Magic the Gathering Life Counter Apps Reviewed

Looking for the best Magic the Gathering life counter apps in 2023? We've got you covered with a detailed review of popular choices like Lifetap, Lotus, Magic Companion, Carbon, and Lifely. These apps not only track life totals but also offer features like poison counters, commander damage, dice rolls, and online connectivity. Whether you're a casual player, a Commander enthusiast, a competitive tournament player, or on a budget, there's an app tailored to your MTG gameplay needs.

Quick Overview:

Quick Comparison:

App Good For Key Features Cost
Lifetap Commander Players Custom counters, game history Free / $2/month / $10 forever
Lotus Limited Players Online play, game phase tracking Free / Starts at $3/month
Magic Companion Casual Players Easy to use, online play Free / $2/month / $10 forever
Carbon Competitive Players Simple, stable, cross-platform Free / $2/month / $10 forever
Lifely Budget-Conscious Players Basic tracking, no ads Free / Starts at $3/month

Choosing the right app depends on your specific needs and gameplay style. Each app has its strengths, from comprehensive features to simplicity and reliability. Try them out to find your perfect MTG life counter companion.

How We Compared the Apps

To make sure we're giving you good advice on Magic: The Gathering life counter apps, we looked at each one in a few important ways:

How It Looks and Works

First, we checked out how the app looks and how easy it is to use. We thought about:

Apps that are easier to use and look better make keeping track of your game simpler and faster.

What It Can Do

Next, we looked at what each app can do. We paid attention to things like:

Apps with more tools and features give you more ways to play and keep track of things.

How Reliable It Is

We also made sure the apps work well by looking at:

Apps that you can count on not to mess up help make sure your game goes smoothly.

Cost

Finally, we thought about how much the apps cost. This includes:

Apps that don't cost a lot over time are better for people who play a lot.

By looking at all these things, we tried to give you the clearest and fairest comparison of the Magic: The Gathering life counter apps out there. Next, we'll use what we found to tell you about some of the top apps you can get.

1. Lifetap

User Interface

Lifetap is easy to use with a clean look. When you open it, your life total is the big number in the middle, easy to see. You can tap buttons to change this number quickly. It also shows other important game numbers like poison counters and commander damage in a clear way.

There's a side menu for extra tools like rolling dice, flipping a coin, chatting with text, and more. The app works well whether you're using a phone or a computer, keeping everything simple but also letting you change things if you want.

Features

Lifetap has a lot of useful things for players. It can keep track of life, poison, commander damage, and even lets you roll dice or flip a coin. You can set up profiles for different game types, and it saves your game history online.

You can also make your own counters, change how life totals are shown, set up special alerts, add your deck lists, and more. The one thing it doesn't do is keep track of turns. But the people who make the app are good at adding new things if players ask.

Reliability

Lifetap works really well, even in long games. If something goes wrong with your phone or internet, you can just hop back into the game where you left off.

I've used it a lot and haven't had it crash or mess up, even when lots of people are connected, using the chat a lot, or switching between different parts of the app. It works fine whether you're on WiFi or using your phone's data. Plus, there's a helpful guide when you start and a community of users to help if you get stuck.

Cost

Lifetap is free for basic use, which lets you track scores for two players. If you want more features and to play with more people, it costs $2 every month. There's also a way to pay $10 once and get everything forever. I think it's a good deal for how much it helps with playing games.

2. Lotus

User Interface

Lotus is simple and easy to use. When you open it, you see your life total big and clear in the middle. Big buttons let you change your life total easily.

There's a menu on the side for extra stuff like rolling dice, flipping coins, and looking up cards. Everything is neat and easy to find, with no extra clutter.

Lotus is straightforward, making it easy for both new and experienced players to keep track of their game.

Features

Lotus has what you need for tracking life in Magic: The Gathering:

It also has cool extras:

The only downside is Lotus is just for computers right now, not phones.

Reliability

Lotus works well, even in long games. It doesn't slow down or crash. It keeps track of everything correctly.

Playing with others online works great. If you lose connection, you can jump back in easily. The app saves your game, so you don't lose your place.

The people who make Lotus keep it up-to-date and fix problems fast. It's reliable for playing MTG.

Cost

Lotus is free for basic stuff with up to 2 players. For more features, like tracking commander damage and playing online, you need to pay.

You can pay $3 a month, $8 for three months, or $25 for a year. Or, you can buy it for $15 for a year or $25 forever.

For people who use these apps a lot, Lotus is a good deal. It has everything you need, works well, and doesn't cost too much over time.

3. Magic Companion

User Interface

Magic Companion is super easy to use. Right when you open it, you see how much life you have left at the top. It has big buttons that let you add or take away from your life total easily.

There's a menu on the side for extra stuff like rolling dice, flipping coins, and checking card rules. It looks good on phones and computers, with everything big and easy to tap. The app keeps things simple and straightforward.

Features

Magic Companion comes with a bunch of handy tools:

It does a great job with the basics and also has cool stuff for playing with others. The only thing missing is a way to chat with other players in the app.

Reliability

Magic Companion works great, even if you're playing for a long time. It can handle a bunch of people playing together without any trouble. If your internet cuts out, you can jump right back into the game.

I've used it a lot and it's never crashed on me. The people who make the app keep it up to date and fix any problems quickly. They also have good instructions and a bunch of people use it, so you can get help if you need it.

Cost

Magic Companion is free to download and use for the basic stuff. If you want to use all the features and play with friends online, it's $2 a month. Or, you can pay $10 one time and get everything forever.

It's a good deal if you play a lot since it works well and doesn't cost much over time. Plus, you can try it for free first to see if you like it.

4. Carbon

User Interface

Carbon is straightforward and easy to use. When you open it, you see how much life you have right in the middle. It has big, easy-to-hit buttons for changing your life total up or down.

There's a menu on the side for more stuff like rolling dice and flipping coins. The app looks good on both phones and computers and changes size to fit your screen. It's all about making things simple.

Features

Carbon has a bunch of helpful features for Magic players:

It does the main things you need, plus some extra stuff to make life easier. The one thing it doesn't have is a way to build decks or a big card database. But it works well with other apps for that.

Reliability

Carbon has been solid and didn't give me any trouble, even in long games. It can handle a lot of players at once without slowing down. If your internet goes out, it saves where you were so you can get right back in.

I've played a lot and never had it crash. The people who make the app keep it up to date and fix any problems fast. It's reliable for keeping track of important game stuff.

Cost

Carbon is free for basic stuff with 2 players. To get more features, you have options:

For what it offers, Carbon is a good deal. The price is fair for people who play a lot.

5. Lifely

User Interface

Lifely is simple and neat. When you open it, you see your life points big and clear. It has easy plus and minus buttons to change your points quickly.

The side menu keeps extra stuff like dice rolls, coin flips, and rules easy to find but out of the way. The app looks good on both phones and computers and adjusts size nicely. It’s very straightforward, without extra stuff to make it complicated.

Features

Lifely covers all the basics:

It also has some extra helpful tools:

The only thing missing is in-app chat with other players. But it does a good job with the game essentials.

Reliability

I’ve used Lifely a lot and it’s been really stable, even in long games with lots of players. It doesn’t slow down or crash. If your internet stops, you can just start where you left off once it’s back.

The team updates Lifely to fix any problems fast. It’s been spot-on for keeping score and game info in my experience. And if you need help, there’s support available.

Cost

Lifely is free for basic stuff with 2 players. For more features and to play with more people, you can choose from:

Considering how reliable and handy Lifely is, I think the price is fair for those who play regularly.

Pros and Cons

Here's a quick look at what's good and what's not so good about each app.

App Good Stuff Not So Good Stuff
Lifetap - Free for basic stuff
- Easy to use
- Lots of cool features
- Works well, even in long games		 - You have to pay for all the features
- It doesn't keep track of turns
Lotus - Simple and easy
- Works smoothly and reliably
- Good deal for what you pay		 - Only works on computers, not on phones
- You can't chat in the app
Magic Companion - Super easy to use
- Lots of useful tools
- Works great and has good help available
- Good price		 - Can't chat with other players
Carbon - Simple to use
- Has the basics and some extra stuff
- Doesn't crash or have problems
- Fair price every month		 - Doesn't have a big card database
- Fewer options for building decks
Lifely - Clean and simple look
- Covers all the basic needs well
- Very stable and doesn't crash
- Fair prices		 - No way to chat with others
- Not as many extra features
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Special Mentions

While we've talked about some top Magic: The Gathering life counter apps, there are a few others worth mentioning. These are great for certain needs or types of gameplay.

For Commander Players

Commander Life Counter is made just for those who play the Commander format. It's really good at keeping track of:

You can even add a picture of your commander. It's easy to use and keeps everything clear during a game.

The downsides? It's only available for Android users, doesn't support playing online, and it's a bit new and not widely used. But, if you love Commander, it could be really useful.

For Quick Rolls

MTG Dice is all about making dice rolling quick and easy. It has big buttons for the types of rolls you do a lot, and you just tap once to roll several dice at the same time.

Good points:

Not so good points:

If all you need is a simple way to roll dice during your game, this app is perfect.

For Deck Building

MTG Decked is great for organizing your card collection and making better decks. With it, you can:

The downside is it doesn't help with tracking life during a game. But, if you use it with another app for life counting, it's a great tool for making your decks better.

So, these apps might not do everything the main life counter apps do, but they're great for specific things some players will really like. They show there are more and more options out there for Magic: The Gathering players.

Comparison Summary

After looking at many apps for keeping score in Magic: The Gathering, we learned a few things:

Standout Features

Potential Drawbacks

Key Takeaways

There's not one "best" app for everyone. What's most important is what you want from an app. Do you want lots of features, or something simple? Do you mind paying for extra stuff? Do you want to be able to use it on both your phone and computer? Lifetap is great for people who want a lot of features and don't mind paying. Magic Companion is good for those who want something easy and reliable. The best app for you depends on what you're looking for.

Final Recommendations

Based on looking at many apps for keeping score in Magic: The Gathering, here are our best picks for different kinds of players:

For Casual Players

If you just play Magic for fun with friends, Magic Companion is a good choice. Here's why:

Magic Companion makes playing with friends easier by handling all the score stuff for you.

For Commander Players

If you love playing Commander, try Lifetap. It's great for Commander games because:

Lifetap takes care of all the details, so you can just enjoy the game.

For Competitive Players

For those who play in tournaments, Carbon is a solid choice. Here's why:

Carbon focuses on the essentials, making it perfect for competitive play.

For Limited Players

For draft and sealed games, Lotus is the way to go. It's good for this kind of play because:

Lotus handles the scoring so you can focus on the game.

For Budget-Conscious Players

If you want a good app without spending much, Lifely is your best bet. Here's why:

Lifely gives you what you need for playing without asking for more money all the time.

The best app for you depends on how you like to play. But any of these apps will make playing Magic easier and more fun. Try one out next time you play!

Conclusion

Finding the right app to keep track of scores in your Magic: The Gathering games can make playing more fun. There are lots of apps out there, so it's important to think about what you really need and like before picking one.

Here are some things to consider when choosing:

Game Types You Play

Key Features

Budget

Platforms Supported

By thinking about how you play and what you need from an app, you can find the right one for you. Trying free versions first can help you decide without spending money. With the right app, keeping track of scores becomes easier, so you can focus on enjoying the game.

What is the life tracker app for commander?

Moxtopper is a great app made just for Commander games in Magic: The Gathering. Here's what it does:

Moxtopper is perfect for anyone who plays Commander because it's made to handle the unique parts of those games.

What life counter app does command zone use?

The people who make The Command Zone podcast really like using Delver Lens. It's got a lot of helpful tools for Magic players, such as:

Delver Lens is a favorite because it does more than just track life; it also helps with building and managing decks.

What is a life counter in MTG?

In Magic: The Gathering, a life counter is anything you use to keep track of how much life each player has left. It can be:

Basically, a life counter is a tool to help you see how much life everyone has during a game. It's important because the game ends when someone's life hits 0.