Buying MTG singles in Canada without overpaying
Last updated: October 7, 2026
Buying single cards is the cheapest, fastest way to get exactly the cards you want. Buying them in Canada adds a few traps a US price guide will not warn you about. Here is how to get the right card at the right delivered price.
Compare the delivered price, in Canadian dollars
Most price guides quote US dollars, and most online marketplaces are American. A card that looks cheaper on a US site often is not by the time it reaches you: the exchange rate, your card's foreign-transaction fee, cross-border shipping, and any brokerage and taxes collected at the border all land on top. Compare what arrives at your door, in CAD, not the number on the listing.
Buying from a Canadian seller removes most of that: one currency, domestic shipping, and no border in between. See our shipping page for how we ship across Canada, and the free local pickup option in London, Ontario.
Match the exact printing
The same card can exist in dozens of printings at wildly different prices. Before you buy, match the set and collector number to the version you actually want. A recent reprint is often a fraction of the price of the original with identical rules text — for playing, the cheapest legal printing is usually the smart buy.
Compare price and condition together
A cheaper listing is not cheaper if it is a worse grade. Always compare price and condition: a Lightly Played copy at a discount can be the best value, while a suspiciously cheap "Near Mint" from an unrated seller may not be Near Mint at all. Buy from someone who grades honestly.
Watch the finish
Foil and special-foil versions cost more than non-foil. If you just want to play the card, non-foil is the value pick and holds its condition better. Make sure the listing's finish matches what you are paying for.
Buy the deck, not one card at a time
Shipping is per order, not per card, so a whole list in one order costs far less to ship than the same cards bought one at a time. Paste a decklist into our Deck Builder to price it against live stock, pick your printings, and add it all to the cart together — you see the total before you check out.
When you are ready, browse the catalogue. Every card is graded by hand and priced in Canadian dollars, so the copy you see is the copy you get.