# MTG CODEX Life Counter/Scanner vs DeckForge

The clearest difference is update cadence: DeckForge at daily against MTG CODEX Life Counter/Scanner's every 6 days. MTG CODEX Life Counter/Scanner's advantage is ratings volume (6 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 26.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. MTG CODEX Life Counter/Scanner sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and DeckForge sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for MTG CODEX Life Counter/Scanner against 5.0 for DeckForge. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: MTG CODEX Life Counter/Scanner has 6 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

MTG CODEX Life Counter/Scanner ships an update every 6 days, DeckForge daily. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | MTG CODEX Life Counter/Scanner | DeckForge |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mtg-codex-life-counterscanner/id6763615089/reviews) | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/deckforge-mtg-card-scanner/id6805044950/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **6** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 days | **Daily** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 103 MB | 49 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Marcus Richardson](https://appshunter.io/developer/1895399387) | [Joseph Pereira](https://appshunter.io/developer/1840739377) |

## What reviewers say

### MTG CODEX Life Counter/Scanner

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mtg-codex-life-counterscanner/id6763615089)

This app is a comprehensive tool for trading card game players, offering card scanning, deck building, collection management, and life tracking. It provides detailed game statistics, combo discovery, and competitive tuning suggestions. Find local game stores and discover new commanders with this all-in-one companion.

**Highlights:** Instant card scanning with camera, Smart deck building for all formats, Collection management and value tracking, Competitive deck tuning and optimization, Combo finder and deck grading, Life tracker for multiplayer games, Preconstructed deck browser

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| MTG CODEX PRO Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| MTG CODEX PRO Annual | $54.99 | per year |


### DeckForge

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/deckforge-mtg-card-scanner/id6805044950)

Instantly identify Magic: The Gathering cards by scanning them with your phone. Track card values, manage your collection, and build decks with ease. Syncs with a web platform for access anywhere.

**Highlights:** Instant card scanning, Accurate card identification, Real-time market pricing, Collection management, Deck building tools, Web sync

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| DeckForge Plus | $3.99 | per month |
| DeckForge Plus Yearly | $29.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is MTG CODEX Life Counter/Scanner free?

MTG CODEX Life Counter/Scanner is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is DeckForge free?

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

### Which has better reviews, MTG CODEX Life Counter/Scanner or DeckForge?

MTG CODEX Life Counter/Scanner and DeckForge are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 6 and 1 ratings respectively.

### Do MTG CODEX Life Counter/Scanner or DeckForge have ads?

Neither MTG CODEX Life Counter/Scanner nor DeckForge shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, MTG CODEX Life Counter/Scanner or DeckForge?

MTG CODEX Life Counter/Scanner ships an update every 6 days, and DeckForge daily. Most recently, MTG CODEX Life Counter/Scanner was updated on October 15, 2026 and DeckForge on October 16, 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.*