# MTG Guide vs Bugko

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.

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.

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.

MTG Guide ships an update every 2 months, Bugko every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | MTG Guide | Bugko |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (722 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mtg-guide/id378754271/reviews) | **[4.8 (89 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bugko/id1325400403/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **722** | 89 |
| Positive reviews | **79.7% of reviews** | 73.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 45 MB | 498 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 9+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Michael Wybrow](https://appshunter.io/developer/366746485) | [Keng Siang Ooi](https://appshunter.io/developer/1325400402) |

## What reviewers say

### MTG Guide

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mtg-guide/id378754271)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Monthly | $0.99 | per month |
| Premium Yearly | $6.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent reference tool
- 🔒 Offline access to rules and cards
- 👍 Comprehensive and up-to-date database
- 👍 Intuitive and easy to use interface
- 👍 Helpful for judges and players

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Limited search/filter options
- 📱 Lack of full-screen card art
- 🔍 Truncated search results

**Reported bugs**

- Slow loading of Gatherer text
- Occasional crashes or freezes

**Requested features**

- 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

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bugko/id1325400403)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked 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 25, 2026 and Bugko on September 22, 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.*