Best Tarot Cards for Beginners: 5 Decks That Make Learning Easy

Ready to dive into the world of tarot but feeling overwhelmed by endless deck choices? You're not alone! The excitement of starting your spiritual journey can quickly turn into confusion when faced with thousands of beautiful, yet complex decks. Choosing the wrong first deck—one without clear imagery or a solid guidebook—can stall your progress before you even lay your first spread. This guide, curated by experienced tarot practitioners and featured on DecksMarket, highlights the 5 best tarot cards for beginners. These carefully selected decks offer clarity, intuitive learning, and confidence-building right from the start. Whether you’re exploring classic symbolism, modern artwork, or themed decks, these picks help you learn tarot effectively while enjoying the journey.

The 5 Best Tarot & Oracle Decks for Beginners

These five decks are highly recommended for new readers, combining clarity, intuitive design, and guidance:

1. The Essential Foundation: The Original Rider-Waite-Smith (RWS)

Why it Works: The most famous tarot deck in the world, forming the foundation for 90% of modern decks. Learning its imagery helps you intuitively read almost any other deck.
Key Feature for Beginners: Every card tells a vivid story. For instance, the Three of Swords shows three swords piercing a heart, clearly illustrating betrayal or heartbreak.
Recommendation: Start with the original RWS or a faithful reproduction, such as the Vintage Classic Tarot.

2. The "Cheat Sheet" Deck: Cards with Keywords
Why it Works: Keywords printed directly on the cards reduce the need to constantly look up meanings, helping beginners focus on reading flow and gain confidence quickly.
Key Feature for Beginners: Upright and reversed keywords or short phrases appear on the card face, clarifying the difference between Major Arcana (big life lessons) and Minor Arcana (day-to-day issues).
Suggestion from Our Experts: Try beginner-friendly modern decks, like the OH HELL NAH Love Oracle Cards, which feature intuitive designs and easy-to-read cues.

3. The Modern & Intuitive Deck: Contemporary RWS Clones
Why it Works: Decks like the Modern Witch Tarot (or similar clones) use diverse, modern artwork, making ancient archetypes relatable in everyday life.
Key Feature for Beginners: Emotional connection through approachable art helps build intuition, making lessons easier to understand.
Recommended Decks: Career & Life Oracle Cards and other modern, intuitive decks make learning engaging and relevant.

4. The Starter Kit: Deck + Comprehensive Workbook
Why it Works: These kits provide a full learning experience with a deck, guidebook, and sometimes a cloth or accessories. They offer a structured approach to tarot practice.
Key Feature for Beginners: Step-by-step guidance through spreads and journaling exercises ensures solid foundational learning. The Black Gold Tarot Deck Set is a perfect example of a complete starter kit.

5. The Themed Deck: Specialized or Passion-Driven Designs
Why it Works: Themed decks—like cats, nature, or fantasy—make abstract tarot concepts easier to grasp by connecting emotionally with the user.
Key Feature for Beginners: Emotional resonance helps you intuitively understand card meanings. For example, a card featuring a “wise old owl” may instantly convey the essence of The Hierophant.
Recommended Decks: Daydream Tarot Cards and other themed decks bring fun and creativity while aiding intuitive learning.

What Makes Tarot Cards for Beginners "Easy"?

Not every deck is built for teaching. To ensure your first deck is a supportive learning tool, here are the non-negotiable criteria we use to evaluate tarot cards for beginners (our EEAT criteria for expertise):

Criteria Explanation Benefit for Beginners
Clear Visual Imagery (Scenic Pips) The numbered cards of the Minor Arcana (Aces through 10s) must show little scenes or stories, not just a layout of symbols (like playing cards). Helps you immediately grasp the card's meaning through storytelling rather than pure memorization.
Comprehensive Guidebook The deck must come with a detailed, well-written book (not just a pamphlet) that covers upright, reversed, and key symbolism. Provides trusted reference material specific to the deck’s artwork.
Rider-Waite-Smith (RWS) Basis The deck's imagery should be closely related to the RWS system, which is the foundation for almost all modern tarot. Makes it easy to find external resources (videos, articles, cheat sheets) that use the same core symbolism.
Quality Card Stock The cards should be durable and easy to handle. Promotes a deeper connection and allows for easy shuffling and frequent practice.

 

Your First Steps: Pro Tips for New Readers

Once you have your first deck of tarot cards for beginners, use these tips to start practicing:

  • Don't Memorize, Internalize: Instead of trying to list ten keywords for every card, look at the image and ask yourself: "What story is this picture telling? How does it make me feel?" The image itself is the key to the card's meaning.
  • Start Simple with Daily Draws: Resist the urge to dive into complex spreads like the Celtic Cross. Begin with a single "Card of the Day." Ask, "What do I need to know today?" and journal how that card's meaning played out in your actual day.
  • Journaling is Key: Keep a tarot journal. Write down your question, the cards you drew, and your initial interpretation. Revisit your entry later to confirm how accurate you were. This is how you train your intuition.
  • Trust Your Gut: If a card's meaning in the guidebook feels "off" for a specific reading, trust the feeling, symbol, or color that jumps out at you. The cards are a mirror, and your intuition is the interpreter.

Ready to find your first deck? Explore all the tarot cards for beginners mentioned here and more at DecksMarket!

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