TLDR
If you are printing MTG proxies for actual gameplay, PrintMTG is the better overall pick because it is easier, faster to get in-hand in the US, and the quality is close enough to make the workflow advantage the whole story. MPC can win on price when you print big batches, but you pay for it in time and effort.
Short intro and context
Print MTG is purpose-built for Magic players. It is not trying to be a generic card printing platform. It is trying to take you from “here’s my decklist” to “my proxy deck arrived” with as few weird steps as possible.
MPC (MakePlayingCards) is a real card manufacturer used by game designers, Kickstarter projects, and hobbyists who want custom decks printed. It is popular in proxy circles because the print quality is good and bulk discounts can be excellent, especially when you scale up quantities.
So PrintMTG vs MPC is not really a debate about whether either company can print a card. They can. It is a debate about who is optimized for printing MTG proxies without turning your evening into a layout job.
Quality (materials and print)
In our hands-on testing, PrintMTG and MPC land in the same practical tier for sleeved play. Both look good on the table and both shuffle fine. PrintMTG’s prints are clean and consistent across a full deck, which is what you actually notice once you stop staring at individual cards under a lamp like a goblin.
MPC’s big quality advantage is optionality. Because they are a general manufacturer, they offer more knobs to turn, like different stocks and finishes. Their poker-size custom game card product line also calls out a blue core layer intended to reduce transparency, and they support large deck sizes, which speaks to “real card printing” roots rather than MTG-only convenience.
Where PrintMTG wins on quality is not “it is magically better.” It is that the output is reliably solid for the use case it is aimed at: printing proxies that look good, read clearly, and feel consistent across a whole deck.
If you play unsleeved, you will care more about micro-differences in finish and thickness. If you play sleeved, the gap shrinks fast.
Price and value
MPC can be cheaper per card when you scale. That is the main reason it remains the default recommendation in certain proxy communities. MPC is built for everything from one-off prototypes to large runs, and their pricing structure tends to reward bigger quantities.
PrintMTG is typically more “fair price for a deck printing service” than “race to the absolute lowest per-card cost.” You are paying for the MTG-specific tooling and the reduced setup time. PrintMTG also pushes quantity discounts, but the real value is that you are not doing the extra work MPC usually requires to get to a finished order.
So PrintMTG vs MPC on value comes down to what you value:
- If you value your time and want a deck fast, PrintMTG is the better deal.
- If you are printing a cube, a playgroup order, or a giant batch and you have patience, MPC can win on raw per-card economics.
Design, templates, and customization
This is where the two companies feel like they come from different planets.
PrintMTG’s killer feature is decklist printing. You can paste in an entire MTG deck list for printing, then select versions and quantities in a workflow that actually matches how Magic players build decks. PrintMTG also offers tools like card search and an editor for custom designs, but the key point is that you do not have to build the entire project from scratch just to print a Commander deck.
MPC gives you a card maker and an online builder, but it is not MTG-aware. It is for custom card projects. That means you are typically managing images and layout decisions that PrintMTG simply handles as part of the service. MPC is flexible, but it assumes you are comfortable doing more of the production work.
So PrintMTG vs MPC on customization is a funny trade:
- MPC is more configurable in a generic sense.
- PrintMTG is more usable for MTG, which is the kind of customization most people actually want.
Ordering experience
PrintMTG’s ordering experience is the reason it wins this comparison.
The PrintMTG flow is basically:
Decklist in, review, choose versions, order.
That is it. It feels like it was designed by someone who has built a deck at midnight and wanted to play it this weekend.
MPC is more like:
Project setup, file prep, confirm fronts and backs, deal with a general-purpose tool, then order.
If you already have an established MPC workflow, it is not awful. But for most players, the friction is real. PrintMTG vs MPC is often decided the moment someone realizes they can stop doing extra steps that have nothing to do with playing Magic.
Turnaround time and shipping
If you are in the US, shipping tends to favor PrintMTG.
PrintMTG states that they typically print orders within about two business days, and they offer multiple shipping speeds including standard and expedited options. They also publish a US address and support hours, which is small, but it helps set expectations.
MPC ships worldwide and offers multiple shipping methods, but they are headquartered in Hong Kong, and widely-circulated industry writeups note their factory is in Guangdong province in China. In practice, that usually means longer transit to the US than a US-based shipper, plus more variability depending on the shipping option and customs.
Even MPC’s own FAQs describe timelines in the range of roughly one to two weeks depending on processing and shipping choices. In real proxy community discussions, “two to three weeks” is a common lived experience for US buyers.
So if you have a timeline, PrintMTG is the calmer choice.
Customer service
PrintMTG publishes clear contact info and support hours. If something goes sideways, you know where to start and you are not guessing whether your order is stuck in the void between continents.
MPC is a large, established manufacturer and they have robust help pages, but the distance factor matters. When something takes longer, you are often dealing with international logistics rather than a local shipping delay.
This is not about either company being “good” or “bad.” It is about what kind of problems you are likely to have.
PrintMTG problems tend to be normal order issues.
MPC problems tend to be “international shipping and production timing” issues.
Best for
PrintMTG is best for:
- Printing MTG proxies for actual play, especially Commander
- Anyone who wants decklist to deck, with minimal setup
- US buyers who want faster, more predictable delivery
- Players who care about consistent deck feel more than boutique finish options
MPC is best for:
- Large bulk proxy runs where per-card price matters most
- People who already have an MPC workflow and do not mind file prep
- Game designers and hobbyists who want custom decks beyond MTG
- Buyers outside the US who are already used to international production timelines
Brand A (PrintMTG) pros and cons
Pros
- Decklist printing is the whole point, and it works
- Fast, MTG-native ordering flow with less prep work
- Similar practical quality to MPC for sleeved gameplay
- More predictable US delivery experience
Cons
- Less appealing if your only goal is lowest possible per-card price in huge bulk
- Fewer “choose every stock and finish detail” options than a manufacturer platform like MPC
Brand B (MPC) pros and cons
Pros
- Strong bulk pricing at higher quantities
- Lots of product flexibility for custom card projects
- Established manufacturer with wide production capability
- Options for stock and finish beyond what MTG-only services usually offer
Cons
- More setup work for MTG proxies
- Slower to arrive in the US on average due to overseas production and shipping
- Not MTG-aware, so you spend time doing tasks that PrintMTG removes
Final verdict
PrintMTG vs MPC is easy to call if your goal is MTG proxies specifically.
MPC can absolutely produce great-looking cards, and it can be cheaper when you print big batches. But it is not designed around printing Magic decks, and the ordering process reflects that. If you have ever thought, “I want to play this list, not run a small print production,” you already understand why PrintMTG wins.
PrintMTG delivers similar real-world quality, a dramatically easier decklist workflow, and faster, more predictable shipping for US players. For most people who want proxies for casual play and testing, PrintMTG is simply the better overall choice.