The Hobbit Universes Beyond set is the next big Magic moment, and Polygon’s coverage of how the crossover sets are reshaping standard pulled in a lot of returning players. The seven Magic: The Gathering apps for Android below cover the jobs Magic players actually need a phone for: playing online, tracking life and turn priority at a paper game, building decks, managing a collection, and pricing trades.
What to look for in an MTG app on Android
Five things matter:
- Online play vs paper assistant. Arena is the only sanctioned client. The other apps support paper games rather than replace them.
- Card database freshness. Sets release every few weeks. The good apps update on day one.
- Deck format support. Standard, Commander, Modern, Pioneer, Pauper, and Limited all behave differently. The app needs to know which is which.
- Trade and pricing data. TCGplayer, Card Kingdom, and CardMarket all have their own pricing scales. Pick the marketplace your local meta uses.
- Local-first vs cloud. Some apps store decks on-device only; others sync to a paid cloud account. Both are valid; pick whichever matches your habits.
Quick comparison
| App | Best for | Free plan | Subscription | Use case |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MTG Arena | Sanctioned online play | Yes | Optional packs | Online play |
| MTG Companion | Paper tournament tracking | Yes | None | Paper play |
| TCGplayer | Pricing and US marketplace | Yes | Optional Pro | Pricing and trading |
| Manabox | Collection management | Yes | Manabox Pro | Collection |
| Card Kingdom | US retailer with buylist | Yes | None | Buying singles |
| Untapped MTG | Tournament-grade Arena tracker | Yes | Untapped Pro | Stats |
| Archidekt | Web-based deck builder | Yes | Archidekt Pro | Deck building |
The apps
1. Magic: The Gathering Arena, the sanctioned client
Magic: The Gathering Arena is the official Wizards of the Coast online client. Standard, Alchemy, Historic, Brawl, and the rotating limited events all live in the same app. New sets land on Arena alongside the paper release, with the new card UX and animations that the desktop client introduced. The Android port is the same client across phones and tablets, with cloud-saved progress.
The economy is the well-documented friction point. The free path covers a lot of ground if you grind, but competitive standard is a paid pursuit.
Where it falls short: the in-game economy is the most-discussed friction. Phone screen real estate is tight for card-heavy turns.
Pricing:
- Free with optional purchases.
- Paid: pre-release bundles and Mastery Pass.
Platforms: Android, iOS, Windows, macOS.
Download: Download
Bottom line: the right pick for sanctioned online Magic on a phone.
2. MTG Companion, the paper assistant
MTG Companion is the official Wizards of the Coast app for tracking life totals, turn priority, and tournament round status at a paper game. Pair the app with a local game store’s Wizards Event Link tournament and the round pairings, deck registrations, and match results all flow through the app rather than paper slips.
It is the only app most paper players actually need at a Friday Night Magic.
Where it falls short: functionality outside of sanctioned events is limited. The interface is utilitarian.
Pricing:
- Free.
Platforms: Android, iOS.
Download: Download
Bottom line: the right pick for paper Magic at a sanctioned event.
3. TCGplayer, pricing and US marketplace
TCGplayer is the largest US marketplace for trading card singles. The app turns a phone camera into a card scanner that pulls condition-graded prices, market prices, and seller listings for any card you point it at. Buylists, watchlists, and order history all sync to the desktop site.
For US players, it is the default trading reference. International players see TCGplayer pricing as the global benchmark, even when they buy from a local shop.
Where it falls short: pricing is US-centric. International shipping is variable.
Pricing:
- Free.
- Paid: TCGplayer Pro for sellers.
Platforms: Android, iOS, web.
Download: Download
Bottom line: the right pick for US pricing and marketplace.
4. Manabox, collection management
Manabox is the collection tracker the serious paper Magic crowd settled on. Camera-based set scanning, condition tracking, deck export, and pricing through TCGplayer, Card Kingdom, and CardMarket all live in the same app. The cloud sync keeps your collection consistent across phones, tablets, and the web app.
It is the strongest collection manager on Android, with a free tier that covers most of what casual players need.
Where it falls short: advanced features are paid. Bulk imports take time on a phone.
Pricing:
- Free with caps.
- Paid: Manabox Pro subscription.
Platforms: Android, iOS, web.
Download: Download
Bottom line: the right pick when your binder is real and you want it on a phone.
5. Card Kingdom, US retailer with strong buylist
Card Kingdom is the long-running US retailer with one of the most consistent buylists in the hobby. The app handles the full retail experience: search, filter, cart, and the buylist quoter that prices what your unwanted cards are worth in store credit or cash. Authoritative condition grading is one of the things that pulls customers away from auction-driven marketplaces.
If your local meta swaps to Card Kingdom orders, the app makes the buylist process much faster than the desktop site.
Where it falls short: US-only shipping for most stock. The selection is curated rather than exhaustive.
Pricing:
- Free.
Platforms: Android, iOS, web.
Download: Download
Bottom line: the right pick when you ship to or from a US address and value condition consistency.
6. Untapped MTG, the tournament-grade Arena tracker
Untapped MTG is the tracker that pulls statistics from your Arena play history and the wider tournament meta. Match history, win rates, deck rankings, and per-archetype matchup tables are all kept up to date. Players who want to climb mythic on the ranked ladder use Untapped to figure out what is winning.
The free tier covers personal stats. Untapped Pro adds advanced filters and longer histories.
Where it falls short: Untapped is an Arena companion, not a paper one. Setup pairs with the desktop tracker.
Pricing:
- Free.
- Paid: Untapped Pro subscription.
Platforms: Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, web.
Download: Download
Bottom line: the right pick when you want to know which deck is winning and why.
7. Archidekt, web-based deck builder
Archidekt is the web deck builder that runs comfortably on Android through a Progressive Web App install. The format coverage is broad: standard, Commander, Brawl, Pauper, Pioneer, and the legacy formats are all supported, with stack visualisation, mana curves, and price totals updating live as you build. Sharing decks through links is the cleanest workflow on the list.
It is the right closer for players who build decks on a phone in transit and refine them on a desktop later.
Where it falls short: PWA only, no native app. Some heavier features lag on lower-end phones.
Pricing:
- Free with caps.
- Paid: Archidekt Pro subscription.
Platforms: Web (PWA), Android, iOS.
Download: Download
Bottom line: the right pick when deck building is the activity.
How to pick the right one
If you play sanctioned online Magic, install MTG Arena.
If you play paper Magic at a sanctioned event, install MTG Companion.
If you want US pricing and marketplace, install TCGplayer.
If you want to track a paper collection, install Manabox.
If you ship to a US address and want a strong buylist, install Card Kingdom.
If you want tournament-grade Arena stats, install Untapped MTG.
If deck building is your main activity, use Archidekt as a PWA.
FAQ
What is the official Magic: The Gathering app on Android?
Magic: The Gathering Arena is the official online client. MTG Companion is the official paper-event tracker. Both are published by Wizards of the Coast.
Is there a free way to play Magic on Android?
Yes. MTG Arena is free to install with a free starter set. The economy pushes purchases at higher levels of standard play, but Brawl, Limited, and Historic all have generous free play paths.
What is the best app for tracking my MTG collection?
Manabox is the strongest pick. Collection scanning, condition tracking, and pricing across TCGplayer and CardMarket all sync between mobile and the web app.
Are there alternatives to TCGplayer for pricing?
CardMarket is the European equivalent. Card Kingdom maintains its own retail pricing for US customers. Manabox aggregates all three in one app.
Is there a Magic deck builder that works offline?
Manabox works offline for browsing and editing existing decks. Archidekt requires a connection. MTG Arena’s deck builder is in-client and online.
