Reality Fracture dropped a fresh Niv-Mizzet combo into standard, and a 22-year-old enchantment (Words of Worship) went from a $30 curiosity to a $200 heat check inside a week. If you had a copy in a binder, you either saw the spike coming or you did not. The people who saw it coming were watching one of the price trackers on this list.
We picked eight desktop apps that watch MTG single card prices, ranked by how fast they see a spike and how well they let a collector act on it. Some are trackers, some are marketplaces, one is the pure card database everyone else uses. Together they cover the flow from “someone brewed a new combo” to “sell the eight copies I have before the price cools.”
What to look for in an MTG price-tracking app
- Real-time or near-real-time price data across at least TCGplayer and Card Kingdom.
- A watchlist that alerts on a price change, not just a manual check.
- Historical price charts so a spike shows against a 90-day base.
- A collection import that reads Manabox or CSV without hand editing.
- A cross-device sync so the phone at LGS matches the desktop at home.
The eight below meet at least three. The rank orders them by how fast they see and warn on a spike.
Quick comparison
| App | Best for | Free plan | Starting price | Price sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MTGGoldfish | Real-time market snapshots | Yes | $4.99/mo | TCGplayer, Card Kingdom |
| TCGplayer | Direct marketplace with watchlists | Yes | Free | TCGplayer only |
| Card Kingdom Buylist | Selling into a real buylist | Yes | Free | Card Kingdom |
| Manabox | Collection value with alerts | Yes | $3.99/mo | Aggregated |
| Deckbox | Deck and collection tracking | Yes | $2.99/mo | TCGplayer, Card Kingdom |
| Moxfield | Modern deckbuilder with prices | Yes | $2.99/mo | Aggregated |
| EchoMTG | Portfolio-grade collection tracker | Yes | $60/yr | TCGplayer, others |
| Scryfall | Pure database and API | Yes | Free (donation-supported) | TCGplayer, Cardhoarder |
1. MTGGoldfish, best for real-time market snapshots
MTGGoldfish is the site every price watcher lands on first. The “movers” pages update daily, and the paid Premium tier adds real-time price alerts on a watchlist. Meta share, deck lists, and format-specific price charts all sit under one browser tab.
Where it falls short: the ad load on the free tier is heavy. Premium is where the app feels clean.
Pricing:
- Free tier, Premium at $4.99/mo, Premium+ at $9.99/mo.
Platforms: Web app on Windows, macOS, Linux.
Download: mtggoldfish.com
Bottom line: The default recommendation for a collector who wants to know when a card moves 20% in a day.
2. TCGplayer, best for a direct marketplace with watchlists
TCGplayer is the biggest US-market MTG marketplace, and its watchlist is the closest to a live ticker. A card goes up 40% and the app pushes a notification. The buying flow is the same tab, so a decision to sell or hold is a click.
Where it falls short: the data is TCGplayer only. Card Kingdom’s buylist may move differently, and the app does not see it.
Pricing:
- Free account.
Platforms: Web app on Windows, macOS, Linux.
Download: tcgplayer.com
Bottom line: The right pick for anyone who lives on TCGplayer for the buying side.
3. Card Kingdom Buylist, best for selling into a real buylist
Card Kingdom’s Buylist is the desktop tool for anyone who wants to sell into a real store credit or cash offer. Prices update as the store restocks, and the “hot buylist” page shows what the store needs right now.
Where it falls short: it is a seller-facing tool, not a portfolio tracker. Use it alongside a proper tracker.
Pricing:
- Free.
Platforms: Web app on Windows, macOS, Linux.
Download: cardkingdom.com/purchasing/mtg_singles
Bottom line: The right complement to MTGGoldfish when you actually want to sell into a spike.
4. Manabox, best for collection value with alerts
Manabox started on mobile as a collection scanner and grew a desktop web client. Scan a binder, import the CSV, and the app shows total value plus per-card charts. Alerts land on the phone when a card moves.
Where it falls short: the desktop web client is smaller than the mobile app. Some features assume you scan on the phone first.
Pricing:
- Free tier, Pro at $3.99/mo or $29.99/yr.
Platforms: Web app on Windows, macOS, Linux.
Download: manabox.app
Bottom line: The right pick when the collection is real and lives on shelves next to a phone camera.
5. Deckbox, best for deck and collection tracking
Deckbox is the older browser-first deck and collection tracker. Import from CSV, tag with condition, and the app tracks value across TCGplayer and Card Kingdom. Trading tools are a real feature for MTG groups.
Where it falls short: the UI is the same it was in 2015. Functional, unfashionable.
Pricing:
- Free tier, Premium at $2.99/mo.
Platforms: Web app on Windows, macOS, Linux.
Download: deckbox.org
Bottom line: The pick for anyone whose playgroup has been on Deckbox since Ravnica.
6. Moxfield, best for modern deckbuilder with prices
Moxfield is the deckbuilder most Commander players use. Prices sit under every card, and the “brew” tab shows a running total. It is not a full portfolio tracker, but it is the fastest way to see if a deck idea just got expensive.
Where it falls short: collection tracking is a lighter feature than the deckbuilder. Use it as a companion.
Pricing:
- Free tier, Patron plans from $2.99/mo.
Platforms: Web app on Windows, macOS, Linux.
Download: moxfield.com
Bottom line: The right pick when the price question is “will this deck cost more this week?”
7. EchoMTG, best for a portfolio-grade collection tracker
EchoMTG treats a Magic collection like a stock portfolio. Cost basis, unrealized gains, historic charts, and export to CSV or Excel. The alert engine covers price and price-per-day movement, which catches slower burns the daily “movers” list misses.
Where it falls short: the annual price is real, and the UI has a slight late-1990s finance-terminal vibe.
Pricing:
- Free tier (up to 100 cards), Silver at $60/yr, higher tiers scale.
Platforms: Web app on Windows, macOS, Linux.
Download: echomtg.com
Bottom line: The pick for a serious collector who wants portfolio-shaped data.
8. Scryfall, best for the pure database and API
Scryfall is the database every other app on this list borrows from. It is not a tracker, but the search language is precise (usd>50 f:standard) and the daily updates are fast. Anyone building their own alert script sits here.
Where it falls short: no watchlist, no alerts, no portfolio. A power tool for other tools.
Pricing:
- Free, donation-supported.
Platforms: Web app on Windows, macOS, Linux.
Download: scryfall.com
Bottom line: The right base layer for anyone building a personal alert pipeline.
How to pick the right one
- One tool that watches the market: MTGGoldfish premium.
- Fast alerts on TCGplayer moves: TCGplayer watchlist.
- Selling into a store credit: Card Kingdom Buylist.
- Real collection with a phone scanner: Manabox.
- Long-time Deckbox playgroup: Deckbox.
- Deck-first price checks: Moxfield.
- Portfolio-grade tracking: EchoMTG.
- Building your own pipeline: Scryfall API.
FAQ
How fast do these apps see a price spike?
TCGplayer and MTGGoldfish Premium refresh within minutes of a sale wave. Deckbox, Moxfield, and free MTGGoldfish update on a daily cycle. EchoMTG updates several times a day.
Are Card Kingdom and TCGplayer prices the same?
No. Card Kingdom’s buylist is what a store will pay. TCGplayer’s Market Price is a rolling median of recent listings. A card can be $100 on TCGplayer and $60 buylist.
Can I import my Manabox collection into these?
Manabox exports CSVs that MTGGoldfish, Deckbox, EchoMTG, and Moxfield all read. Column mapping is a one-time setup.
Which of these are free forever?
TCGplayer, Card Kingdom, Scryfall, and the free tiers of MTGGoldfish, Manabox, Deckbox, Moxfield, and EchoMTG. Paid tiers unlock alerts and larger collections.
Do any of these track Reserved List cards?
Yes. MTGGoldfish, EchoMTG, and Deckbox all track Reserved List cards. Prices there tend to move on longer cycles, so slower alerts (EchoMTG’s price-per-day) are more useful than intraday tickers.
Is there a mobile companion?
Manabox, TCGplayer, and MTGGoldfish all ship mobile apps. Deckbox, Moxfield, and EchoMTG rely on the browser.
