The Top 5 Tarot Decks for Beginners On Amazon

Tarot cards are an amazing way to learn about yourself and get guidance into life’s wonders, but learning how to read them can be a little overwhelming. Plus, it’s hard to know which tarot deck is best to start with, because there are so many options out there these days (and more being created every year).

If you’re looking to start reading tarot cards for yourself, but can’t decide which deck to start with, I’ve got some recommendations for you.

Best Tarot Decks for Beginners

These decks are the easiest to begin with (in my opinion) because they follow the classic symbology of the tarot cards as they were originally meant to be read.

When you start with a traditional deck that was made with beginning readers in mind, you’ll find that you have an excellent foundation for the intuitive reading of any other tarot deck you expand into in the future.

The Rider-Waite Tarot Deck by Arthur Edward Waite

It should come as no surprise that the first tarot deck on this list is the original Rider-Waite Smith deck created by Arthur Edward Waite. A collaboration with artist Pamela Colman Smith, this deck is what started the tarot industry on its current path.

Most traditional tarot decks currently in existence stem from this one, which makes it a great choice for learning how to read tarot cards. When you start here, you end up with a solid understanding and foundation of the symbology and numerology of all the cards you work with in the future.

Pros of This Tarot Deck

Here are some pros to starting with this deck:

1. Classic tarot illustrations: This deck includes every bit of symbology the tarot cards were intended to address.
2. Tons of book options: There are oodles of books that discuss the card meanings of this deck. No matter what style of reader you are, you should be able to find a reference guide that follows this deck.
3. Full illustration of the minor arcana: This was the first deck to include complete illustrations of the minor arcana, instead of just images of the suits (6 cups on the 6 of Cups card). This changed the game for intuitive tarot reading, helping tarot readers understand the story in the cards without having to reference a guidebook or memorize a list of keywords.

Cons of This Tarot Deck

Here are some cons to starting with this deck:

1. Simplistic imagery: If you’re a very visual person, this deck’s illustration style might leave you wanting. The images are very simplistic, as fit the printing abilities at the time.
2. Out-of-date graphics: The court cards (Kings, Queens, Knights, and Pages) are representative of actual monarchy, which can be hard to connect with. There are not many of us who still ride horses with sword in hand, and that makes it difficult to differentiate between the suits or see ourselves in the cards.

The Radiant Rider-Waite Tarot Deck, re-colored by Virginijus Poshkus

If you like all the details and symbolism from the Rider Waite Smith Deck above, but don’t necessarily love the coloring or line details in the artwork, you might want to take a look at this deck instead.

It’s a fully re-mastered version of the original deck, with more vibrant colors, softer line art, and more depth to help you visually process the imagery.

Original Rider Waite Fool Card

Radiant Rider Waite Fool Card

Pros of This Alternative Deck

Here are some pros to starting with this deck:

1. More modern, colorful artwork: As said above, this deck has been beautifully re-created to match the original Rider Waite Deck, with a few enhancements.
2. All the other pros listed for the above deck!

Cons of This Alternative Deck

Here is one con to starting with this deck:

1. The graphics are still out-of-date: No updates were made to the figures represented in the court cards, so these still showcase knights riding their horses, and kings and queens sitting on their thrones.

The Light Seer’s Tarot Deck by Chris-Anne

This tarot deck is one of my favorite modern decks. It has beautiful imagery that still follows the traditional symbolism of a classic tarot deck, and a detailed guidebook that shares the author’s interpretations of the card meanings.

This is my favorite deck to use while reading tarot for others, and I consider it to be one of the best tarot card decks for beginners because of its soft messaging. Even ‘negative’ readings take a positive spin while reading with these cards.

Pros of This Deck

Here are some pros to starting with this deck:

1. Beautiful artwork: If you’re seriously drawn to and inspired by great artwork, this is a great deck to choose. The colors are vibrant, the details well-defined, and the figures represent women as equally as men.
2. Well-written instructional guidebook: There is so much information included in the guidebook that comes with this deck. You understand exactly how the author interprets the cards, and it includes affirmations paired with every card to help you grow as a person.
3. Borderless design: In some traditional decks, the borders on the cards can be distracting. With this deck, you get to absorb the imagery from edge to edge of every card.

Cons of This Deck

Here are a few cons to starting with this deck:

1. Inconsistent card title placement: On some of the cards of this deck, the titles are in random places because it was the only spot where the title would be readable. Understandable from a design perspective, but it can make reading the cards a little less consistent.
2. Deck size: I have hands on the larger side (for a female), but I struggle to shuffle these cards because of the thickness of the cardstock. I will frequently bobble the cards and drop some because the whole deck is too thick for me to hold easily.

The Wild Unknown Tarot Deck by Kim Krans

Many tarot decks for beginners include card images that are friendly and non-threatening, but The Wild Unknown deck is not one of those decks. There are a lot of black and white cards, with just a splash of color, and the illustration style is a bit edgy. It is, however, still a beautiful deck.

If you’re looking for a deck that will force you to memorize the card meanings, this is a great choice. The imagery is very minimal, giving few clues as to the story behind the card, and much of this deck seems to rely on animal symbolism.

I find that this tarot deck is very direct and to the point. It doesn’t hold anything back, and it doesn’t spare any feelings. It’s going to tell you like it is. If you appreciate that style of communication, this just might be the right deck for you.

Pros of This Deck

Here are some pros to starting with this deck:

1. The artwork is stunning: Kim Krans has an incredible talent for creating tarot card images that are both dark and beautiful.
2. It’s a great choice for readers who want to memorize card meanings: Because the card titles are not included on the cards themselves, you’ll need to memorize the meanings or keep a reference guide handy while reading. This can be a great deck for those who are looking to use their intuition more than anything else.
3. A helpful guidebook: The wild unknown deck also comes with a detailed guidebook, so while the imagery does not closely align with a traditional tarot deck, the beginner’s guide included tells you exactly what each card represents.
4. There’s a mini deck available: If you’re looking for a smaller deck to fit your hand or take with you traveling, you’ll love the pocket version of this tarot deck, which can be found here.

Cons of This Deck

Here are a few cons to starting with this deck:

1. Non-traditional imagery: While you’ll get to know this deck well and understand the meanings of the cards while working with it, transitioning to a traditional deck later will become more complicated as the imagery is completely different.
2. You have to be able to read roman numerals: As mentioned above, the minor arcana cards do not have the names included — they’re labeled with only the roman numeral (I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X) — so if you struggle to read them, you’re going to want to skip this deck (especially if you plan on reading for others).

The Modern Witch Tarot Deck by Lisa Sterle

The tarot has been having a moment lately, and The Modern Witch Tarot Deck is the perfect tarot deck for those who are looking to jump on the tarot bandwagon. If you’re new to tarot, this deck is a great place to start because it includes a guidebook to get you started.

This tarot deck is incredibly stylish, with vibrant colors and modern imagery. It’s also inclusive, featuring people of all genders, races, and body types. Lisa Sterle did an amazing job of making this tarot deck accessible to everyone.

Pros of This Deck

Here are some pros to starting with this deck:

1. It’s very stylish: The Modern Witch Tarot Deck is one of the most stylish tarot decks I’ve ever seen. If you’re looking for a tarot deck that you’ll actually want to show off, this is a perfect choice.
2. It’s inclusive: This tarot deck features people of all genders, races, and body types, which is something that is often lacking in tarot decks.
3. A good guidebook: Like the other decks on this list, this one comes with a guidebook to help you get started with learning the card meanings.

Cons of This Deck

Here is the only con to starting with this deck:

1. The card stock isn’t the best: One downside of this tarot deck is that the cardstock is very flimsy and feels like it could easily be bent or damaged.

How To Choose The Best Tarot Card Deck For You

Every tarot reader has their own preference for the decks they work with.

You might find that the first one you buy is hard to connect with. You might find that it’s the only deck you use for years and years. Only you can be sure.

I recommend choosing a deck created for beginning readers, then expanding your deck collection as you feel called to.

I personally started with the Celtic Tarot by Llewellyn, and didn’t touch another deck for almost 15 years. Yes, that’s an extreme amount of time to go without buying any other tarot decks (and I’ve more than made up for it in the last 5 years or so), but the deck I had suited me well for that length of time. I only started expanding my collection once I started dabbling in doing readings for others.

This is your journey. You get to decide when to buy a deck, or when not to; when to stick to a single deck, or when to start a collection. Your readings, your choice.

Some Tips On Working With The Tarot Cards

Whichever deck you choose to get started with, you’ll want to keep a few things in mind as you begin asking questions and pulling cards.

The Tarot Is Not Infallible

The tarot cards are there as a guide, but they are not all-knowing. They can give you some clarity and guidance on your situation, but they shouldn’t be taken as gospel. The tarot is a tool to help you get in touch with your intuition and find your own answers.

Keep Your Questions Open-Ended

The tarot cards aren’t meant to give you a yes or no answer. Instead, they’ll offer more nuanced insights that will require you to interpret them in the context of your question.

This Isn’t About Telling The Future

The tarot cards are not meant to be used for fortune telling. Instead, they should be used as a way to gain insights into your current situation and see what options are available to you.

You Can Become a Professional Tarot Reader — Or Not

If you find that you’re really enjoying working with tarot cards and want to take your skills to the next level, there’s nothing stopping you from becoming a professional tarot reader. But it’s not necessary — tarot can be a great tool for personal growth, even if you never read for anyone but yourself.

Final Thoughts — Tarot Decks for Beginners

I hope this article has helped you narrow down your tarot deck choices and given you some tips on how to get started reading tarot cards. If you have any questions, feel free to leave them in the comments below.

And if you’re looking for more tarot resources, check out some of the other posts on my blog, like these 9 Tarot Spreads for Clarity.

Happy tarot-ing!