Star Wars: Unlimited’s Ashes of the Empire dropped Emperor Palpatine as a leader card, and physical TCG players are turning to desktop apps to test builds before they buy singles. Meanwhile the digital-native TCGs keep pulling players in with faster matches. Here are seven digital TCG deck-building apps for desktop, spanning free-to-play favourites and companion tools for paper card games.
What to look for
- Deck builder depth. Filter by cost, colour, keyword, and legality; sort by curve; group by role.
- Legal format enforcement. Nothing worse than building a 60-card monster only to find it is not legal for standard.
- Playtest mode. A goldfish mode or bot opponent to test opening hands and mulligans.
- Import/export. Cross-tool deck codes so a list on Moxfield loads into MTG Arena.
- Community lists. Ranked meta decks with match rates by matchup.
Quick comparison
| App | Best for | Platforms | Free plan | Starting price | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hearthstone | Fast digital-native TCG | Windows, macOS | Free-to-play | Pay-what-you-want | 4.5 |
| MTG Arena | Magic: the Gathering online | Windows, macOS | Free-to-play | Pack purchases | 4.4 |
| Marvel Snap | Six-turn matches | Windows, macOS via Steam | Free-to-play | Season Pass $10 | 4.6 |
| Legends of Runeterra | Riot’s TCG, generous economy | Windows, macOS | Free-to-play | Pass $10 | 4.5 |
| SW: Unlimited Companion | Star Wars Unlimited paper play | Windows, macOS, Web | Free | Free | 4.3 |
| Moxfield | MTG deck construction site | Windows, macOS, Web | Free | Premium $3 | 4.8 |
| Tabletop Simulator | Play any paper TCG online | Windows, macOS, Linux | Steam purchase | $20 one-time | 4.5 |
The apps
1. Hearthstone – Best fast digital-native TCG
Hearthstone invented the modern short-form digital TCG. Battles are 10-15 minutes, decks are 30 cards, and the arena mode reshuffles the whole meta every couple of weeks.
Where it falls short: Progression stalls without spending. Wild format still has the same legacy card issues it always had.
Pricing:
- Free-to-play with card packs, seasonal passes, and cosmetics
- Battlegrounds Perks $9.99/mo
Platforms: Windows, macOS.
Download: Hearthstone
Bottom line: The default starting point for digital-first TCG players.
2. Magic: The Gathering Arena – Best digital MTG
MTG Arena is the digital home of Magic. Standard, Historic, Alchemy, and Draft all run there. The client is efficient, the ranked ladder is competitive, and the collection view is straightforward.
Where it falls short: Card availability lags paper Magic by a couple of sets in some formats. Wildcard economy has a learning curve.
Pricing:
- Free-to-play with wildcard rare targeting
- Boosters and Mastery Pass optional
Platforms: Windows, macOS.
Download: MTG Arena
Bottom line: The pick if you already play Magic on paper or want the deepest TCG on the market.
3. Marvel Snap – Best short matches
Marvel Snap compresses a whole match into six turns. Decks are 12 cards. The location system and Snap risk mechanic reward reading the opponent as much as building the perfect deck.
Where it falls short: Card acquisition remains gated. New releases can distort the meta for a week.
Pricing:
- Free-to-play with Season Pass at $9.99/mo
- Card packs sold via Collector’s Reserves
Platforms: Windows and macOS via Steam.
Download: Marvel Snap
Bottom line: The bus-ride TCG that turned into a real one. Best for short attention spans.
4. Legends of Runeterra – Best economy
Legends of Runeterra built the fairest economy in the category. Free reroll systems, wildcards on demand, and a generous champion progression let you build any deck without spending.
Where it falls short: Player counts have shifted after the Path of Champions single-player focus. PvP queues can be quiet.
Pricing:
- Free-to-play with cosmetics and Path of Champions episode passes
- Season Pass $9.99
Platforms: Windows, macOS.
Download: Legends of Runeterra
Bottom line: The one to play if collection cost is the reason you never got into another TCG.
5. SW: Unlimited Companion – Best for paper Star Wars Unlimited
Star Wars: Unlimited Companion (the community-run desktop version of the official app) tracks life, tempo damage, initiative, and leader deployment for physical games. It also stores decklists across sets, including the new Ashes of the Empire cards.
Where it falls short: Not a play-online client. It counts and tracks; you and an opponent still need physical cards or a shared table.
Pricing: Free. Platforms: Windows, macOS, web.
Download: SW Unlimited Companion
Bottom line: The one to open next to the play mat.
6. Moxfield – Best MTG deck builder
Moxfield is where competitive Magic players build decks. Fast search, format legality enforcement, price tracking, and a good mobile view make it the top destination for anyone piloting a paper deck.
Where it falls short: MTG only. Not a play surface.
Pricing:
- Free: unlimited decks and lists
- Premium $3/mo removes ads and adds features
Platforms: Windows, macOS, web.
Download: Moxfield
Bottom line: The one bookmark every paper Magic player has.
7. Tabletop Simulator – Best for any paper TCG
Tabletop Simulator lets a group play any physical card game online with hand-crafted or community-uploaded mods. Star Wars Unlimited, Flesh and Blood, Lorcana, and every out-of-print CCG has a workshop mod.
Where it falls short: Learning curve. Setup for a game takes time. Not a native client, so no automated rules enforcement.
Pricing: $19.99 one-time on Steam. Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux.
Download: Tabletop Simulator
Bottom line: The tool for any TCG a big publisher never digitised.
How to pick
- If you want a five-minute match: Marvel Snap.
- If you want deep TCG mechanics: MTG Arena.
- If cost is the barrier: Legends of Runeterra.
- If you play paper Magic: Moxfield in the browser plus MTG Arena for practice.
- If you play paper Star Wars Unlimited: SW Unlimited Companion.
- If your favourite TCG has no client: Tabletop Simulator with the community mods.
FAQ
Is Star Wars: Unlimited playable online? Not officially yet. Companion apps track physical play, and Tabletop Simulator hosts community mods for online games.
Which digital TCG is cheapest to compete in? Legends of Runeterra by a wide margin. Free wildcards on demand.
Can I import a Moxfield deck into MTG Arena? Yes. Moxfield exports Arena-formatted deck strings that paste directly into the client.
Do these apps run on Mac? Hearthstone, MTG Arena, Legends of Runeterra, and Moxfield all support macOS natively. Marvel Snap runs on macOS through Steam. Tabletop Simulator has a native macOS build.
Is Hearthstone still worth playing in 2026? For most players yes. Standard rotates keep the meta fresh and the Battlegrounds mode remains a strong stand-alone.
