ParseForge
Scryfall Magic The Gathering Scraper
parseforge/scryfall-mtg-scraper
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Scrapes Magic: The Gathering card data from Scryfall by card name, set code, format, or full query syntax. Returns each card as a flat row with mana cost, oracle text, prices, legalities, and EDHREC rank.
- Total users
- 1
- Monthly active
- 0
- Total runs
- 140
- Bookmarked
- 1
- Rating
- Not rated yet
- Last modified
- 8 days ago
Overview
Scryfall Magic The Gathering Scraper
Scrape Magic: The Gathering card data from Scryfall by name, set, format, or advanced query, up to a million cards per run. Every card comes with its mana cost, type line, oracle text, prices, legalities, and EDHREC rank. No API key required. Export to CSV, JSON, Excel, or XML.
Scryfall's search syntax is the most capable way to find Magic: The Gathering cards, but manually copying results is slow. This Actor reads the public Scryfall API directly, runs your query, and returns every matching card as a structured row. No registration, no OAuth, and no rate-limit headaches.
| Who uses it | What they scrape Scryfall for |
|---|---|
| MTG deck builders | Pull every creature with power 5 or greater in Pioneer to find top-end finishers. |
| Card shop owners | Export current USD and EUR prices for an entire set to update inventory sheets. |
| Market analysts | Track price movements across formats by scraping cards sorted by EDHREC rank. |
| Collection managers | Reconcile a personal collection by pulling oracle text and set information for each card name. |
What it does
This Actor collects Magic: The Gathering card data from Scryfall by name, set code, format legality, or full Scryfall query syntax, and returns each card as a flat row with its rules text, prices, and metadata.
- 🔍 Advanced query syntax: Full Scryfall search language support, including color, type, power, toughness, and name filters.
- 📦 Set and format filters: Narrow results to a single set code like 'mh3' or a format like 'commander' without writing raw queries.
- 💰 Price sorting: Sort by USD or EUR price to find the most expensive or budget-friendly cards in any search.
- 📊 EDHREC rank sorting: Order results by commander popularity to see which cards dominate the format right now.
- ⚙️ Flexible output: Cap the run at any number of cards, from a single lookup to a million-card dataset.
Results export to CSV, JSON, Excel, or XML, or straight from the API.
What you can do with Scryfall data
📈 Track price trends by format.
A card shop owner scrapes every Modern-legal card sorted by USD price weekly to spot spikes and adjust buylist offers before competitors.
🧠 Build a format cube.
A cube designer pulls all creatures with toughness 4 or greater in Pioneer, sorted by EDHREC rank, to seed a new draft environment.
🗃️ Audit a collection.
A collector runs a list of card names through the Actor to fetch current oracle text and set information for insurance documentation.
📊 Research commander staples.
A content creator scrapes the top 200 cards by EDHREC rank in Commander to write a metagame analysis article.
Why choose this scraper
| What you get | |
|---|---|
| No API key | Reads the public Scryfall API with zero registration or authentication. |
| Full oracle text | Returns the complete rules text, type line, and mana cost for every card. |
| Live prices | Includes current USD and EUR market prices where available. |
| Format legalities | Shows legality status across Standard, Pioneer, Modern, Legacy, Vintage, Commander, Pauper, and Brawl. |
| Bulk exports | Collect up to a million cards per run and export to CSV, JSON, Excel, or XML. |
How it compares
Three other Apify actors also pull Magic card data from Scryfall. Here is how this one compares on the features buyers ask about most.
| Feature | ParseForge | Magic: The Gathering Card Scraper (Scryfall) | Scryfall MTG Card Scraper | TCG Card Scraper - Magic, Pokémon & More with Prices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full Scryfall query syntax | Yes | Yes | Not listed | Not listed |
| Format legality filter | Yes | Not listed | Not listed | Yes |
| EDHREC rank sorting | Yes | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed |
| USD and EUR prices | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Set code filter | Yes | Not listed | Yes | Yes |
| Pokémon TCG support | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Yes |
Configure the run
Drive the Actor from a card name, a Scryfall query string, a set code, or a format filter, alone or together, and sorting runs server-side so only the cards you need reach your dataset. The Input tab lists every parameter.
A first run with the defaults:
{
"maxItems": 10,
"query": "t:creature c:red",
"order": "released"
}
A larger pull:
{
"maxItems": 200,
"query": "t:creature c:red",
"order": "released"
}
Pricing
Pay-per-result: $0.0065 per result collected. You pay only for the results written to your dataset.
| Results collected | Approximate cost |
|---|---|
| 100 results | $0.65 |
| 1,000 results | $6.50 |
| 10,000 results | $65.00 |
New Apify accounts start with $5 in free credit.
Free users
Free-plan runs return up to 10 results as a preview. Upgrade your Apify plan to collect up to 1,000,000 results per run.
Run it
- Create a free Apify account with $5 in credit.
- Open the Scryfall Magic The Gathering Scraper.
- Set your inputs and any filters, then click Start.
- Export the results as CSV, Excel, JSON, or XML from the Dataset tab.
Run it programmatically through the Apify API (run-sync-get-dataset-items) or the ApifyClient for JavaScript and Python.
Use with AI agents (MCP)
Give an AI agent live access to Scryfall through the Model Context Protocol. Add the Actor to Claude, Cursor, or any MCP client:
claude mcp add --transport http apify "https://mcp.apify.com?tools=parseforge/scryfall-mtg-scraper"
Then prompt it in plain language to run the scraper and read back the results.
Troubleshooting
Why am I getting no results?
Check your query syntax. Scryfall queries are case-sensitive for set codes and require exact formatting. Try a simpler query like a single card name first, then add filters.
Why is the run slow with large result sets?
Scryfall paginates results. Large queries naturally take longer. Reduce the maxItems count or narrow your query with additional filters to speed things up.
Why are some prices missing?
Not every card printing has price data on Scryfall. Cards without market listings will show null or zero values for USD and EUR prices.
Why did my set code filter return nothing?
Set codes are case-sensitive and must match Scryfall's exact three-letter codes. Verify the code on Scryfall's set list before running.
Why are format filters not working as expected?
Format legality on Scryfall reflects the current banned and restricted lists. A card legal in Commander may still appear if it was printed in a Commander product, even if banned in other formats.
FAQ
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Do I need a Scryfall API key? | No. This Actor reads the public Scryfall API endpoints and requires no registration, API key, or authentication of any kind. |
| What Scryfall search syntax can I use? | You can use the full Scryfall query language. Examples include 't:creature c:red', 'pow>=5', 'name:phoenix', and combined queries like 't:instant f:standard'. |
| How many cards can I scrape in one run? | You can set the maximum up to 1,000,000 cards per run. The Actor respects Scryfall's rate limits and pages through results automatically. |
| Does this return card prices? | Yes. The Actor returns USD and EUR market prices when Scryfall has them available for a card printing. |
| Can I filter by set? | Yes. Use the Set Code field with codes like 'mh3' for Modern Horizons 3, 'neo' for Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty, or 'bro' for The Brothers' War. |
| Can I filter by format legality? | Yes. Choose from Standard, Pioneer, Modern, Legacy, Vintage, Commander, Pauper, or Brawl to return only cards legal in that format. |
| What sorting options are available? | You can sort by release date, set, name, mana cost, power, toughness, EDHREC rank, USD price, EUR price, or artist. |
| Does this scrape card images? | The Actor returns image URLs from Scryfall for each card, which you can download separately or use in your own applications. |
| What export formats are supported? | You can export your dataset to CSV, JSON, Excel, or XML directly from the Apify platform. |
| Is this legal to use? | Scryfall provides a public API for developers. This Actor makes standard HTTP requests and respects rate limits. Always review Scryfall's terms of service for your use case. |
| Can I scrape a specific list of card names? | You can run the Actor once per card name, or use Scryfall's 'name:' query syntax to match partial names in a single run. |
Related actors
Browse the full ParseForge collection for more scrapers.
🆘 Need help? Email parseforge@protonmail.com with your run ID, your input, and what you expected.
⚠️ Disclaimer. This Actor is unofficial and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Scryfall, LLC. It collects only publicly available data. You are responsible for using the collected data in compliance with the source's terms of service and applicable data-protection laws, including GDPR, CCPA, and PIPL. Do not use it to collect personal data unlawfully.
Input
| Field | Type | What it does | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| maxItems | integer | How many cards to collect per run. | 10 |
| query | string | Scryfall search syntax. Examples: 'lightning bolt', 't:creature c:red', 'pow>=5', 'name:phoenix' | t:creature c:red |
| set | string | Filter by set code (e.g. 'mh3', 'neo', 'bro'). | not set |
| format | string (9 options) | Filter by format legality. | not set |
| order | string (10 options) | How to sort results. | released |
Pricing
from $6.00 per 1,000 results
| Charged for | What it is | Price each |
|---|---|---|
| result | Single result in the default dataset. | $0.006 to $0.0065 |
Tiered: the lower figure is the price on a higher Apify plan. Billing and the free credit live on Apify.
API
One POST returns the dataset directly. Same shape for every scraper in the library, so swapping the slug is the only change.
curl -X POST "https://api.apify.com/v2/acts/parseforge~scryfall-mtg-scraper/run-sync-get-dataset-items?token=$APIFY_TOKEN" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"helloWorld": 123
}' Examples
Input that runs as-is.
{
"helloWorld": 123
} Reviews
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Issues
We build and maintain this scraper, so a problem with it comes to us. Report it on the Apify listing and the thread stays attached to the scraper where the next person can find it: open an issue.
Broken and urgent, or you would rather not post in public? Write to parseforge@protonmail.com and it reaches the people who wrote it.
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