# MTG Lens vs MTG Compendium

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: MTG Lens at none against MTG Compendium's 3. MTG Lens also leads on iOS requirement (17.3 vs 26.0). MTG Compendium's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 4 months). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. MTG Compendium sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. MTG Lens asks for nothing beyond the download.

MTG Lens ships an update every 4 months, MTG Compendium weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | MTG Lens | MTG Compendium |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[3.4 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mtg-compendium-deck-builder/id6746125584/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **5** |
| Positive reviews | — | 57.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | — | Freemium |
| Size | 151 MB | 74 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.3** | 26.0 |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ernst & Conte GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1781541406) | [Mark Webb](https://appshunter.io/developer/1331970256) |

## What reviewers say

### MTG Lens

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mtg-lens/id6738626271)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### MTG Compendium

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mtg-compendium-deck-builder/id6746125584)

This app is a comprehensive companion for Magic: The Gathering players. It allows you to scan and collect cards, build and analyze decks with detailed statistics, track your game history, and get personalized advice from an AI deck coach. It also provides tools for exploring game sets and preconstructed decks.

**Highlights:** Card scanning and collection management, Advanced deck building and analysis, Life counter and game log, AI-powered deck advice and insights, Price tracking and history, Set exploration and deck comparison

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlimited Evals and Chat | $2.99 | per month |
| Annual Pro Subscription | $34.99 | per year |
| Compendium 3 Deck Evaluations | $1.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is MTG Lens free?

MTG Lens is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is MTG Compendium free?

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

### Do MTG Lens or MTG Compendium have ads?

Neither MTG Lens nor MTG Compendium shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, MTG Lens or MTG Compendium?

MTG Lens ships an update every 4 months, and MTG Compendium weekly. Most recently, MTG Lens was updated on October 10, 2026 and MTG Compendium on October 17, 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.*