# MTG Guide vs Magic Spellbook

MTG Guide and Magic Spellbook both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 94% of Magic Spellbook's written reviews are positive against 80% of MTG Guide's. Magic Spellbook also leads on monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs paid). MTG Guide's advantage is ratings volume (722 vs 87). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. MTG Guide sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and Magic Spellbook sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for MTG Guide against 4.8 for Magic Spellbook. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: MTG Guide has 722 ratings behind it against 87, 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 94% of Magic Spellbook's.

MTG Guide ships an update every 2 months, Magic Spellbook every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | MTG Guide | Magic Spellbook |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (722 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mtg-guide/id378754271/reviews) | **[4.8 (87 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magic-spellbook/id1537509452/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **722** | 87 |
| Positive reviews | 79.7% of reviews | **94.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 45 MB | 33 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 9+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Michael Wybrow](https://appshunter.io/developer/366746485) | [Joshua Birnholz](https://appshunter.io/developer/1106949939) |

## 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


### Magic Spellbook

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magic-spellbook/id1537509452)

Instantly find Magic card information, including rulings, prices, and all printings. Manage your card lists, compare trade values, and even use voice commands for quick lookups. Explore cards by set and track game progress.

**Highlights:** Complex card search with Scryfall, Card printing and price checks, Save, import, and share card lists, Price difference calculation for trading, Card rulings and format legality, Browse cards by set, Voice search with Siri

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Safari Extension, iMessage stickers, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Common Tip | $0.99 | one-time |
| Uncommon Tip | $2.99 | one-time |
| Rare Tip | $4.99 | one-time |
| Mythic Tip | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is MTG Guide free?

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

### Is Magic Spellbook free?

Magic Spellbook is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, MTG Guide or Magic Spellbook?

Magic Spellbook is rated higher. MTG Guide averages 4.7 out of 5 from 722 ratings, while Magic Spellbook averages 4.8 from 87 ratings.

### Do MTG Guide or Magic Spellbook have ads?

Neither MTG Guide nor Magic Spellbook shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, MTG Guide or Magic Spellbook?

MTG Guide ships an update every 2 months, and Magic Spellbook every 5 weeks. Most recently, MTG Guide was updated on September 22, 2026 and Magic Spellbook on September 23, 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.*