ShuffleKit vs Dextrous
Two browser-based card game makers, no code in either. Dextrous is a fast, focused layout and export tool. ShuffleKit covers the same ground and adds AI, online playtesting, rules docs and print fulfillment.
- Platform
ShuffleKitAny modern browser
DextrousBrowser, Chrome recommended
- Paid pricing
ShuffleKitFrom $4/month billed yearly
DextrousFrom $48/year
- Online playtesting
ShuffleKitBuilt-in multiplayer playtable, up to 6 players
DextrousNone built in (exports to Screentop or TTS)
When to choose ShuffleKit, when Dextrous is the better fit
Dextrous is a good tool, and the closest thing to a direct comparison on this site. It runs in the browser, keeps your data, layouts and exports together, and newcomers consistently say it is the fastest of these to pick up. It also pushes straight to Screentop, which ShuffleKit does not. Pick Dextrous if you want a focused layout and export tool and you already have a playtesting setup you like. ShuffleKit earns its keep when the deck, the rulebook, the playtests and the print order all live in one project, or when you want AI writing the first draft of the card data and art. On price the two land close: Dextrous starts at $48 a year, and print-grade PDF export with bleed arrives on its $96 plan.
Feature comparison
Side-by-side, no spin.
How we compared: Checked on 20 October 2026 against Dextrous's own home page, pricing page and FAQ. ShuffleKit's limits come from our published plan configuration. Check Dextrous directly, since software pricing changes.
Why designers switch
The playtest is in the same tab as the editor
With Dextrous you design, export to Screentop or TTS, and test there. In ShuffleKit a session exposes a problem card, you fix it in the editor, and the next game deals the updated deck. No export step in the loop.
AI writes the first draft
Dextrous has no AI. ShuffleKit generates card data, mechanics and art against your project's actual properties, then lets you edit everything in bulk.
The rulebook lives with the cards
Rules, keywords and balance notes are versioned documents in the same project, so you can see which wording a playtest broke.
Bulk editing scales to big decks
Dextrous gets manual on very large decks. ShuffleKit treats the deck as a spreadsheet, so 200 cards edit as easily as 20.
More than a deck
Boards, tokens, dice, mats and tuck boxes are components with real printable sizes, and Print & Ship sends them to The Game Crafter in the same game as the deck.
Print without leaving the tool
ShuffleKit is a Game Crafter integration partner. Click publish and a printed deck ships worldwide, instead of exporting a PDF and starting over on a printer's site.
Frequently asked questions
Everything you need to know before getting started.
Still have questions? Contact us
What is the Dextrous card maker?
Dextrous is a card and board game design tool that runs in the browser, made by two designers in Australia. You build a layout template, link it to a CSV or a Google Sheets link, and every card in the deck fills from the spreadsheet. It exports print-and-play PDFs and PNGs, and decks for Tabletop Simulator and Screentop.gg. Its site recommends Chrome.
Is it Dextrous or Dexterous?
Dextrous, without the second e, at dextrous.com.au. The ordinary English word is spelled both ways, so a search for "dexterous card maker" means the same tool.
Is Dextrous free?
There is a free Tester plan with 2 projects, 10 layouts and 100 MB of storage, which includes its standard PDF, image, Screentop and Tabletop Simulator exports. Paid plans are $6, $12 and $24 a month, or $48, $96 and $192 billed yearly. The advanced PDF export starts on the $12 Designer plan. ShuffleKit's free plan covers one project of up to 120 cards with online playtesting, and paid plans start at $4 a month billed yearly.
Is Dextrous a good tool?
Yes. Dextrous is a well-built, no-code visual editor and it is quick to learn, which is why designers recommend it. It exports straight to Tabletop Simulator and Screentop, and its cheapest paid tier is $48 a year. If you want a focused layout and export tool and already have a playtesting workflow, it is a solid choice. ShuffleKit is the better fit when you want AI assistance, built-in playtesting, rules documents and print fulfillment in the same project.
Can I move a Dextrous project into ShuffleKit?
Yes. Export your card data from Dextrous as CSV and import it into ShuffleKit. Smart column mapping matches your headers to card properties, with one-click suggestions for near-misses. Art comes over as uploads, or you can regenerate it.
Does ShuffleKit export to Screentop?
Not currently. ShuffleKit exports to Tabletop Simulator and Roll20, and has its own browser-based playtable for up to 6 players, so most designers do not need a third-party sandbox. If Screentop specifically is part of your workflow, Dextrous covers that today and ShuffleKit does not.
Which one is cheaper?
They land close. Dextrous starts at $48 a year, with unlimited projects and print-grade PDF export with bleed on the $96 plan. ShuffleKit is free to start and paid plans begin at $4 a month billed yearly, with print and ship through The Game Crafter on the Indie plan. The price difference is small enough that the feature fit should decide it.
Does ShuffleKit work offline?
No, and neither does Dextrous. Both are browser tools that need a connection. What you get for it is cloud sync, backups, online playtesting and AI that would not run on a laptop anyway.
Other comparisons
Still weighing the options? These are the closest calls to this one.
- ShuffleKit vs Component.StudioThe Game Crafter's own component automation tool, one $9.99 plan behind a three-day trial, against a free plan with AI and playtesting.
- ShuffleKit vs CanvaA superb general design app against a tool that treats your deck as data, so one edit updates every card that carries it.
- ShuffleKit vs nanDeckThe script-driven desktop classic since 2006, against a browser editor with AI, playtesting and print fulfillment built in.
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