Published: September 5, 2026
The best competitively played cards at every budget level in Standard format as of September 5, 2026. Find cards that punch above their price tag across three tiers: under $1, under $5, and under $10.
Under $1 Staples
Competitively played cards available for under a dollar.
| Card | Price | % of Decks | Avg Copies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Escape Tunnel TMT Buy Buy | $0.25 | 24.8% | 3.6 |
| Spell Pierce DFT Buy Buy | $0.31 | 21.7% | 1.3 |
| Meltstrider's Resolve EOE Buy Buy | $0.33 | 21.3% | 1.8 |
| Surrak, Elusive Hunter TDM Buy Buy | $0.77 | 19.3% | 1.5 |
| Burst Lightning FDN Buy Buy | $0.25 | 18.7% | 3.5 |
| Demolition Field FDN Buy Buy | $0.28 | 18.2% | 1.2 |
| Great Hall of the Biblioplex SOS Buy Buy | $0.65 | 16.7% | 3.7 |
Under $5 Playables
Solid tournament picks that won't break the bank.
| Card | Price | % of Decks | Avg Copies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fabled Passage BLB Buy Buy | $2.05 | 24.9% | 4.0 |
| Sazh's Chocobo FIN Buy Buy | $1.14 | 24.8% | 4.0 |
| Earthbender Ascension TLA Buy Buy | $2.16 | 24.8% | 4.0 |
| Mightform Harmonizer EOE Buy Buy | $2.17 | 24.8% | 3.6 |
| Esper Origins // Summon: Esper Maduin FIN Buy Buy | $1.26 | 23.0% | 3.5 |
| Requiting Hex ECL Buy Buy | $1.02 | 19.5% | 3.3 |
| Stock Up DFT Buy Buy | $1.50 | 18.9% | 3.1 |
Under $10 Value Picks
Higher-impact singles at a reasonable price point.
| Card | Price | % of Decks | Avg Copies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ba Sing Se TLA Buy Buy | $5.16 | 27.3% | 3.1 |
| Spirebluff Canal OTJ Buy Buy | $5.26 | 26.3% | 3.7 |
| Starting Town FIN Buy Buy | $9.60 | 21.2% | 3.2 |
Prices from TCGPlayer market data. Play rates based on Standard tournament deck data. Updated weekly every Tuesday.