Tarot Phone Apps vs. Actual Cards

[stephanelli]

I'm sure there are going to be lots of differing opinions on this but I thought it'd be fun to discuss!

 

What's your opinion on using a phone app to read Tarot cards verses using the actual cards themselves?

 

Personally, I love the feel of tarot cards and I enjoy shuffling them (the sound and the feel is so therapeutic!) and using them but there are times when it is hard to get my cards out and use whereas it is much easier to find a quiet space and use my phone.  I don't find it effects my ability to read the cards or to use my intuition but I can see both sides of the argument for and against them.

 

The only caveat I have with using an app is I like to have options for shuffling the cards and a choice of how I pick the cards (e.g. from the top of the deck or pick from a fan)

[Rarehare]

Right now I use an app for my daily draw and find it satisfying—the card(s) I need will find me.  Even once I find a favorite deck, I think it’ll still be nice to have both available, esp. for times and places where pulling out a deck of cards would be inconvenient.

[Cheyenne]

I very rarely use any kind of Phone App for tarot readings. Mainly because I need to have the cards in my hand because I feel connected with them in a way that they just tell me that they are ready to be delt. I can't get that with an app. Reading the cards is really intuition based for me and I can't let my intuition tell me which cards to draw with an app as I can with them in my hand. I absolutely need to be able to feel the weight the cards have for me in whichever question I am asking them, again not possible with an app.

 

That's not saying I haven't tried using an app before. However, every time I used on I found it to be very inaccurate. So, they are really not something I will probably ever use again, nor do I put my faith into them.

[HermitWriter]

I used to have a couple apps on my phone. It was definitely nice to be able to play with them discreetly, but it felt kind of like playing chess against the computer: a good way to pass some time, but not as interesting as in-person. I never really did "serious" reads with them, and certainly not for others, but I suppose there isn't any reason not to. It's cool that there is a variety of digital decks out there though.

[Iona]

I'm learning card meanings and what I've found useful is to be able to compare cards in different decks (one of the steps in the Mary K Greer book I'm following). The Fool's Dog app is great for this and also good for easily looking up text and also seeing what decks look like. I've bought a couple of the decks in app form, but I still like to have and hold the physical cards

 

 

[Jewel]

I am old school and use cards not apps.  Like you I like the feel of them, to be able to hold them and connect with them.

[Guest Night Shade]

I am old school and use cards not apps.  Like you I like the feel of them, to be able to hold them and connect with them.

 

I agree.  Using actual cards seems much more personal.

[stephanelli]

Thanks for some great thoughts :)

 

Right now I use an app for my daily draw and find it satisfying—the card(s) I need will find me.  Even once I find a favorite deck, I think it’ll still be nice to have both available, esp. for times and places where pulling out a deck of cards would be inconvenient.

I love the convenience of an app, it just doesn't always feel quite right!  However, particularly while I'm away over the Christmas season I'm planning to do my daily drawers with the aid of a tarot app (using the Fool's Dog Llewellyn Tarot app which I'm getting on really well with - I don't tend to journal about it much on here as I prefer doing my Wild Unknown Animal Spirit deck draws and Herbal Tarot draws for daily insight, but over Christmas I won't take my cards with me, but I will have my phone!)  I like the convenience of the phone in certain situations!

 

I very rarely use any kind of Phone App for tarot readings. Mainly because I need to have the cards in my hand because I feel connected with them in a way that they just tell me that they are ready to be delt. I can't get that with an app. Reading the cards is really intuition based for me and I can't let my intuition tell me which cards to draw with an app as I can with them in my hand. I absolutely need to be able to feel the weight the cards have for me in whichever question I am asking them, again not possible with an app.

 

That's not saying I haven't tried using an app before. However, every time I used on I found it to be very inaccurate. So, they are really not something I will probably ever use again, nor do I put my faith into them.

I find it interesting that you're unable to get accurate readings with the apps.  I guess it all depends on how you read the card.  I don't think I'd ever ask it any dreadfully serious question as I like the connection with the real cards but I like the daily draw from it as instead of taking it as advice I use as a guide for what energies to look out for during the day.

 

I used to have a couple apps on my phone. It was definitely nice to be able to play with them discreetly, but it felt kind of like playing chess against the computer: a good way to pass some time, but not as interesting as in-person. I never really did "serious" reads with them, and certainly not for others, but I suppose there isn't any reason not to. It's cool that there is a variety of digital decks out there though.

I've never thought of it that way - like playing chess against the computer.  If I were reading for anyone else I'd never use an app as it'd feel like a computer was doing it not me, but its certainly an interesting thought.

 

I'm learning card meanings and what I've found useful is to be able to compare cards in different decks (one of the steps in the Mary K Greer book I'm following). The Fool's Dog app is great for this and also good for easily looking up text and also seeing what decks look like. I've bought a couple of the decks in app form, but I still like to have and hold the physical cards

I love the Fool's Dog apps!  I've got the Llewellyn one and I love the colours it shows on my phone.  Although I've not actually seen the deck in real life so I don't know how true to colour it is...I don't feel you can quite beat the feel of actually shuffling though.

 

I am old school and use cards not apps.  Like you I like the feel of them, to be able to hold them and connect with them.

 

I agree.  Using actual cards seems much more personal.

I don't think its being old school - its just what you prefer!

[theoijonitamat]

Between either a phone application or an actual card, I prefer using actual card decks to use from my reading sessions for myself or other people. Using actual cards makes it fun, as i am able to feel the deck and look at the visualisations without hurting my eyes from the glare on the screen. Phone tarot and oracle applications i do use it when i am outside of my house and am not carrying my decks with me.

[Sunflower]

I prefer to have my cards shuffled. For some reason I do not trust apps because I never know if there is an algorithm controlling what cards appear.

[Guided Tarot]

Even I have been using apps for pulling Tarot. Actually, I have never tried using actual cards and have always used them electronically. But would definitely love to use cards once in a while...

[Whisper]

I, too, have quite a few apps, but confess that I prefer to have the actual cards themselves.

 

Now, having said that, there are two things I find interesting and am really glad about:

 

1. Buying the app has allowed me to decided whether I wanted to invest in the actual cards or not;

 

2. I've just bought the affordable Russian version of The Victorian Fairy Tarot. Having the app with the full English version of the accompanying book that doesn't come with the deck (and even if it did, I wouldn't be unable to read) will allow me to use the deck beyond just my intuition.