Collectr vs ManaBox: track the portfolio or build the next deck?

What will you do with the cards next?

A Magic collection can be a record of what you own, the starting point for your next deck, or both. That distinction matters more here than a headline scan-speed claim. Collectr and ManaBox overlap on inventory, but their documented tools lead toward different everyday jobs.

Our starting pick is ManaBox for someone whose collection revolves around playing Magic. Choose Collectr when you want Magic alongside other TCGs in a broader portfolio. Before moving thousands of entries, follow one small group of cards from identification through organization and back to the physical box.

Magic tools versus a collection across games.

ManaBox is a Magic app with deck statistics, a deck simulator, rules and legality information, and trade tools. Collectr’s scanner page names Magic, Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh!, One Piece, Lorcana, Flesh and Blood and Digimon.

If your weekly task is changing a Commander list, think about how often you consult a deck versus a collection total. If your shelves mix Pokémon binders, Magic singles and sealed products, decide whether keeping those records together is more useful. A sensible choice reduces the repeated work you actually do, rather than winning a count of features.

Try a normal week on paper: identify a card, locate a spare copy, update a deck or portfolio, and remove something traded away. The app should make that sequence easy to remember.

ManaBox US App Store pricing and release history · Collectr scanner and games

Check the printing before accepting the batch.

ManaBox identifies artwork, so reprints that share an image can need a set correction. Its scanner FAQ documents changing the set and number, and locking a set. The scanner guide also describes Quick Mode: enabled, it chooses the first match; disabled, ambiguous matches require confirmation.

Collectr describes matching set, number and variant, then setting quantity and condition before saving. Neither workflow makes your own checks redundant. A recognizable illustration is not enough when two printings have different finishes or values.

For a full box, sort into manageable groups first. Keep completed cards apart from the unprocessed pile. Audit an early handful for set, collector number, finish and quantity before continuing. This catches a repeated wrong assumption while the affected group is still small.

ManaBox printing identification · ManaBox scanner controls · Collectr scanner and games

Use locations that survive your next reorganization.

Collectr documents bulk copying, moving and deleting between portfolios, with filters for raw or graded cards and sealed products. ManaBox organizes collections into binders and lists; its scan overview can show whether a card already appears in the collection or a registered deck.

Name storage groups so you can find the physical card later. A portfolio label such as ‘trade binder’ is useful only while you maintain it after trades. For deck changes, record where the outgoing card returns before deciding that another copy is missing.

Avoid counting one physical copy twice just because it belongs to both a collecting theme and a deck plan. Reconcile quantities against a completed box or binder section, then move on.

Collectr portfolio and language filters · ManaBox US App Store pricing and release history · ManaBox scanner controls

Printed languages and a file you can keep.

Collectr documents EN, JP and CN portfolio filters. ManaBox lets you choose a card’s language in the scanner and includes language in its collection-import fields. The checked scanner guides do not provide an exhaustive list of printed editions recognized by camera.

Make your own Japanese, German or other imported Magic cards part of the first sample. Confirm the printed edition separately from the interface language, using set and collector number as well as artwork.

ManaBox documents CSV export for the whole collection or an individual binder or list. Collectr includes collection export in PRO. Open a small exported file before relying on it: inspect quantities, identifiers and organization fields, and keep a dated copy away from the app.

Collectr portfolio and language filters · ManaBox scanner controls · ManaBox CSV import and export · Collectr PRO plans and export

What the upgrade costs today.

Checked October 12, 2026, Collectr web PRO costs US$7.99 monthly or US$59.99 annually and includes unlimited scanning. ManaBox’s US iOS description lists US$2.49 monthly or US$22.99 yearly; the app is free to download. ManaBox says existing data remains accessible if a subscription expires, while creating new binders and PRO features becomes restricted.

ManaBox version 4.2.1, released September 24, adds export of proxy and signed-card properties, proxy grouping in decks and stability fixes. Those changes are particularly relevant if you maintain detailed Magic records.

Choose the workflow first, then the paid features you need. Start with ManaBox for a Magic collection used to build decks; start with Collectr for the wider TCG portfolio.

Collectr PRO plans and export · ManaBox US App Store pricing and release history · ManaBox subscription guide