There is way too much advice on this topic, and most of it makes the decision harder than it needs to be.
You’ll hear things like “wait for a deck to call to you” or “you should be gifted your first deck” (this is just a myth, by the way — buy your own, it’s fine). You’ll see a hundred YouTube videos comparing decks with names like “the Shadowscapes” and “the Wild Unknown” and “the Crow Tarot” and suddenly it feels like a whole research project just to buy a beginner deck.
Let me cut through it.
Start with the Rider-Waite-Smith (or a close clone)
If you’re a beginner, get a Rider-Waite-Smith deck. It’s the standard. Almost every tarot book, course, and guide online uses it as the reference point — which means when you’re learning and you look something up, the card you’re reading about will look exactly like the card in your hand.
The deck was created in 1909 by Arthur Edward Waite, illustrated by Pamela Colman Smith (who doesn’t get nearly enough credit). What made it revolutionary at the time — and still makes it the best learning tool — is that every single card has a scene illustrated on it. The Minor Arcana aren’t just abstract symbols. The Five of Cups shows a figure in a dark cloak looking at three spilled cups. The Two of Cups shows two people exchanging chalices. This matters because you can read the image before you even know the “official” meaning. Your intuition has something to work with.
Decks that are direct clones or close derivatives of the RWS are also great for beginners:
- The Universal Waite — same imagery as the original, cleaner coloring
- The Everyday Witch Tarot — RWS structure but illustrated in a warmer, more playful style
- The Modern Witch Tarot — same system, more diverse art
What about the pretty decks?
You’ve probably seen the dark indie decks with moody illustrations, or the pastel minimalist ones, or the cottagecore ones with mushrooms and foxes. They look stunning. You might really want one.
Here’s the honest truth: many of those decks are beautiful but terrible for learning. The “pip” style decks — where the suit cards (like the Six of Wands) just show six wand symbols without a full scene — give you almost nothing to work with intuitively. You have to memorize meanings by rote instead of reading the image.
There’s nothing wrong with owning a visually stunning deck. But buy it as your second or third deck, not your first. Learn with something that teaches you.
Size and card stock matter more than you’d think
Hold the cards before you buy if you can, or check reviews. A few things to look for:
Cardstock: You want something with a bit of thickness and a smooth finish that shuffles well without bending. Cheap glossy cards stick together. Very thin cards feel flimsy and can crease.
Size: Standard tarot cards are 2.75″ x 4.75″. That’s a little bigger than a playing card. Some decks come in a slightly smaller “pocket” size, which is easier to handle if you have small hands or like to riffle shuffle. Avoid giant “tarot altar” sized decks as your working deck — they’re cumbersome.
Borders: Personal preference, but thick white borders can make a deck feel dated and hide the imagery. Some people trim the borders off. Modern decks often go borderless.
You don’t need to spend a lot
The original Rider-Waite-Smith deck is like twelve dollars. The Universal Waite is around fifteen. A lot of beginners feel like a cheap deck is somehow less serious, but that’s not true — some of the best learning decks are the most affordable.
If you want to spend a little more (around $25–40), the Modern Witch Tarot or the Everyday Witch Tarot are both excellent and a bit more visually interesting than the original RWS while keeping the same structure.
One question to ask yourself
Look at the deck images online first. When you see the cards, do you want to spend time with them? Does looking at them feel welcoming?
That’s the real test. Not whether it “called to you” in some mystical sense — just whether you’d actually sit with it and look at the images and feel curious. If a deck bores you visually, you won’t use it. That’s the main thing to avoid.
The short answer
Get a Rider-Waite-Smith or a close clone. Don’t overthink it. The learning is in using the cards, not in finding the perfect deck.
Already have a deck? Start with the one-card daily draw method — it’s the fastest way to actually get comfortable with your cards.
Frequently asked questions
The Rider-Waite-Smith (or a close clone like the Universal Waite) is almost universally recommended for beginners. Every card has a fully illustrated scene, which gives you something to work with intuitively — and nearly every tarot book and guide uses it as the reference point.
You can absolutely buy your own deck. The idea that your first deck must be gifted is a popular myth with no real basis. Buy the deck you want to learn with — secondhand, on sale, whatever works.
Yes — it’s the standard beginner recommendation for good reason. The illustrated Minor Arcana make it much easier to learn intuitively, and the wealth of learning resources that reference it means you’ll never be short of guidance.
Standard size (2.75″ x 4.75″) works well for most people. If you have small hands or prefer riffle shuffling, a pocket or “mini” version is worth considering. Avoid oversized “altar” decks as your working deck — they’re hard to handle comfortably.
You can get a solid beginner deck for $12–$25. The original Rider-Waite-Smith is around $12. You don’t need to spend $50+ on a deck to learn with — expensive doesn’t mean better for learning purposes.
A standard Rider-Waite-Smith or close clone. Learn the 78 scenes once. Pretty indie decks are deck two.
Why Rider-Waite-Smith is still the first deck
Almost every beginner book, course, and website (including this one) teaches from Rider-Waite-Smith scenes. If your first deck uses different pictures, you will spend six months translating. That is optional later. It is a tax at the start. Buy a standard RWS, a Smith-Waite Centennial, or a close clone with the same 78 scenes. Pretty indie decks are for deck two, when you already know what the Three of Swords is doing.
Ignore “the deck must choose you” as a shopping rule. Hold it if you can. If the people on the cards look like people you can read, that is enough. Cardstock that is too thick is hard to shuffle. Foil edges look nice and stick in humid rooms. A $20 standard deck you will actually use beats a $70 collector deck you are afraid to bend.
If you specifically want a deck for love readings, still start with RWS. Romance-themed decks do not make the Lovers more accurate. They make the pip cards harder to learn. You can add a love-oriented deck once the system is in your hands.
Related Reading
New to tarot? Keep going with these beginner guides:
- how to cleanse your tarot cards
- how to shuffle tarot cards
- the daily one-card draw
- major vs minor arcana, explained
Want a structured course? Read Tarot With Confidence is the Learn Tarot Daily self-study course: six modules plus worksheets, $29.
Free kit: get the Love Tarot Spread Kit (7 spreads for love, dating, and relationships).
Related reading: if you want every card in one place, The Complete Tarot Card Reference covers all 78 cards — upright, reversed, love and work meanings — for $29.