Best Tally Counter for MTG Life Counter
Magic: The Gathering life tracking requires negative counting (life loss), custom starting values (20 for Standard, 40 for Commander), and often multi-player support for Commander pods. We compared DTC against KeepTheScore and ScoreCounter for MTG life tracking.
What makes a great MTG life counter?
Magic life totals go up and down rapidly. A good counter must handle the full range:
- Increment and decrement — life goes both ways, constantly.
- Negative counting — some effects push life below zero before checking state.
- Custom step amounts — not all damage comes in +1/-1; Lightning Bolt deals 3.
- Set to any value — effects like "set life to 10" or "set to half" are common.
- Multiple counters — Commander needs 4+ simultaneous life totals.
- Dark mode — MTG is often played in dimly lit game stores.
- Fullscreen mode — place the phone in the center of the table for all players to see.
- Auto-save — don't lose life totals when the screen locks mid-game.
MTG life counter features — compared
We tested each app in Commander (4 players, starting at 40) and Standard (2 players, starting at 20) scenarios, checking for rapid life changes, multi-player setups, and screen readability.
| Feature | digitaltallycounter.com | keepthescore.com | scorecounter.io |
|---|---|---|---|
| Key Features for MTG | |||
| Increment counter | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Multiple counters | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Auto-save (browser) | ✓ | ✓ | — |
| Decrement counter | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Negative counting | Paid | — | — |
| Dark mode / themes | ✓ | — | — |
| Custom step amounts | ✓ | ✓ | — |
| Fullscreen / focus mode | ✓ | ✓ | — |
| Game-Friendly Features | |||
| Player turn tracking | — | — | — |
| Dice roller integration | — | — | — |
| Round/phase counter | ✓ | — | — |
| Life/health point tracker | ✓ | — | — |
| Victory point tracking | ✓ | — | — |
| Multi-player score layout | ✓ | — | — |
The verdict
DigitalTallyCounter.com
Full increment/decrement, negative counting, custom step amounts, set-to-any-value, and multiple named counters — exactly what Commander pods need. Dark mode for game store lighting, auto-save, fullscreen for tabletop display. Free.
Open DigitalTallyCounter.com →KeepTheScore.com
Shareable scoreboards and leaderboards with OBS overlay. Great for FNM or tournament standings. Less ideal for real-time life tracking during gameplay. Free tier.
Visit KeepTheScore →Commander life tracking for 4+ players
Commander (EDH) is Magic's most popular format, and it demands tracking 4 life totals starting at 40. Some players also track commander damage from each opponent (16 separate values in a pod!). DigitalTallyCounter.com's multiple named counters handle this: create "Player 1 Life," "Player 2 Life," etc., with optional commander damage counters. All auto-save and persist through screen locks.
Why web-based beats a dedicated MTG app
Dedicated MTG life counter apps exist (Moxfield, MTG Familiar, etc.), but they're native apps requiring downloads, accounts, and updates. A web-based counter works on any device instantly — open the URL, set starting life to 20 or 40, and you're playing. No app store, no login, no storage space.
Track life totals — for free.
Multi-player support, custom starting life, dark mode. No download needed.
Open DigitalTallyCounter.com