# TCGSim vs Card Maker

The clearest difference is rating: Card Maker at 4.7 against TCGSim's 3.0. Card Maker also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 4) and ratings volume (89 vs 2). TCGSim's advantage is review sentiment (78% vs 50%) and update cadence (every 3 months vs every 9 months). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. TCGSim sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Card Maker asks for nothing beyond the download.

Card Maker holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Card Maker has 89 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 78% of TCGSim's written reviews are positive against 50% of Card Maker's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

TCGSim ships an update every 3 months, Card Maker every 9 months. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | TCGSim | Card Maker |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tcgsim/id6474193450/reviews) | **[4.7 (89 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/card-maker-diy-monster/id6504472367/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **89** |
| Positive reviews | **77.8% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 months** | Every 9 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 167 MB | 152 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Kenta Hayakawa](https://appshunter.io/developer/1681275019) | [INHYUK CHOI](https://appshunter.io/developer/1629372780) |

## What reviewers say

### TCGSim

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tcgsim/id6474193450)

Practice popular trading card games solo with this easy-to-use app. It supports deck tuning, strategy research, and includes features like free card manipulation and dice rolls. Customize your experience with optional in-app purchases.

**Highlights:** Solo play for 1-2 player fields, Free card manipulation, Deck and card management, Import decks via codes/CSV, Dice roll and coin toss, Customizable backgrounds

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock Custom Field Image | $1.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Custom Card Back | $1.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads | $2.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Deck Slots | $2.99 | one-time |


### Card Maker

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/card-maker-diy-monster/id6504472367)

Design your own unique monster cards by selecting frames, effects, monster art, and backgrounds. Start creating your personalized collection today and enjoy a fun, creative experience.

**Highlights:** Customizable card frames, Selectable effects, Monster art options, Background image choices, Unique card creation, Collection building

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is TCGSim free?

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

### Is Card Maker free?

Card Maker is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, TCGSim or Card Maker?

Card Maker is rated higher. TCGSim averages 3.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Card Maker averages 4.7 from 89 ratings.

### Do TCGSim or Card Maker have ads?

Both TCGSim and Card Maker show ads.

### Which is updated more often, TCGSim or Card Maker?

TCGSim ships an update every 3 months, and Card Maker every 9 months. Most recently, TCGSim was updated on September 30, 2026 and Card Maker on October 24, 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.*