# Card Buddy vs Campaign Codex

The clearest difference is rating: Campaign Codex at 5.0 against Card Buddy's 4.3. Campaign Codex also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months) and review sentiment (100% vs 84%). Card Buddy's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and ratings volume (44 vs 2). On price, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Card Buddy sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Campaign Codex sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Campaign Codex holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Card Buddy has 44 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 84% of Card Buddy's written reviews are positive against 100% of Campaign Codex's.

Card Buddy ships an update every 2 months, Campaign Codex every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Card Buddy | Campaign Codex |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (44 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/card-buddy-index-cards/id6447646532/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/campaign-codex/id6754894239/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **44** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 83.9% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 8 MB | 35 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Allen Ussher](https://appshunter.io/developer/1044100564) | [CommonGroundTech, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1692665054) |

## What reviewers say

### Card Buddy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/card-buddy-index-cards/id6447646532)

This app provides a digital corkboard for organizing ideas with index cards. Effortlessly arrange cards, add images, and utilize various text styles to outline stories, plot novels, or manage research. It offers a flexible and intuitive workspace for creative projects.

**Highlights:** Free-form canvas with drag-and-drop cards, Two-sided cards with front summary and back details, Image support for storyboards and mood boards, Multiple text styles including Markdown, Kanban layout for column organization, Syncs across Mac and iPhone

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Non-expiring License | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and intuitive interface
- 💡 Perfect for writing and plotting
- ✨ Localized files, not cloud-based
- 🖼️ Ability to add images to cards
- 🚀 Efficient and well-thought-out design

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Needs Apple Pencil support
- 🐛 Trial mode doesn't allow saving
- 🐛 Limited text formatting options
- 🐛 Images don't display adequately
- 🐛 Cards are too small

**Reported bugs**

- Trial mode does not allow saving
- Images not displaying adequately
- Double-tap zoom out feature interrupts text selection

**Requested features**

- Tagging individual cards
- Apple Pencil support
- More keyboard shortcuts
- Support for multiple canvases within a single document
- More customized options for text formatting, fonts, and colors


### Campaign Codex

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/campaign-codex/id6754894239)

This app is a comprehensive campaign manager for Game Masters, designed for iPad. It offers tools for combat tracking, quest management, NPC details, and quick rule references, all accessible offline for seamless live sessions.

**Highlights:** Combat tracking with initiative and HP, Campaign journal for notes and prep, Quest tracking with status and rewards, NPC management and story hooks, Party and character reference, Loot tracking, Quick rules reference, Offline-first storage

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Campaign Codex Premium Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Campaign Codex Premium Annual | $34.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Card Buddy free?

Card Buddy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Campaign Codex free?

Campaign Codex is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Card Buddy or Campaign Codex?

Campaign Codex is rated higher. Card Buddy averages 4.3 out of 5 from 44 ratings, while Campaign Codex averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Card Buddy or Campaign Codex have ads?

Neither Card Buddy nor Campaign Codex shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Card Buddy or Campaign Codex?

Card Buddy ships an update every 2 months, and Campaign Codex every 2 weeks. Most recently, Card Buddy was updated on November 3, 2026 and Campaign Codex on November 5, 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.*