The main difference between tarot and oracle cards is structure. A tarot deck always has 78 cards in the same pattern: 22 Major Arcana and 56 Minor Arcana in four suits. An oracle deck has no fixed rules, so each one has its own number of cards, themes and messages, chosen by its creator.
What is a tarot deck?
Tarot has a long and well-documented past. The earliest surviving decks were made in fifteenth-century Italy for a card game, and it was only from the late eighteenth century that people in France and then Britain began to use them widely for divination. The structure has stayed remarkably steady ever since.
Every tarot deck shares the same bones:
- The Major Arcana: 22 cards, from The Fool to The World, often read as the big turning points and lessons of a life.
- The Minor Arcana: 56 cards in four suits, usually Cups, Wands, Swords and Pentacles, which speak to everyday feelings, energy, thoughts and practical matters.
- The court cards: Page, Knight, Queen and King in each suit, often read as people or as ways of being.
Because the framework is shared, what you learn with one tarot deck carries over to the next. Artwork changes, from the classic imagery of the Traditional Arcana Tarot to the softer, goddess-led pictures of the Goddess Arcana Tarot, but The Empress is still The Empress. If you would like to start learning the cards one by one, our guide on how to read tarot for beginners is a good next step.
What is an oracle deck?
Oracle cards are freer. A deck might hold 36 cards or 60, built around angels, crystals, plants, the sea or the moon. Each card usually carries a word or short phrase alongside its picture, and the guidebook explains the creator's intention for it. There are no suits, no fixed sequence and no expectation that one oracle deck will match another.
That freedom is part of the charm. A deck such as Ethereal Waters Oracle Cards leans into water and moonlight, while The Spellbook Oracle Cards draws on hedge craft and the turning year. Many people find oracle cards gentle and encouraging, and easy to pick up on a busy morning.
Tarot and oracle cards side by side
| Tarot cards | Oracle cards | |
|---|---|---|
| Number of cards | Always 78 | Varies by deck, often 30 to 60 |
| Structure | Major Arcana, Minor Arcana, four suits, court cards | No fixed structure; themes chosen by the creator |
| Learning curve | Steadier, but knowledge transfers between decks | Quick to start; each deck learnt fresh |
| Tone | Reflects the full range of life, light and shadow | Often uplifting and affirming |
| Best for | Detailed spreads and deeper reflection | Daily guidance, affirmations and quick insight |
| Reading style | Card meanings plus intuition | Mostly intuition and the guidebook |
How to choose between tarot and oracle cards
Neither is better. They simply suit different moods and different people. A few gentle questions can help:
- Do you enjoy learning a system? If you like the idea of slowly getting to know 78 cards and the way they speak to each other, tarot rewards that patience.
- Do you want something to use today? Oracle cards ask very little of you at the start. Shuffle, draw, read the message, and see how it sits with you.
- Do you prefer nuance or encouragement? Tarot includes harder cards such as the Ten of Swords or The Tower, which can be useful for honest reflection. Oracle decks tend to keep a softer voice.
- Which artwork draws you in? Spend a little time with the pictures. You will be looking at them often, so choose a deck you find beautiful.
If you are buying as a gift, a boxed tarot set such as the Let the Magic Begin Gold Foil Tarot makes a lovely first deck, while an oracle deck is a kind choice for someone who simply wants a little daily encouragement. You can browse both in our tarot and oracle decks collection.
Using tarot and oracle cards together
Many readers keep one of each and use them side by side. It is a calm, flexible way to work:
- Lay out your tarot spread first. A simple three-card reading works well; our guide to simple tarot spreads has several to try.
- Read the tarot cards and note what stands out.
- Draw one oracle card as a theme or a gentle piece of advice for the whole reading.
- Write down how the oracle card colours what the tarot has shown you.
The two decks also tend to answer different kinds of question. Tarot is good at showing the moving parts of a situation: what is pushing, what is holding back, where the tension sits. Oracle cards are good at offering a single, clear note to hold on to. Put together, you get both the detail and the heart of the matter.
A first reading with each deck
If you have both decks in front of you and are not sure where to start, try this. Shuffle your tarot deck and draw one card for "What is asking for my attention?" Sit with the picture for a minute before reading the guidebook. Then shuffle your oracle deck and draw one card for "How can I meet it kindly?" Read its message and notice how the two cards talk to each other. You may find the tarot card names something you already half knew, and the oracle card offers a softer way to approach it. Write both cards down, with the date, and look back at the end of the week.
Some people also draw an oracle card on its own each morning, then sit down with tarot when a question needs more room. Other tools fit in nicely too: a pendulum can help you choose which card to explore first (see how to use a pendulum), and many people like to time a fresh deck or a longer reading to the moon, which our guide to moon phases explained covers.
How to look after your cards
Cards are handled often, so a little care keeps them lovely for years.
Storing your deck
A wooden box keeps cards flat, clean and away from damp. Many come with a card holder in the lid so you can display a daily card, such as the Three Section Tarot Box with Card Holder, which has room for more than one deck. A pouch also works well for carrying cards in a bag.
Reading on a cloth
A reading cloth gives you a clean, soft surface and marks out a quiet space for the reading. The Tree of Life Tarot Reading Cloth is a popular choice, and there are more tarot boxes, cloths and trays to suit your altar or table.
Clearing your cards
Many practitioners like to clear a new or much-used deck. Simple ways include knocking on the deck three times, shuffling thoroughly, leaving it under the full moon, or resting a crystal such as clear quartz on top overnight. If you use incense smoke, keep the cards a safe distance from the burner, use a heatproof holder and never leave it unattended.
Bring it home
Whether you choose the steady structure of tarot or the open voice of an oracle deck, the best cards are the ones you enjoy using. Explore our tarot, runes and divination collection, or take the Ritual Finder if you would like a gentle nudge towards a deck that suits you.
Questions and answers
Can a beginner use oracle cards instead of tarot?
Yes. Oracle cards are often the easiest place to begin, because each card carries a short message and the guidebook explains it. There is no system to learn first, so you can start reading straight away. Many people begin with oracle cards and add tarot later, once they feel ready for a deck with more structure.
Do you have to be given your first tarot deck?
This is a popular piece of folklore, but most modern readers happily choose and buy their own deck. Picking cards whose artwork you love is a good way to start, because you will spend a lot of time with them. If someone gives you a deck as a gift, that is lovely too.
How many cards are in an oracle deck?
It depends on the deck. Oracle cards have no fixed structure, so the creator decides how many to include. Many decks hold somewhere between 30 and 60 cards, each with its own image and message. The guidebook that comes with the deck will explain how the cards are meant to be read.
Can you read tarot and oracle cards at the same time?
Yes, and many readers do. A common approach is to lay out a tarot spread first, then draw a single oracle card as an overall theme or piece of advice for the reading. The two decks work in different ways, so together they can give you a fuller picture to reflect on.
How should I store my tarot cards?
Keep them somewhere clean, dry and flat, such as a wooden tarot box or a soft pouch. Wrapping them in a reading cloth is a traditional choice. Avoid damp rooms and direct sunlight, which can warp or fade the cards. Many people keep their deck on or near their altar between readings.
