Top 5 Best Magic the Gathering Card Binders: Reviews and Complete Buying Guide

Best Magic the Gathering Card Binders

Storing and protecting your valuable Magic collection is a must if you’re a TCG enthusiast. Organizing your cards in different categories like standard and legacy can help make searching for the right cards easy when the time comes. Unfortunately, not all binders are made with what we are seeking for as gamers.

We took a look at the current market and did the research and hard work for you. We looked at the top binders on the market that are both Magic the Gathering compatible, and high quality to keep your cards safe for the long term.

In our comprehensive guide to the best Magic the Gathering card binders, we’ll show you the top binders on the market and give you some advice when it comes time to choose. Let’s get started.

IN A HURRY? HERE’S OUR TOP PICKS…

NameOur RatingPrice

Vault X Premium eXo-Tec Zip Binder
5/5
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TopDeck 500 Card Pocket Binder Pro4.5/5
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Ultra Pro Magic The Gathering Mythic Edition Premium PRO Binder4/5
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1- Vault X Premium eXo-Tec Zip Binder

The Vault-X Premium eXo-Tec Zip Binder is the first binder we will be looking at, and is also our top pick! It’s no surprise that Vault-X has taken the number on spot. It has a sleek design, is zippered, side loading, and holds over 300 cards. It also features our preferred choice of pockets, which is 9 pockets per page with 20 pages total. It looks the best, and allows a binder to hold a good amount of cards.

The outside of the binder is padded on both the front and the back with a lightweight padding built inside. This will help protect your cards from dings or scratches from outside sources. The secure side loading pockets are designed to keep your cards in place to avoid card spills.

The pockets inside the binder are pretty much the perfect design and will fit all the most popular trading card games which makes these binders great for your whole Trading Card Game collection.

What we like

  • High quality
  • Good price point
  • Card capacity over 300
  • Side loading with 9 pocket pages
  • Zippered
  • Decent color selection

What we don’t like

  • May bend your cards if not used properly

Check Price and Reviews on Amazon


2- TopDeck 500 Card Pocket Binder Pro

The close runner up is the TopDeck Card Pocket Binder Pro. This binder is very unique as it delivers a massive card storage of 500+ cards, and also maintains that sleek 9 pockets per page standard design that we all know and love. You will be able to fit a large collection in this binder, but in turn at a larger price point.

The high quality, archival-safe, acid-free material paged are padded for reinforcement and work together to keep your cards safe and protected from any outside damage. The standard zipper technology to keep your card binder shut and free from dirt is a must have that this binder deliveres with their premium zipper.

TopDeck’s binder is specifically built for long term storage and will help prevent air, dust, card warding, and humidity which all work together to keep your cards in mint condition. This binder is also compatible with the most common trading cards on the market.

What we like

  • High quality
  • 500 card capacity
  • 9 side loading pocket pages
  • Zippered
  • Decent color selection

What we don’t like

  • On the pricier side

Check Price and Reviews on Amazon


3- Ultra Pro Magic The Gathering Mythic Edition Premium PRO Binder

The next binder on our list is the Ultra Pro Magic The Gathering Mythic Edition Premium PRO Binder. This special edition binder boasts all the best qualities that come with an Ultra Pro card binder while also showing off the new Magic the Gathering Logo.

This binder is not just beautiful, but is also highly functional. It holds over 300 cards, has side loading 9 pocket pages, and has a zipper closure to keep your cards safe and secure.

All materials used for this binder are archival-safe, acid-free, and non-PVC, which is the standard for Ultra Pro products. The outer front and back cover have padding to increase durability and structure.

Ultra Pro has been a leading brand in the industry however, new brands have been coming out through the years offering the same or better quality at more competitive prices which is why we decided that Ultra Pro would be the mid-tier choice. They are still a great brand and provide excellent customer support and products.

What we like

  • Magic the Gathering Themed
  • Great quality
  • Zippered
  • Holds 360 Cards, 9 pocket
  • Good for double sleeved cards

What we don’t like

  • Pricey
  • Limited color selection

Check Price and Reviews on Amazon


4- Vault X Binder

Next on our list is once again, Vault-X. It’s made out of high quality materials and boasts the ever so popular 9 pocket pages. With 20 side loading pages, it has a maximum capacity of 360 cards. Built into each page is a lightweight padding which helps hold and protect your cards from scratches or dings.

The main reason we rated this card binder lower in our list is because it uses a strap instead of a zipper. A strap closure system is less secure than a zipper, as your cards are more prone to the outside air, dust, or even an accidental card spill.

This binder is designed to fit a variety of cards from Magic, Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh, and more making this a great choice for all your trading card needs.

What we like

  • Great price point
  • High quality materials
  • Good color selection
  • Holds 360 cards, with side loading pockets

What we don’t like

  • Uses a strap instead of a zipper to keep binder closed

Check Price and Reviews on Amazon


5- CardGuard Trading Card Pro-Folio

The last binder on our list is a great budget option. It’s the CardGuard Trading Card Pro-Folio. Included in this binder is 20 pages of side loading 9 pocket pages which holds a total of 360 cards. This is pretty much the industry norm which makes it perfect if you’re just starting out. Every sheet is PVC and Acid free so you can store your cards without worrying if they will be damaged.

The binder is held shut with a strap, which is our least preferred method of binder closure as it is not as reliable as a zipper when it comes to protection and security of your cards.

This binder is also perfect for most trading cards, as they are standard size which will fit most of the popular cards on the market. On the aesthetics side of things, the binder comes in a variety of colors.

One of the downsides to this binder is the CardGuard sticker on the back and front. It must be peeled off and will leave a residue. Applying an adhesive remover like Goo Gone, or using a heat gun should remedy this issue rather quickly and efficiently.

What we like

  • Low price and affordable, great budget option
  • Comes in an array of colors
  • Has a strap to keep binder closed

What we don’t like

  • No official website for the brand
  • Cheaper materials used, lower quality
  • Sticker on front and back leave residue

Check Price and Reviews on Amazon


What to Look for in a Magic the Gathering Binder

To find the best Magic the Gathering binder for your needs, consider the following major aspects before finalizing a purchase.

Card Storage and Number of Pockets

It is important to purchase a binder based on your needs. Every binder has a different number of cards that can be stored in them, as well as different number of pockets. The most commonly used binders are 9 pockets and hold over 300 cards. 9 pocket binders have 3 rows of 3 card slots per page.

Strap or Zipper Closure

Most modern day binders have two main ways to keep them shut. A strap or a zipper. We believe that using a zipper as opposed to a strap is better in more than one aspect. The first aspect is that your binder will be completely shut. This will limit the amount of dust/dirt accumulating on or around your cards.

The second aspect is that a zipper closure system is more durable than a strap. A strap can lose its elasticity over time, rending it useless depending on how much stress is applied to it.

Top or Side Card Loading

Cards can be loaded into sleeves in one of two ways. Either from the top, or from the side. Top loading binders have one major flaw. If the binder is ever turned upside down, it is possible for all the cards to fall out.

On the other hand, side loading binders keep their cards inside the binder more securely. Overall, it is personal preference, but we recommend using a binder that is side loading as opposed to top loading.

Best Magic the Gathering Binder Brands

Vault-X

Vault-X is a company ran by gamers. They know the industry and what we want as trading card enthusiasts. Vault-X brings some of the best trading card binders and deck boxes to the market for all of the popular trading card games including Magic the Gathering, Pokemon, and Yu-Gi-Oh.

Top Deck

Top deck is a fairly new competitor in the trading card industry, but don’t let that fool you. They are US based and provide some of the best products for trading card collectors.

Their number one goal is to provide value to us, the consumer. They excel at researching new and cutting edge technology to bring the best products they can to the market.

Ultra Pro

Ultra Pro, head office in Los Angeles, California, is the leading manufacturer and supplier of everything sports and gaming collectible accessories related. They have been around since 1952, and their brand is recognized by just about anyone in the collectible card industry.

They have over 120 distributors and customers in North America, Asia, and Europe which equates to thousands of hobby and toy shop retailers around the world that carry their products.

They are known for having both affordable, and high quality products. Their lineup ranges from card sleeves, binders, to deck boxes, and binder pages, but doesn’t stop there.

FAQs

What Are the Best Trading Card Binders?

The best trading card binders are made by Vault-X and TopDeck. Their products check all the boxes when it comes to high-quality, protection, storage space, and looks. You won’t go wrong with either one as it will mostly be personal preference for your brand of choice.

Are Binders Bad For Cards?

Binders are not bad for your cards. It is recommended to use best practices when using card binders, such as sleeving your cards before inserting them, storing your binders in an area that is room temperature, and dust/dirt free.

How Do You Store Magic Card Binders?

Always store your magic card binders in a cool, dry area that is free of dust/debris.

Have two binders of different colors labeled standard and legacy. When a standard set goes out of play, move the pages into the legacy binder.

Standard Cards

Standard Magic the Gathering cards is a dynamic, ever changing, format where you build decks with cards from the most recently released Magic the Gathering sets. This format keeps the game fresh for new and existing players.

Legacy Cards

The Legacy format of Magic the Gathering allows all sets to be used, including supplemental sets. However, this does not include gold/silver bordered cards.

Final Thoughts

The Vault X Premium eXo-Tec Zip Binder takes the cake when it comes to the best binder for your Magic the Gathering cards. Its superb quality, variance in colors, durable pages, zippered closure system, and side loading pages makes this binder an overall beast. Being able to safely and store over 300 cards is priceless when it comes to keeping your cards in mint condition.

Our runner up, the TopDeck 500 Card Pocket Binder Pro, is another awesome pick. It’s made out of all the same ingredients that makes a great card binder. It has a card capacity of 500 cards which blows most of the competition out of the water, but at a steeper price. Not everybody needs a binder that big, which can be a downside to some which is why we had to knock this binder down one rank.

Whichever card binder you choose for your Magic the Gathering card collection, we hope this guide has been helpful in your purchasing decision. Thanks for reading!

Indoor Game Bunker

We are Indoor Game Bunker, a group dedicated to providing reviews, how to guides, and helpful information to those interested in a wide variety of games and hobbies.

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