# The Cheapest Way to Start Riftbound (Without Wasting Money)

_2026-07-31 · RiftCompare_

Every realistic way into Riftbound compared on cost: a ready-to-play deck, a starter product, singles for one deck, or a booster box. What each actually gets you, what to skip first, and how to check live prices in your own market.

The most common question from people looking at Riftbound isn't "is it good?" — it's some version of **"how do I get in without wasting money?"** That's a fair question for any trading card game, and it deserves a straight answer rather than a sales pitch.

This guide compares every realistic route in, what each one actually gets you, and how to check the current cost **in your own market** rather than trusting a number typed into an article months ago.

> **The short version:** if you want to play against a friend, a ready-to-play two-player product is the cheapest single purchase that gets two functioning decks on the table. If you want to build one specific deck, buying **singles** is almost always cheaper than opening packs to find them. Booster boxes are for people who want to open packs — they are not the cheap way to get cards you've already chosen.

## The four ways in

### 1. A ready-to-play deck product

The lowest-friction start. You get a playable deck out of the box with no deckbuilding decisions and no missing pieces. Riftbound's **Showdown Decks** are built specifically for this — they're the game's first ready-to-play *two-player* product, so a single purchase covers both sides of a game. The debut pairing is **Shen vs Zed**.

**Best for:** learning the game, playing with a partner or housemate, deciding whether you like it before spending more.
**Watch out for:** a precon is a starting point, not a competitive list. You'll want to upgrade it if you keep playing.

### 2. Singles for one deck you've chosen

Pick a deck, buy exactly the cards it needs, play it. This is how most established players actually acquire cards, and for a *specific* list it's nearly always the cheapest route — you're paying for the cards you want instead of gambling on finding them.

Use the **[deck pricer](/deck)**: paste a full list and it works out the cheapest way to buy all of it across every store at once, consolidating orders so you aren't paying postage five separate times. Start from **[budget Riftbound decks](/guides/budget-riftbound-decks)** if you don't have a list yet.

**Best for:** anyone who knows roughly what they want to play.
**Watch out for:** postage. Five cheap cards from five different shops can cost more than one slightly dearer order. The deck pricer accounts for this; buying by hand often doesn't.

### 3. A starter / entry sealed product

Products like **Proving Grounds** sit between a precon and a booster box — some ready-to-play content plus some opening. Current contents and live pricing for entry products are on the **[sealed page](/sealed)**.

**Best for:** people who want *some* of the opening experience without committing to a box.

### 4. A booster box

The most product, the most opening, and the highest single outlay. A box is the right purchase if the **opening itself** is what you want, or if you're deliberately chasing a set's chase cards at launch.

It is **not** the cheap way to assemble a specific deck. Opening packs to find three copies of one card means buying — and paying for — a large number of cards you didn't need. We wrote the maths out in **[booster box EV: worth ripping, or buy singles?](/guides/riftbound-booster-box-ev-worth-ripping-or-buying-singles)**.

**Best for:** the experience of opening; launch-window chase hunting.
**Watch out for:** treating it as a shortcut to a deck. It usually isn't.

## The cheapest route, by what you actually want

- **"I want to try the game with a friend."** One ready-to-play two-player product. Cheapest possible path to two real decks.
- **"I want to play one deck properly."** Singles for that list, bought through the **[deck pricer](/deck)**.
- **"I want to open packs."** A box — but buy it because you want to open it, not because you expect it to be cheaper than singles.
- **"I want to collect the art."** Singles, targeting the specific alt-arts you like. See **[understanding card rarity](/guides/understanding-riftbound-card-rarity)**.

## What to skip at first

- **Don't buy multiple boxes before you've played.** The most common expensive mistake, and the one most posted about by people regretting it.
- **Don't buy chase cards on reveal-day hype.** Launch-week prices are the most speculative you'll ever see — see **[why prices change](/guides/why-riftbound-card-prices-change)**.
- **Don't buy sleeves and accessories before you own a deck.** They'll still be there later.
- **Don't buy an older set's product without checking it's actually cheaper.** Sometimes it is; sometimes it isn't. Compare **[Origins](/sets/origins)**, **[Spirit Forged](/sets/spiritforged)**, **[Unleashed](/sets/unleashed)** and **[Vendetta](/sets/vendetta)** directly.

## Postage is the part people forget

The sticker price is not the price. A card listed at $2 with $4 tracked shipping costs more than the same card at $4 with free post — and if you're assembling a deck across several shops, postage can quietly become the largest line on the bill.

Every price comparison on RiftCompare ranks stores by **total delivered cost**, with free-shipping thresholds factored in automatically. That's the number that matters, and it frequently reorders the list.

## Starting in your market

Riftbound's availability and pricing genuinely differ by country. Each of these guides lists the stores we actually track locally, priced in local currency:

- **[Australia](/blog/buy-riftbound-cards-australia)**
- **[New Zealand](/blog/buy-riftbound-cards-nz)**
- **[United States](/blog/buy-riftbound-cards-us)**
- **[United Kingdom](/blog/buy-riftbound-cards-uk)**
- **[Singapore](/blog/riftbound-price-comparison-singapore)**
- **[Canada](/blog/buy-riftbound-cards-canada)**

## Then what?

Once you've played a few games, **[Riftbound for beginners](/guides/riftbound-for-beginners)** covers the rules side, and **[how a Riftbound deck is built](/guides/how-a-riftbound-deck-is-built)** explains deck construction so you can upgrade what you started with rather than replacing it.

## Starting Riftbound FAQ

**What is the cheapest way to start playing Riftbound?** A ready-to-play deck product is the cheapest single purchase that gets you playing, and a two-player product like a Showdown Deck covers both sides of a game in one buy. If you already know which deck you want to play, buying singles for that specific list is usually cheaper than opening packs to find the same cards.

**Are Riftbound starter and precon decks worth it?** As a way to start, yes — they get you a functioning deck with no missing pieces and no deckbuilding required. They aren't competitive lists out of the box, so treat one as a base to upgrade rather than a finished deck.

**Is it cheaper to buy singles or booster packs?** For a specific card you've already decided you want, singles are cheaper nearly every time — packs mean paying for a lot of cards you didn't need on top of the one you did. Packs make sense when the opening itself is what you want.

**How much does it cost to start Riftbound?** It depends entirely on the route and your market, which is why we don't print a figure here that would be wrong next week. Check live prices for entry products on the sealed page and for singles through the deck pricer, both in your own currency.

**Do I need a booster box to start?** No. A box is the largest single outlay of any route in and is aimed at people who want to open packs. You can play the game properly without ever buying one.

**Should I buy the newest set or an older one to start?** Either works. Newer isn't automatically more expensive and older isn't automatically cheaper — availability drives price more than age does. Compare the set pages directly before assuming.

## FAQ

**What is the cheapest way to start playing Riftbound?**

A ready-to-play deck product is the cheapest single purchase that gets you playing, and a two-player product like a Showdown Deck covers both sides of a game in one buy. If you already know which deck you want to play, buying singles for that specific list is usually cheaper than opening packs to find the same cards.

**Are Riftbound starter and precon decks worth it?**

As a way to start, yes — they get you a functioning deck with no missing pieces and no deckbuilding required. They aren't competitive lists out of the box, so treat one as a base to upgrade rather than a finished deck.

**Is it cheaper to buy singles or booster packs?**

For a specific card you've already decided you want, singles are cheaper nearly every time — packs mean paying for a lot of cards you didn't need on top of the one you did. Packs make sense when the opening itself is what you want.

**How much does it cost to start Riftbound?**

It depends on the route in and on your market. Entry sealed products, precons, singles and booster boxes all sit at different price points, and each market has its own local pricing — check live prices on RiftCompare in your own currency rather than relying on a fixed figure.

**Do I need a booster box to start?**

No. A booster box is the largest single outlay of any route in and is aimed at people who want to open packs. You can play the game properly without ever buying one.

**Should I buy the newest set or an older one to start?**

Either works. Newer isn't automatically more expensive and older isn't automatically cheaper — availability drives price more than age does, so compare the set pages directly before assuming.

Source: https://riftcompare.com/guides/cheapest-way-to-start-riftbound