Scanning Magic cards on an iPad is not only possible but can actually be a better experience than scanning on a phone for certain workflows. The larger screen real estate makes reviewing scan results, browsing your collection, and managing deck lists more comfortable, especially during long scanning sessions.

Lotus Scan works on iPad and takes advantage of the bigger display to show more information at once. When scanning, you can see the card preview, identification result, and pricing all without squinting at a small phone screen. For collection management, the iPad layout lets you view more cards at once and navigate through large collections more efficiently. If you are sitting at a table scanning through boxes of cards, propping an iPad up with a stand creates an ergonomic scanning station.

The camera quality on recent iPads is excellent for card scanning. The iPad Pro and iPad Air models have cameras that capture more than enough detail for accurate card identification, including fine details like set symbols and collector numbers. Even the base model iPad has a camera that works well for scanning. The main consideration is that iPads are larger and less convenient to hold one-handed while scanning, so using a stand or laying the iPad flat works better than trying to hold it over cards.

One particularly useful iPad workflow is scanning cards while simultaneously looking up information on a split screen. You can have Lotus Scan open on one side while checking prices or deck lists on a browser on the other side. This multitasking capability is something phones cannot replicate and is especially helpful when evaluating trades or building decks from a physical collection.

Not all MTG scanner apps are optimized for iPad. Some apps run in a phone-sized window on the iPad screen, which wastes the display advantage. Before committing to an app for iPad scanning, check that it has a native iPad layout or at least scales properly to the larger display.

For players who do most of their scanning at home or at a dedicated desk, an iPad can be the ideal scanning device. The combination of a large screen, good camera, and stable positioning makes for an efficient and comfortable scanning experience that is hard to match with a phone.