Cockatrice is a free, open-source desktop application for Mac that lets you play physical-card games like Magic: The Gathering with friends online, using a shared virtual table, real card data, and dice rolls — no subscriptions, no sanctioned match restrictions.
What is Cockatrice?
Cockatrice is an open-source, community-built virtual tabletop designed specifically for collectible card games, most notably Magic: The Gathering. It connects players over a server, renders their decks from an imported card database, and simulates everything a real table would offer — tapping, stacking, counters, tokens, a shared graveyard, and a log that both players can follow.
Unlike the official Magic Arena or Magic Online clients, Cockatrice doesn't enforce rules automatically. You and your opponent move cards, apply effects, and track game state manually, which makes it remarkably flexible: it works equally well for cube drafts, custom formats, Commander pods, or obscure homebrew sets that no sanctioned client would ever support.
What does Cockatrice do best?
Cockatrice excels at giving serious card players a no-friction way to golfish new decks, test brews, and play unsanctioned formats with friends anywhere in the world. Because the rules engine stays out of your way, you can explore interactions that automated clients refuse to allow — a crucial feature when you're testing edge cases in Commander or evaluating a speculative combo line.
- Deck editor with mass import: paste a decklist from Moxfield or Archidekt, and Cockatrice resolves card art and oracle text from its bundled database instantly.
- Token and counter support: right-click any permanent to add +1/+1 counters, create token copies, or annotate with arbitrary notes during play.
- Spectator mode: teammates or coaches can watch a game live without interfering — invaluable for practice sessions and stream commentary.
- Private and public servers: spin up a localhost game for two or join a community server with open rooms at any hour.
- Custom card sets: import XML-format custom databases to support fan sets, proxied cards, or pre-release spoilers the official tools haven't touched yet.
Is Cockatrice free?
Yes — Cockatrice is completely free to download and use, with no premium tier, no in-app purchases, and no advertising. It is maintained by volunteers on GitHub and funded by community goodwill rather than a corporate budget. The only ongoing cost is optional: running your own dedicated server if you want persistent private rooms.
Who should use Cockatrice?
Cockatrice is the right tool for MTG players who treat deckbuilding as a craft rather than a casual pastime. If you test 20 golfish hands before a tournament, run a weekly Commander pod whose members have scattered across three time zones, or want to draft a cube without paying per-event fees, Cockatrice is the most efficient path to the table.
It is emphatically not for beginners learning the rules of Magic. There is no rules assistant, no auto-tap engine, no hand-holding. You need to know the stack, priority, and triggered-ability timing before Cockatrice becomes a productivity tool rather than a source of arguments. For newcomers, MTG Arena is the better entry point; Cockatrice is what you graduate to when Arena's format restrictions become the bottleneck.
Fans of other CCGs — KeyForge, Flesh and Blood, Lorcana, even Pokémon — have also used Cockatrice by importing community-maintained card databases, though the support is unofficial and image quality varies.
How does Cockatrice compare to Tabletop Simulator?
Both apps let you play physical card games online, but they solve different problems. Tabletop Simulator (Steam, paid) is a physics sandbox with 3D card flicking, wobble, and full mod support across hundreds of board games. Cockatrice is purpose-built for CCGs: it loads faster, handles thousand-card decks without lag, and has a proper deck editor and card search baked in. I reach for Cockatrice when I want to test a Commander deck in ten minutes; I open Tabletop Simulator when the evening is about the tactile experience as much as the game. For competitive MTG practice, Cockatrice wins on speed and zero cost. For variety and novelty, Tabletop Simulator earns its price tag.
What are the best Cockatrice alternatives?
The honest shortlist depends on your format. MTG Arena is the gold standard for Standard, Alchemy, and Draft with enforced rules and a polished client — but it covers only rotating formats. Magic Online supports the full card pool including Legacy and Vintage, but it costs money per card. Tabletop Simulator covers almost any CCG via mods. Untap.in is a browser-based alternative that requires no install, though it is slower and less feature-complete than Cockatrice. For players who specifically need rule enforcement in older formats, there is simply no free substitute; for players who just want a frictionless table, Cockatrice remains the benchmark.
