If you're keen on learning how to read Tarot Cards, you must have started researching already. However, with so many tarot decks available in the market today, it can be overwhelming to choose the right deck for beginners. There are countless options, and it's challenging to figure out which deck to select as your first one.

We also need to address the elephant in the room... 

Is it okay for someone to buy their first Tarot Deck for themselves? Isn't it traditionally supposed to be gifted to you? 

We're just Three Roses with opinions, but we can say that all three of us purchased our first decks for ourselves, and our intuition seems to have been working just fine and none of the cards have burst into flames after use. If you really want it to be a gift, you can tell yourself that your friends at Three Roses Tarot are gifting it to you, you're just going to facilitate the gift. There! You're definitely in the clear now. ;) 

Now that that's settled, we do have a couple of things we need to consider before we go shopping for Tarot Decks!

• What type of deck are you looking for? 

There are quite a few different types of Tarot decks that use completely different models of symbolism. The most common model to use is the Rider Waite Smith, and this is the model that we at Three Roses Tarot recommend for Beginner Tarot Readers. Because it is the most frequently emulated, the majority of Tarot tarot-related literature focuses on Symbolism in this model, which means that any reference book you pick up will likely relate to the deck you choose. 

• What's your favorite art style? 

There are so many clones of the Rider Waite Smith-type deck that the possibilities are almost endless for how you want your Tarot Deck to look. Do you prefer a modern look? Or do you vibe more with a traditional style? Think about what styles of art make your heart sing, and narrow your search there. 

• What's your price range? 

With so many Tarot Decks on the market, it's really important to think about what you're willing to spend on your first. Hundreds of indie decks are in circulation now, but smaller batches typically mean higher prices. Because of this, we've decided to tailor this list to Tarot Decks that are widely distributed, which keeps it on the affordable side of the spectrum. These decks are typically between $20 and $35, which is way more accessible than some indie Tarot Decks, which can range from $55 and $100. 

Now that we've narrowed down your scope a smidge, we can take a look at our list of the Top 5 Affordable Tarot Decks for Beginners!

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#5 The Rider Waite Smith Deck

Sometimes the best place to start is at the beginning.

The Rider Tarot Deck, now more commonly referred to as the Rider Waite Smith or RWS Deck is the Grandaddy of most modern Tarot Decks. First Published in 1909 by the publisher William Rider & Sons, this deck was the brainchild of A.E. Waite and illustrated by Pamela Colman Smith.

This is the deck that is the most frequently studied, most often written about, and probably the most colloquial in the world of Tarot. Buying this deck is a surefire way to ensure that you learn the language of Tarot from the source.

Because of it’s history and popularity, this deck is very easy to find, and therefore has to be on this list!

However, remember, we are in fact Three Roses with opinions, therefore the OG Tarot Deck is number five because in our opinion it’s just very… yellow. Very, Very, Yellow. And there’s nothing wrong with yellow, but it’s not really our color and it is after all a matter of taste.

#4 Eighty Eight Miracles

Traveling forward in time, we have a modern take on the classic RWS in this Tarot Deck. 

Featuring lovely linework drawings, this deck stays true to the traditional symbolism language from the RWS but gives it a more updated and clean feel.

However, we are especially drawn to the gold leaf edges on the cards, and it does come with a full-size guidebook to help you learn to read them!

At $26, we believe that this deck is a great option for a Beginner, or for the Enthusiast who just wants another shiny deck in their collection.

#3 The Robin Wood Tarot

We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention our founder’s first Tarot Deck, The Robin Wood Tarot. While she purchased hers at a little shop in Salem, MA, this deck is available just about anywhere books are sold online. Originally published in 1998, this Tarot Deck is another classic, and its popularity has made it readily available and kept the price down. 

It’s also based on the traditional RWS, so it can be paired with any of the tarot-related books you pick up along your journey. 

The Artwork in this deck is beautifully done and is Celtic-inspired. It’s also decidedly less…yellow… than the original RWS.

#2 Cats Rule the Earth Tarot

Perhaps we’re leaning a bit too hard into the ‘Weird Witchy Girls with Cats’ stereotype here, but apparently, the Cats Rule the Earth Tarot deck was created for the feline-obsessed and that definitely fits us!

This adorable deck is pretty much just the RWS deck with the human figures swapped with cute cats. And our favorite part about this deck is that it managed to keep well away from that area of weird uncanny-valley-looking cat-humanoids that some cat-themed decks have tried (looking at you, Black Cat Tarot, you still weird us out…).

The illustrations are reminiscent of old-school carnival posters, and every card is brightly illustrated (including the minors). All in all, we’re huge fans of the artist Thiago Correa, and if you like his vibe you can also follow him on his Instagram.

This deck is also reasonably priced and easily found online and in brick-and-mortar bookstores!

#1 Ethereal Visions Tarot

Taking the Number One Spot on our list of Best Affordable Tarot decks for Beginners we have… drum roll please… The Ethereal Visions Tarot Deck!

We’ve got beautiful Art Nouveau Illustrations. We’ve got clear symbolism for intuitive reading that fits the RWS framework. We’ve got shiny foil leaf on the edges of the cards. What more could we ask for?

Well, dear reader, the Ethereal Visions Tarot has upped the ante… There are TWO VERSIONS of this gorgeous deck in existence. A newly imagined ‘Luna Edition’ of this deck was recently released, combining all the beauty (and shininess) of the original version with updated characters to add representation in a historically white-dominated arena.

We love this deck, and routinely pull it out for our professional reading events and we frequently get compliments on the artwork and the readability of the cards- even the uninitiated can draw meaning from the images, which really lends itself well to Beginners.

There you have it! Our Top 5 Favorite Affordable Tarot Decks for Beginners! If you’ve been considering buying your own deck, we encourage you to check out the ones on this list and take the plunge!