricing directly from TCGPlayer and Cardmarket, you can check, buy, trade, or track your collection wherever you are. Are you a Magic judge? Bugko has tools specially designed for judges. Scripted draft timer, Infraction Procedure Guide (IPG) reference, Magic Tournament Rule (MTR) document, offline comprehensive rule with complete search functionality inside etc. Many of the features in Bugko are carefully designed to cater to the needs of judges as well. For example, an offline card database, card text in multiple languages, judge blog or news update and more. Great for judges that travel around the world for events. Features: - Latest MTG news and spoiler from 40+ popular news channels with notification alert. - Life counter support 2-8 players, 15 different counters, counter changes history, mana pool and modern design. - Offline complete database including all latest cards printed, promo cards, 11+ printed languages, 20+ formats banlist, card rulings, reserved list and etc. - Powerful card search engine that support syntax search, 25+ card properties filter, random card and etc. - Latest card pricing including all promo cards, foil cards, different art variety directly from TCGPlayer or Cardmarket. - Auto currency converter available in 30+ currencies. - Track your collection, trading and wish list with up-to-date price wherever you go. - Deck builder with winning decklist from Standard, Modern and Legacy formats. - Tools for judges like offline searchable comprehensive rule, MTG, IPG, quick reference, scripted draft timer, decklist counter, offline documents and etc. Disclaimer: Magic: The Gathering (also known as MTG) card design, text, images, expansions, and symbols are trademark and copyright of Wizards of the Coast, Hasbro, LLC. Bugko is not affiliated with, endorsed, sponsored, or specifically approved by Wizards of the Coast LLC.

Screenshots

MTG Guide4 screens
Bugko4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Bugko at none against MTG Guide's 2. Bugko also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). MTG Guide's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (722 vs 89). On price, rating, review sentiment 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. MTG Guide sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Bugko asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for MTG Guide against 4.8 for Bugko. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: MTG Guide has 722 ratings behind it against 89, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 80% of MTG Guide's written reviews are positive against 73% of Bugko's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

MTG Guide ships an update every 2 months, Bugko every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on September 22, 2026.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
MTG Guide versus Bugko: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMTG GuideBugko
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (722 ratings)4.8 (89 ratings) — better
Positive reviews79.7% of reviews — better73.3% of reviews
Number of ratings722 — better89
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size45 MB498 MB
Age rating9+9+
DeveloperMichael WybrowKeng Siang Ooi

Customer experience

MTG Guide

All ratings722 ratings
Positive91.8%
Neutral1.0%
Negative7.2%
Written reviews345 reviews
Positive79.7%
Neutral2.3%
Negative18.0%

Bugko

All ratings89 ratings
Positive96.6%
Neutral0.0%
Negative3.4%
Written reviews15 reviews
Positive73.3%
Neutral6.7%
Negative20.0%

Bugs and requests

MTG Guide

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Slow loading of Gatherer text
  • Occasional crashes or freezes

Requested features

5 requests
  • Advanced search and filtering options
  • Ability to display full-screen card art
  • Integration of annotated IPG and MTR
  • Option to sort cards by various criteria
  • Display of rarity symbols for cards

Bugko

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

2 purchases

MTG Guide

Subscriptions2
  • Premium Monthly1 Month trial$0.991 Month
  • Premium Yearly1 Month trial$6.991 Year
None

Bugko

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is MTG Guide free?
MTG Guide is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Bugko free?
Bugko is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, MTG Guide or Bugko?
Bugko is rated higher. MTG Guide averages 4.7 out of 5 from 722 ratings, while Bugko averages 4.8 from 89 ratings.
Do MTG Guide or Bugko have ads?
Bugko shows ads; MTG Guide does not.
Which is updated more often, MTG Guide or Bugko?
MTG Guide ships an update every 2 months, and Bugko every 2 weeks. Most recently, MTG Guide was updated on September 22, 2026 and Bugko on September 22, 2026.

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