TLDR
Choose ProxyMTG when you want an MTG-specific workflow built around finding cards, importing a deck list, choosing versions, and ordering without preparing an entire manufacturing project. Choose MakePlayingCards when you are comfortable uploading and positioning artwork and want broader control over card materials, finishes, sizes, or packaging.
The important qualification in this ProxyMTG vs MakePlayingCards comparison is that neither can be declared the delivered-cost or print-quality winner from public specifications alone. ProxyMTG publishes useful quantity tiers, while MakePlayingCards finalizes important configuration and shipping costs through its cart. Compare matched checkout totals using the same quantity, destination, delivery speed, and project configuration before paying.
The short verdict: convenience versus production control
These services solve different versions of the same problem. ProxyMTG presents MTG buyers with a familiar card-selection process: search its library or upload a deck list, choose card versions and quantities, and submit the order. That is the more direct path for an ordinary Commander deck, a set of upgrades, or a playtest list that already exists in text form.
MakePlayingCards is a general custom-card manufacturer. Its workflow asks the buyer to choose a product, upload designs, arrange them in an online card maker, and preview the project. That extra control can be valuable for a Cube, original game, custom-art deck, unusual back, or a large project with specific manufacturing requirements. It also gives the buyer more decisions to get right.
The practical winner therefore depends on what you already have. A clean deck list favors ProxyMTG. A complete set of artwork plus a clear material and finishing plan makes MakePlayingCards more attractive. If you still need to organize a Commander list, start with our guide to preparing a Commander decklist for proxy printing.
ProxyMTG vs MakePlayingCards at a glance
| Decision point | ProxyMTG | MakePlayingCards |
|---|---|---|
| Primary workflow | Search for MTG cards or upload a deck list, then select versions and quantities | Choose a custom-card product, upload artwork, position designs, and preview the project |
| Minimum order | No published minimum; one card is listed at $3 | Standard-size custom cards are advertised with no minimum quantity |
| Pricing visibility | Publishes MTG-specific quantity tiers | Cost depends on the selected product, quantity, material, finish, packaging, and checkout choices |
| Customization | Custom backs and automatic two-sided printing for selected double-faced cards are stated options | Broad choice of card materials, sizes, finishes, and packaging |
| Card sizing | MTG-oriented ordering | Buyer must select the appropriate product and template; a 63 × 88 mm option is listed |
| Shipping | Free shipping advertised over $75; available methods vary by location and order size | Shipping choices and final shipping cost are determined in cart or checkout |
| Published issue window | Quality, damage, or incorrect-item claims should be reported within 14 days of delivery | Published quality-issue contact window is three days after receipt |
This is an unscored workflow comparison. Vendor descriptions of stock, coatings, cutting, or finishes tell you what a company offers or claims to use; they do not establish equivalent construction or prove which finished card looks and handles better.
ProxyMTG is easier for a conventional MTG deck order
ProxyMTG removes much of the project setup that comes with a general card manufacturer. Its published workflow supports card-library search and deck-list upload, followed by version and quantity selection. For a buyer ordering 100 known Magic cards, that can eliminate individual file placement and reduce the number of production choices that must be made.
It also states that custom backs are supported and that selected double-faced cards are printed automatically as two-sided cards. That is useful when a list contains transforming cards, but buyers should still inspect the cart preview and confirm that every face, version, and quantity is correct before checkout.
The tradeoff is a narrower production framework. ProxyMTG states that it uses S33 German black-core stock, UV coating, precision die cutting, and file enhancement to at least 300 DPI. Those are company-published specifications, not independent evidence that the result is superior to any particular MakePlayingCards configuration.
MakePlayingCards rewards buyers who want more control
MakePlayingCards exposes more of the manufacturing setup to the customer. Its catalog presents smooth, linen, black-core, and plastic options alongside multiple sizes, finishes, and packaging choices. That range is the main reason to consider it: the service can accommodate projects extending beyond a straightforward MTG deck.
More choice also creates more opportunities for mismatch. Buyers must select the relevant product and template, prepare suitable artwork, place the files in the designer, and review the preview. MakePlayingCards identifies a 63 × 88 mm custom trading-card option, but the buyer remains responsible for choosing the configuration that fits the intended project. For help avoiding unsuitable source files, see our explanation of the best file formats for printing MTG proxy cards.
This workflow is most defensible when the customization is the point. A themed Cube with a unified back, an original card game, specialty packaging, or a project requiring a particular finish can justify the extra setup. If all you have is a text deck list and you want ordinary playtest cards, the additional configuration may be work without a meaningful benefit.
Published prices do not settle the delivered-cost question
ProxyMTG publishes quantity-based prices that make a merchandise subtotal easy to estimate. Its listed tiers include $1.25 per card for 30–49 cards, $0.80 for 75–99, $0.55 for 100–199, and $0.45 for 200–499. It also advertises free shipping on orders over $75, although available shipping methods vary with the destination and order size.
| ProxyMTG quantity | Published unit price | Calculated merchandise subtotal | Checkout issue to verify |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 cards | $1.25 | $37.50 | Shipping and tax may materially affect a small order |
| 75 cards | $0.80 | $60.00 | Below the advertised free-shipping threshold before tax |
| 99 cards | $0.80 | $79.20 | Appears above the advertised threshold, but verify shipping eligibility |
| 100 cards | $0.55 | $55.00 | Lower subtotal than 99 cards, but may fall below the shipping threshold |
| 200 cards | $0.45 | $90.00 | Verify shipping method, tax, and any cart-specific conditions |
The 99-versus-100-card result is the most important pricing trap. Based on the published tiers, 99 cards calculate to $79.20, while 100 calculate to $55. The larger order has the lower merchandise subtotal, but the two carts may interact differently with the advertised shipping threshold. Only a live-cart comparison can reveal the actual delivered totals. Our separate guide to the cost of a 100-card proxy deck explains why shipping and configuration matter as much as the headline unit price.
MakePlayingCards cannot be responsibly labeled cheaper or more expensive without selecting a specific product. Material, finish, quantity, packaging, production options, destination, and shipping service all affect the order. Its shipping information says the available choices and final shipping cost are determined in the cart or at checkout.
For a fair comparison, build both carts on the same day. Use the same card count and destination, avoid treating an optional premium finish as equivalent to a standard configuration, and record the slowest acceptable tracked shipping option on each service. Compare the final amount charged, not merely the unit price shown on a product page.
Shipping and problem-resolution terms favor different kinds of certainty
ProxyMTG states that typical production takes approximately one to three business days and typical U.S. transit takes about three to seven business days. It also warns that smaller shipments may be untracked. These are published expectations rather than documented results for a particular order, so buyers with a deadline should confirm the available service in the live cart.
MakePlayingCards describes Standard and Express shipping, with the actual choices and costs determined during checkout. Its FAQ says tracking is usually sent after shipment, although tracking may not always be available. Again, the selected checkout method matters more than a general shipping label.
The published claims windows deserve attention. ProxyMTG asks customers to report quality problems, damage, or incorrect items within 14 days of delivery and generally does not accept preference-based returns for print-to-order goods. MakePlayingCards says personalized products are generally nonreturnable unless there is a manufacturing error or defect, and its published quality-issue contact window is three days after receipt.
Whichever service you use, inspect the package promptly. Count the cards, check fronts and backs, look for missing or duplicated designs, and photograph packaging damage and visible defects before sleeving or sorting the order. A generous-looking policy is not useful if its notification deadline passes while the box remains unopened.
What each service is best suited to
Choose ProxyMTG for decklist-first MTG orders
ProxyMTG is the stronger workflow fit for an ordinary Commander deck, a short list of upgrades, or a buyer who does not want to place individual image files. Its MTG-specific library, deck-list upload, version selection, and stated handling of selected double-faced cards reduce project preparation.
Choose MakePlayingCards for configurable production
MakePlayingCards is the stronger fit when the buyer already has complete artwork and cares about selecting among materials, finishes, sizes, or packaging. It is also the more natural candidate for an original card game or another project that should not be constrained to an MTG-oriented catalog.
Treat Cube and bulk orders as checkout comparisons
Large orders are where MakePlayingCards’ manufacturing model may become economically interesting, but “bulk” is not enough to name a winner. Build the exact Cube or multi-deck project on both sites, account for every repeated basic land and token, and compare delivered totals. Include the value of your setup time: manually arranging hundreds of files is a real project cost even when it does not appear on the invoice.
Sanctioned play and uploaded artwork
Neither ordering route turns a player-made card into a tournament-legal Magic card. The supplied February 27, 2026 Magic Tournament Rules state that authorized cards in sanctioned events must be genuine Wizards-published Magic cards, apart from limited tournament-proxy circumstances handled by a Head Judge. Readers entering an official event should consult the Magic Tournament Rules applicable on the event date. ProxyMTG likewise describes its products as intended for casual play and playtesting rather than sanctioned tournaments.
Casual acceptance is a separate social question and should be settled with the organizer or playgroup. Clear disclosure avoids confusion, especially when custom cards use unusual art, backs, or frames.
Buyers must also have the right to use the files they upload. MakePlayingCards places responsibility for uploaded content on the customer and says it may cancel orders or transactions involving third-party intellectual-property violations. A technically uploadable file is not automatically one the service will accept or one the buyer is entitled to reproduce.
Frequently asked questions
Is ProxyMTG easier for a Commander deck?
Usually, yes. Its card-library and deck-list workflow is designed around selecting known MTG cards rather than configuring a general custom-card manufacturing project. You still need to verify versions, quantities, double-faced cards, and the final cart.
Does MakePlayingCards require individual artwork uploads?
Its published process centers on choosing a custom-card product, uploading designs, arranging them in the online maker, and reviewing a preview. The exact workflow can vary with the chosen product, but buyers should expect to supply and place their visual assets rather than merely submit an MTG deck list.
Which is cheaper for 100 cards?
ProxyMTG publishes a $0.55 tier for 100–199 cards, producing a calculated 100-card merchandise subtotal of $55. That does not prove it has the lower delivered price. Build a matched MakePlayingCards project and compare both final checkout totals, including shipping, tax, material, finish, packaging, and tracking.
Can cards from either service be used in a sanctioned Magic event?
Player-made proxies are generally not authorized cards for sanctioned events. The tournament rules provide only limited circumstances in which a Head Judge may issue a tournament proxy. Verify the current rules and ask the event’s judge if there is any uncertainty.
Final recommendation
For most buyers holding a Commander deck list, ProxyMTG is the more convenient starting point. Its workflow asks fewer production questions and publishes clear quantity tiers. MakePlayingCards becomes the better-fit candidate when you want manufacturing control and are prepared to manage artwork, templates, materials, finishes, and checkout configuration yourself.
Let workflow decide first and delivered cost decide second. If both services can produce the configuration you want, build matched carts and compare the final charge. Do not use material names, advertised production features, or an unconfigured unit price as a substitute for a like-for-like order.
