Whether you’re buying your first Tarot deck or your 100th, this is my all-around guide on how to choose the right Tarot deck for you and how to make sure you get a deck that actually suits your needs and lasts a long time. I’ve tried to put things in some kind of order, but levels of importance will vary depending on what you’re looking for. And your levels of experience.
% These Are Important
Your Personal Connection
Above everything else, you need to vibe with your deck.
If this is your first deck, you might be rolling your eyes at this kind of “fluffy” or vague advice, but if you’ve been doing this for a while, you’ll know exactly why I have this at the top of the list.
Every deck is unique for every person. Our most popular Tarot decks post should make that clear. You’ll be spending hours studying these images, meditating on their meanings, and using them to explore complex questions for yourself and for others. So you want it to “click” for you. You want something about the artwork, the system or even the feel of the cards to just work for you because…
You’re Going to Be Practicing With These Cards
A lot.
An impulse buy for a deck you just want to keep on the shelf doesn’t matter so much. You can just get a deck with a beautiful aesthetic and call it a day, but if you’re going to actually be using this deck, then you need to make sure you’re ready to spend time with it.
The majority of Tarot readers get a deck, play around with it and quit within the first month. It can take some time for you to start getting real deep, intuitive hits for you to feel like you’re “getting it” and you want to reach that point as quickly as possible. You want a deck that you want to work with to make that easier. That means you want a deck that excites you and makes you interested.
If you’re only drawn to the box art or three sample cards, that’s a red flag. The entire deck should spark something in you, whether it’s curiosity, comfort, or creative inspiration.
I also have a (hopefully helpful) guide on giving better Tarot readings.
Start With One System and Be Consistent
Another big mistake people make with their first Tarot deck is not really paying attention to the system they’re going for.
There’s a great thread on starting with Oracle or Tarot, and I’m in the camp that thinks it doesn’t really matter as long as you stick with that system long enough to get something out of it.
If you’re called to Oracle cards (and I can see why you would be), then get a beginner’s Oracle deck and stick with that one deck until you feel confident in your readings. And be ready for that to take a while. The deck has to stand out to you enough that you’re not going to want to replace it with different cards in two weeks.
If you’re new to Tarot and really don’t have a preference, stick with decks based on the Rider-Waite-Smith (RWS) system. 95% of Tarot books, online tutorials, and videos reference this imagery, so you’ll never not be able to use the deck. Decks like the Modern Witch Tarot maintain the traditional symbols, but with a more modern twist.
You can absolutely branch out into abstract or themed decks later, but learning becomes a loot easier when your deck matches the resources available.
Know What You’re Actually Buying
Here’s something sellers won’t always clarify: not all card decks are Tarot decks.
True Tarot contains exactly 78 cards. That’s 22 Major Arcana cards (The Fool through The World) and 56 Minor Arcana cards divided into four suits with numbered cards and court cards. An Oracle deck will follow its own rules, but I wouldn’t go with anything less than 40 cards personally.
Make sure you’re getting what you intend to study.
Make Your Life Easier
Imagery That Tells Stories (Not Riddles)
Each card should communicate its meaning through visual storytelling. You’ll probably spend a lot of time early on with the guidebook, but a good deck will give you intuitive hits with the artwork alone.
This is one of the reasons different readers will get different messages from the same spread over different Tarot decks.
For example, when you look at the Five of Cups, can you see the figure’s disappointment? Does the Ten of Pentacles clearly convey abundance and legacy? Overly abstract or minimalist designs might look Instagram-worthy, but they might be hard to read for beginners. So take a look at some of the photos of the cards and see if you can get a basic idea of what they might be trying to tell you.
The Right Card Size
This might sound like common sense, but the physical size of your deck matters way more than you’d think. Standard Tarot cards measure around 2.75" x 4.75", but I’ve seen everything from tiny 2" pocket decks to massive 3.5" x 6" art pieces. It used to be easy, but with a crowded marketplace, decks are trying to make themselves stand out, so sizing is all over the place.
And if you can’t easily shuffle your deck, I promise you that you won’t use it.
Jumbo decks look absolutely gorgeous spread out on your altar or for Instagram photos, but try shuffling those bad boys for 20 minutes during a reading session, and your hands will be screaming. Whether or not that trade is worth it… I will leave it to you. If your goal is become a full time Tarot reader then the better photos might be worth the effort.
On the flip side, those cute mini decks are great for travel but murder on your eyes. I’m too old to be trying to pick out tiny details on the cards the size of a keyring.
Get a standard deck of playing cards and practice shuffling for 5 minutes straight. If your hands cramp up or you keep dropping cards, you might want to look for something slightly smaller. Some popular decks now come in multiple sizes so you can pick from the same artwork with a size tha tfits you.
If you’re buying online and can’t test the size, look for comparison photos where someone’s holding the cards. Most reviewers will mention if a deck is unusually large or small.
Cardstock Matters
Anyone passing by our forum will think we’re all weirdly obsessed with cardstock *but it matters.*Nothing kills the magic faster than a deck that falls apart after three readings.
You want cards that keep looking good. Not ones that smudge and crease within the first few days. With low-quality decks, the corners will dog-ear. The lamination (if there even is any) will start peeling. And forget about them surviving a spilled coffee incident.
A quality deck should have:
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Enough thickness that you can’t see through the cards when held up to light
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A smooth finish that allows cards to glide past each other when shuffling
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Clean edges that don’t catch or feel rough
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Slight flexibility – they should spring back when gently bent, not stay creased
Watch unboxing videos specifically where reviewers do the “bend test” and riffle shuffle. If they’re treating the cards super delicately or commenting on how thin they feel, that’s your red flag. A good deck can handle normal use without kid gloves.
Yes, quality decks typically run $25-45 instead of $15, but the math is easy: buying three crappy decks that fall apart equals one good deck that lasts years. I still have my first quality deck from 2015, and it shuffles like butter despite hundreds of readings.
We even have a thread on cheap Tarot decks that you can get for less than $25, but will last.
Nice to Have…
A Half Decent Guidebook
I know some readers who have dozens of decks and don’t even crack open the guidebook when they get a new deck. The let the intuitive hits from the cards do all the work but, especially if you are a beginner, these decks can be the difference between learning and quitting.
The “Little White Book” (LWB) (… which these days is rarely little, white, or even a book) can make or break your learning experience.
The best guidebooks include:
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The creator’s personal interpretation of each card (not just copied from generic meanings)
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Keywords and phrases you can use in readings as a quick reference
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Spread suggestions specifically designed for that deck
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Symbolism explanations for recurring imagery in the deck
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Reversal meanings (even if you don’t use them yet)
Some mass-market decks come with 300-page companion books that are basically full Tarot courses. Others give you a folded piece of paper with one keyword per card.
Red flag alert: If the seller doesn’t show photos of the guidebook or mention it at all, assume it’s minimal. Some gorgeous indie decks come with literally nothing. Just 78 cards and a “good luck!” vibe. Fine for experienced readers, brutal for beginners.
If you’re eyeing a deck with a weak guidebook, check if the creator has a website, YouTube channel, or has published a separate companion book. Some creators offer free PDF guides or video walkthroughs online.
Budget Decks?
The Tarot world has everything from $8 wish.com knockoffs to $300 gold-gilded limited editions.
Under $15: You’re in knockoff territory or very basic mass-market decks. The printing will be questionable, colors might be off, and durability is a gamble. Exception: some legitimate publishers have sales where good decks drop to $15-18.
$15-40: The sweet spot for beginners. You’ll find well-printed, properly published decks from established creators. Most of the classic learning decks (Rider-Waite variations, Modern Witch, Wild Unknown) live here.
$40-60: Premium mass-market or standard indie decks. Often includes better packaging, thicker guidebooks, or special features like holographic edges or linen finish.
$60+: Limited editions, self-published indie decks, or anything with fancy extras (bags, boxes, gold foiling). Beautiful? Yes. Necessary for your first deck? Absolutely not.
You WILL want more decks. It’s not an if, it’s a when. It’s an addiction. So don’t blow your entire metaphysical budget on deck #1. Get something solid in the $25-35 range, learn on it, then treat yourself to that gorgeous $80 indie deck for your birthday once you know what you actually like.
Again, make sure you join the cheap Tarot deck thread.
The Finishing Touches
Representation Might be Important
We need to discuss diversity in Tarot, because it’s 2025, and some decks still look like they’re exclusively depicting a medieval European village. I won’t get into politics here, but even if you don’t care about this, the people you do readings for might.
Modern decks are (finally) featuring:
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Different body types beyond “ethereally thin”
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Various skin tones throughout the deck (not just one token card)
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Age diversity (The Empress doesn’t always have to be 22)
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Gender expressions beyond strictly binary
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Disability representation
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Cultural elements beyond Western European
I’m not saying Tarot would be woke. Your deck should actually reflect the world you’re reading for. When every human card looks nothing like you or anyone you know, it creates distance. When you see yourself and your community in the cards, the intuitive connection gets stronger.
Minor Arcanas Matter!
Everybody posts photos of The Moon, Death, and The Lovers. Nobody’s showing off the Four of Pentacles or the Seven of Swords. But guess what makes up 72% of your deck? The Minor Arcana and Court cards. These cards matter just as much as the majors, and you’ll be looking at them more. Some lower-quality decks will have fancy-looking majors and then basic minors. Not what you want.
Before buying, actively search for images of:
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The “boring” pip cards (Three of Wands, Five of Pentacles)
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All four Court cards from ONE suit
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The Aces (some decks nail these, others make them afterthoughts)
Some creators clearly exhausted their creativity on the Major Arcana and then just slapped together the Minor cards. You’ll see:
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Pip cards that are just the suit symbol repeated (3 cups = three identical chalices)
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Court cards that all look basically the same except for colors
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Rushed or simplistic artwork compared to the Majors
Instagram trick: Search the deck name + “full deck” or “all cards”. Sellers love showing the pretty cards, but real reviews show everything.
Real Faces Are Weird (Trust Me)
Some decks use photographs of real people. Maybe models, celebrities, or the creator’s friends. They’re often trying to cash in on that person’s fan base, but it’s nothing but a cash grab and I have never seen a good deck with photos like this.
You pull the High Priestess and it’s clearly just Karen from someone’s yoga class. The Emperor is obviously that actor from that thing. The Three of Cups is three influencers having brunch. Your brain gets stuck on the real person instead of the archetype.
Illustrated or artistic representations let your intuition fill in the blanks. A painted or drawn figure can be anyone. That’s important. Including aspects of yourself or the person you’re reading for. A photograph is just… that specific person.
Exception: Some readers love celebrity decks for fun or collecting. Just don’t get one for actual readings.
So What Do You Get?
I can’t pick for you!
There is a thread on good beginner Tarot decks, and if that isn’t enough for you, there’s a list of unique decks too.
Your perfect deck exists at the intersection of:
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Genuine attraction (you want to pick it up)
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Practical usability (you can actually work with it)
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Learning support (it helps rather than hinders your growth)
Don’t let anyone shame you for choosing a “basic” deck if it helps you learn. Some decks are classics for a reason. Similarly, don’t let practicality completely override your intuition. If a particular deck won’t stop calling you, there’s probably a reason.
Start with one deck that hits most of these points. Learn it thoroughly (and I mean really learn it, not just memorize keywords). Then expand your collection based on what you discover about your reading style. The best deck isn’t the most expensive, most Instagram-worthy, or most mystical. It’s the one gathering gentle wear from your hands because you reach for it every single day.
What was your first Tarot deck? What do you wish someone had told you before that purchase? Drop your story, we’ve all got that one deck we bought and then… yeah.
