Does MTGO Cost Money? How to Play for (Almost) Free

Last updated on May 8, 2025

Freed from the Real (Secret Lair) | Illustration by Sennsu

Before MTGA, the only digital way of playing Magic that resembled the in-person play experience was MTGO. Magic Online, like Arena, has an in-game economy. It's not a closed one, so there's a way to invest and earn money from the game.

A lot of players have claimed to be able to fund their play through event wins (“going infinite”), and the most hardcore gamers say that they can make a living by playing and succeeding in events and tournaments.

But how do you play MTGO for free? Is it even possible? Let's find out!

Is MTGO Free to Play?

Brazen Freebooter | Illustration by Randy Gallegos

Not exactly—but it’s much more generous than before. New accounts now get five ready-to-play decks (one for Commander, Legacy, Modern, Pauper, and Pioneer), and hundreds of commons and basic lands from recent Standard sets—all for free. This lets you try out multiple formats and join beginner-friendly events right away.

To unlock full features like trading, joining leagues, and a larger card pool, you can buy the Account Upgrade Kit for $4.99.

It includes more event tokens, 5,000+ cards (including staples and dual lands), and full platform access.

If you had an account before April 10, 2024, you can grab the Collection Upgrade Kit for the same price to get the new deck bundles too.

MTGO Economy

The currency that MTGO uses are Tickets (Tix) and Play Points. The first can be obtained by selling products to bots or buying them directly from the shop. You can only get the second as a reward for playing events.

You can buy tickets directly from the store at a rate of one ticket for $1. For simplicity, I refer to MTGO card and deck prices in dollar figures, but you can easily convert that to their ticket equivalent.

Is MTGO a Subscription?

At its core, MTGO isn’t a fixed subscription. Once you’ve paid the initial $5 to access the full game, you put in money at your own rate.

From time to time Magic Online releases its own “subscription” in the form of an All-Access Pass. It grants you the ability to play with every card in the game and join events with them for a set time. These aren’t always available, but it's the only form of subscription in MTGO.

That said, you can virtually play whatever Constructed formats you want under a subscription model if you use a service like Cardhoarder.

Is MTGO Expensive?

MTGO can be expensive depending on how good you are at the game and what formats you play.

If you’re a Constructed player who likes to play multiple decks and formats, you might rely on a third-party loan program to afford decks that meet your expectations. You’d pay for these services to access the cards, but you’ll play for free if your winnings outweigh your investments.

If Limited is more your style and you have a win rate roughly above 67%, you can consistently turn your winnings into extra drafts without having to invest more. You’ll get extra profit from selling the cards you drafted in non-phantom events.

Another way to limit spending on the game is to focus on a cheap format like Pauper. Collect all staples from your chosen format and you won’t need a third-party subscription site.

In all these cases, the key is maintaining a good balance of tickets and Play Points to join events. You’re forced to buy tickets from the client to keep playing if you run out.

Can You Play for Free? How?

Freelance Muscle | Illustration by Randy Vargas

The paths to free play vary depending on your goals. You can get free cards from bots if you don't care about playing in tournaments and just want to play casually with your friends. If you want to participate in events and play Constructed formats, you could play for free if your earnings are more significant than your investments.

This takes time and skill, but to give you an idea, I’ll talk about how I went infinite on MTGO (as well as in MTGA).

Focus on a Format

I started my Constructed career playing Standard like many others. When I started on MTGO I thought that the most logical thing to do was to follow the same path. This was pretty challenging because an average Standard deck is roughly $250.

I could afford a cheap version of a deck, excluding more emblematic cards or even lands, but I couldn’t compete with the power levels of more complete decks. I turned my focus to a less expensive format: Pauper. An average deck in this format is around $50 or less. Some pricy cards are used in multiple decks, or are just sideboard cards.

Focus on a Deck

After selecting the cheapest format, I chose a deck that suited my play style. I started to play with it through leagues until I had enough tickets and Play Points to play more events.

I also tried not to spend my earnings on anything unless I had enough to play at least two events. This way I avoided being unable to play if I did poorly in a league or a couple of events.

Manage Your Inventory

Managing your cards takes time because you need to know what you have in stock and how the prices of your cards are shifting.

If you have a mostly unused card in your inventory that you got by drafting but expect them to rise in price over time, you can hold onto those and sell when you’re ready. If you get a card that you expect to drop in price, sell it as soon as possible.

The most common situations where this applies are:

• A card that was just released.
• A card that will be reprinted in a subsequent set.
• A card that has been consistently involved in ban discussions.

If you keep a personal collection, always look out for alternative versions of your cards. Sometimes a version can drastically vary in price from one day to another. You’ll get some currency back if you sell your expensive version and buy the cheapest one.

Sell Your Chests

Social media posts love to point out great pulls from chests, but the reality is that you won't usually profit from opening them.

The only reason to open your chests is if you’re running low in Play Points and need them to participate in some events. If you’re profitable enough, you won't need them because the number of Play Points you get usually surpasses the number of tickets you can collect.

There's no way of using Play Points outside of events when you have too many. You can sell tickets back to third-party sites, but Play Points are non-transferable.

I've seen people with thousands of Play Points without any way to spend them. You only aggravate that problem by opening chests. If you sell your chests, you’ll always get a fixed number of tickets.

Don't Pay Entries with Tickets

How do you pay entry fees for events? Simple: You play with Play Points or Qualifier Points. You’ll save your tickets to build your collection or pay for your preferred rental service.

How Much Does It Cost to Draft on Magic Online?

The cost of drafting on MTGO depends on the events you join. Phantom events are cheaper than regular ones because you don't get any of the cards you draft, only Play Points. On the contrary, regular events are pricier since you can sell the extra cards you don't need.

Here are the most common rates for Limited on MTGO:

• Regular Events: 120 Play Points; 12 Event Tickets; 3 Set boosters + 2 Event Tickets.
• Phantom Drafts: 100 Play Points; 10 Event Tickets.

Sealed Events also have a similar rate:

• 240 Play Points; 24 Tickets; 6 Set Boosters; 4 Event Tickets.

For Regular Set events, you get boosters and Qualifier Points as prizes. Like chests, I suggest selling boosters and using your Qualifier Points on scheduled events. Be aware that they expire.

Alternatives to Free Play/Going Infinite

If you don't want to spend tons of money on a single deck, there are some options.

Play Limited

Playing Limited has the advantage that you can pay the entry with boosters and event tickets. You don't get Play Points out of them, but it’s a small drawback compared to the number of tickets you can get back by selling cards from non-phantom events.

Play a Cheap Constructed Format

Cheap Constructed formats are easy to grind because you don't need to spend a lot of money on a deck. You won't need to rely on third-party subscription programs to build your decks. You can play a lot for cheap and sell the revenue.

Build Your Own Collection

This one is ideal, but it won't be quick. You’ll probably struggle at first because you won't have the card quality to compete with some of the most popular and powerful decks. You’ll have to go 5-0 at least five times in your preferred Constructed format if you want to buy a set of Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer.

That’s challenging, but it’s also risky because the price of the card might drop because of reprints or because it’s less useful for the format. For example, Gorilla Shaman was around $20 in 2013 because there were only two printed versions at the time. Modern Horizons 2 introduced a new version and the metagame shifted against the poor ape, which led to a drastic price drop.

A lot of cards have dropped in price over time, so the “build your own collection” paradigm is hard to sustain.

Rental Services

Rental services play a significant role because you can pay a fixed amount of money and ignore a card’s price changes. With enough loan balance you’ll be able to rent almost every deck you’d like to play.

The most popular rental services are Cardhoarder and Manatraders. Each has pros and cons:

Regardless of which one you choose, all that matters is if your earnings are at least equal to the periodic subscription fee. This may sound challenging, but a single 4-1 record in a Constructed League can easily pay for a 500-ticket rental service from Cardhoarder for a week. With a 5-0 you’ll already pay for two weeks.

That may be hard to accomplish, but I know MTGO grinders who make a living solely by playing the game and selling the extra tickets for money. I’m not a hardcore grinder, but I remember when I managed to get around a thousand tickets just by winning back-to-back significant Sealed events.

This isn’t easy to do at all, but it's proof that you can go infinite and beyond on MTGO with time and skill.

How Do You Get Free Cards on MTGO?

Some sites give a fixed number of cards for free to new players because they see most of them as bulk. You can search for them by typing “Free” on the search bar of the Trade tab:

Most of the cards you’ll find on these bots are common and uncommon, but you can sometimes find rares that aren’t being played much in Eternal formats.

Another way to do it is to use the “Free Loan Balance” that sites like Cardhoarder and Manatraders provide.

How Can You Get MTGO Tix for Free?

As far as I know, there’s no way to get free tickets on Magic Online. But you can get accounts with free loan balances from websites like Cardhoarder or Manatraders.

Cardhoarder gives you a fixed amount of five tickets to rent, and Manatraders gives you six tickets. You have 12 free tickets at your disposal to rent between them, but you have to consider that each site’s price is different.

Can You Play Any MTGO Events/Tournaments for Free?

Every in-client event has its price. Some tournaments are organized with third-party apps and websites like MTG Melee. These are called “Player Run Events” and may or may not have an entry fee tied to them. Free tournaments usually have a lesser prize.

Additionally, MTGO itself occasionally offers free Vintage Cube drafts, especially during special events or downtime. These can actually reward Play Points, which you can use to enter future events. So while the majority of MTGO is pay-to-enter, there are windows of opportunity to play and even win without dropping any tickets—if you know where to look.

On top of that, many MTGO content creators run giveaways—often on Twitter, Twitch, or Discord—where they hand out Play Points as part of raffles, contests, or community challenges.

If you’re plugged into the community, there are definitely opportunities to play for free and build up resources along the way.

Why Is MTGO so Expensive?

MTGO can be either very expensive or dirt cheap depending on how you look at it. The program tries to emulate IRL Magic, reflected in its internal economy and individual card pricing. Cards have very different prices from their real-life counterparts because the number of digital copies is way higher. Some cards are reprinted in digital-only sets like Vintage Masters, which significantly drops their price on MTGO.

The MTGO market can be quite volatile, driven by tournament results, shifting metas, and other unpredictable factors. New set releases tend to inflate the prices of freshly printed cards, but those prices usually settle over time as the hype dies down and supply increases.

Also take into account that when a card gets banned on MTGO, its price can plummet almost instantly. A great example is Deadly Dispute—once a Pauper all-star, it dropped to just a few cents following its ban.

Banned cards often lose nearly all their value overnight, especially when they don’t see play in other formats.

Investing in one deck is almost unreliable. A $1,000 deck one day can become an $800 one the next. If you want to switch decks, you usually get way less than the price you paid initially.

The only way to bypass this is to rely on third-party loan programs, which can cost around $15 a week for roughly 600 tix. Each format has its price range, so this may or may not be enough to rent a decent deck. The formats’ average deck prices come to:

• Pauper: 50 tix
• Standard: 300 tix
• Pioneer: 400 tix
• Legacy / Vintage: 600 tix
• Modern: 700 tix

If you want to play Legacy, you need to spend $60 a month to be able to participate in events and win at least an equal amount of tickets to feel like you’re playing for free. Individual cards can be expensive, but some Commander decks and most of the Pauper ones can be built through the free loan balance that most third-party loan programs offer.

If you pair this with the amount of daily free cards you can get from bots, then you can start playing the game and building your collection without spending any money after the initial $5 bundle.

Magic Online Alternatives

MTGO has been the classic way to play MTG on a computer since 2002, but it isn’t always the most convenient option. Many casual players look for alternatives due to MTGO’s costs, device limitations, or simply wanting a different play experience. If you’re just looking to test a fun new deck or play casually with friends, you might not want to invest in a whole second collection of digital cards​. Fortunately, there are several other ways to play Magic on your PC (often for free) that cater to casual play and deck testing.

MTG Arena (PC/Mobile, Official WotC)

MTG Arena is Wizards of the Coast’s free-to-play digital platform that delivers a sleek and user-friendly version of MTG on both PC and mobile. With modern visuals, full rules automation, and a smooth interface, it offers the most polished way to play Magic online. New players especially benefit from guided tutorials and helpful game play tips, while anyone can jump into ranked matches, Draft events, or casual play at any time thanks to Arena’s fast matchmaking.

That said, Arena’s card pool is limited—it only includes sets from Ixalan (2017) onward, so it doesn’t support older formats like Modern, Legacy, or Commander. Instead, Arena offers exclusive formats like Historic, Timeless, and digital-only Alchemy. You can earn cards for free through gameplay, but building top-tier decks can be slow without spending real money. Arena is a great choice for casual players interested in Standard or learning Magic in a fun, streamlined way. Just know that it’s not meant for testing decks in Eternal formats or fully replacing paper Magic.

Cockatrice (PC/Mac/Linux, Community-Driven)

Cockatrice is a free, community-developed platform that gives you access to every Magic card ever printed, making it a great tool for playtesting or casual games. Unlike more polished clients, Cockatrice takes a DIY approach—there’s no rules enforcement, flashy graphics, or matchmaking. Instead, it provides a virtual tabletop where you and your opponent manually play out games, just like you would in paper Magic. It’s ideal for brewing decks, goldfishing combos, or jamming casual Commander games with friends, and it runs smoothly even on older machines.

Because everything is manual, both players need to know the rules and communicate clearly—it’s very much an “honor system” environment. Still, the total freedom to build any deck, play any format (including Commander, Pauper, and even custom sets), and test ideas without spending a dime is a big draw. You can play online with others via public lobbies or arrange games through Discord, but there’s no ranked ladder or matchmaking system. If you’re okay with a minimal interface and don’t mind putting in a bit of effort, Cockatrice is a solid choice for freeform MTG testing and fun.

XMage (PC/Mac/Linux, Automated & Free)

XMage is another free, community-driven Magic: The Gathering platform that offers full rules automation, making it a step up from Cockatrice for players who want structure without spending a dime. It simulates the entire Magic rules engine—handling triggers, phases, and stack interactions—so you don’t have to worry about enforcing rules manually. That makes it ideal for accurately testing decks, running Sealed events, or learning timing and gameplay mechanics. It supports nearly every card and format, from Standard and Pauper to Commander and even custom sets.

The platform runs on Java and requires some technical setup, which might be a hurdle for less tech-savvy players. While it has a more modern and functional interface than Cockatrice’s, it isn’t quite as slick as Arena. XMage is known for being occasionally buggy or finicky to install, and updates depend on volunteer developers. Still, when it runs well, it’s one of the best free options out there, with active lobbies and servers where you can find matches or host games. If you’re okay with occasional troubleshooting, XMage delivers a full-featured Magic experience without the price tag.

SpellTable (Web Browser, Webcam-Based Paper Magic)

SpellTable offers a unique way to play Magic: The Gathering online by streaming real-life card games via webcam. Instead of using digital decks, you play with your physical cards on camera, making it the most authentic paper Magic experience available online. Originally created as a fan project, Wizards of the Coast quickly purchased it and expanded SpellTable into an official, web-based tool. It’s free to use, requires no downloads, and works right in your browser—just set up your webcam or phone to show your play area, and you’re good to go.

Because it uses video rather than software rules, SpellTable supports every format—Commander, Standard, Modern, Pauper, custom brews, and even proxies. It includes a built-in life tracker and card identifier that overlays info when you hover over cards on-screen, but all actual game play (shuffling, drawing, resolving effects) is done manually, just like a kitchen table game. There's no matchmaking system, so you’ll typically join games through Discord or social media groups. If you’re a casual player who wants to hang out and sling spells with friends using real cards, SpellTable is a top-tier option—especially for Commander nights or testing physical decks before taking them to an event.

Tabletop Simulator (PC, 3D Sandbox)

Tabletop Simulator (TTS) offers a creative, 3D sandbox-style way to play Magic: The Gathering online, though it comes with a bit more setup than most other options. It’s not made specifically for Magic—instead, it’s a general-purpose virtual board game simulator available on Steam for about $20. With help from community-made mods, you can load full decks, entire sets, or even formats like Commander and Planechase, simulating the experience of playing around a physical table. You drag cards, roll dice, and shuffle decks in real time, with full control over the game flow.

However, that flexibility comes at a cost: Setup can be time-consuming. Everyone in your playgroup needs to own TTS, install the correct mods, and get used to the controls. There’s no rules engine or automation—everything is manual, so it plays a lot like paper Magic. That makes it best for casual play or testing decks with friends rather than competitive matches or quick games. Still, for players who already use Tabletop Simulator for other games or want a visually immersive, hands-on experience, it’s a great platform with nearly endless customization possibilities.

Wrap Up

[cardClue[/card] token (Fallout) | Illustration by Ashley Mackenzie

MTGO can be a tricky program to maneuver. It’s not free, but you can play for free with the right amount of time and effort put into the game.

What do you think? Do you have experience “going infinite” in MTGO? Will you give MTGO a try, especially with the multiple formats that MTGA can’t offer? Let me know in the comments or over on Draftsim's X.

Thanks for reading, and I hope you’re all playing tons of fun Magic games!

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