What Is the Best Way to Keep Track of an MTG Collection?

There are three common ways to keep track of a collection. A spreadsheet is free and flexible, but every card has to be typed, there are no live prices, and printings are easy to get wrong. A web tracker such as Archidekt, Moxfield, Deckbox or EchoMTG gives you search, filters and prices, but you still have to get the cards into it by manual entry or CSV import. A scanner app creates the list for you.

For most collectors the best approach combines them. Scan your cards with a scanner app so the printing and foil status are captured automatically. Set the condition on cards worth more than a few dollars, since condition changes what you can sell them for. Export a CSV to use as a backup and keep a copy outside your phone. Then, if you want deck building, trading or deeper price analytics, import that same CSV into the web tracker that fits.

Which scanner depends on your phone. On iPhone, Lotus Scan scans foils and sleeved cards without a white background and keeps price history. ManaBox works on iOS and Android, and Delver Lens is a fast option on Android. Our full comparison of collection trackers lays out the trade-offs between all of them.

Whatever you choose, test with a small batch first. Scan or import 20 to 30 cards, check that the printings, foils and quantities are right, and then do the rest. Fixing a bad process after thousands of cards is far more work than checking it on a few.