Charizard vs Charmeleon
Charizard (Dragon) and Charmeleon (Dragon) are frequently compared because they belong to the same evolution line. This page breaks down which one is the better buy right now.
Current TCGPlayer market prices put the two at $781.65 for Charizard and $85.00 for Charmeleon — a gap of $696.65 (820%). Prices update daily, and the two charts below show how each has moved.
Stat comparison
| Market price | $781.65 | $85.00 |
| Set | Dragon | Dragon |
| Number | #100 | #99 |
| HP | 120 | 70 |
| Type | Fire | Fire |
| Subtypes | Stage 2 | Stage 1 |
| Retreat cost | 2 | 1 |
| Rarity | Rare Secret | Rare Secret |
Price history
Price History
Price History
Which should you buy?
When comparing Charizard (Dragon #100) against Charmeleon (Dragon #99), the most immediate difference is price. Charizard currently trades at roughly $781.65 while Charmeleon sits near $85.00 — a gap of about $696.65 (820%). That spread alone is often the deciding factor for buyers weighing the two. On raw HP, Charizard edges the comparison at 120 to the other card's 70 — a meaningful margin for trading hits and surviving chip damage. Both are Fire-type Pokémon, which means they compete for the same energy slots and archetype shells. Running both in the same deck is usually overkill unless the strategy specifically wants redundancy. Charizard evolves directly from Charmeleon, so the two are not really "competing" cards — they sit on the same evolution line, with the basic feeding into the evolution. Collectors often want both to complete the line. For buyers, the practical question is usually about use-case. If you are chasing value or planning to flip, the cheaper card carries less downside risk. If you are building a deck, the shared-deck or evolution relationship matters more than the sticker price. And for collectors, the two printings or variants together tend to form a more complete set than either alone. Always check the live TCGPlayer and Amazon listings before buying, since prices move.
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Frequently asked questions
Which is more expensive, Charizard or Charmeleon?
Charizard (Dragon) is more expensive at $781.65, versus $85.00 for Charmeleon (Dragon) — a difference of $696.65 (820%). Prices refresh daily from TCGPlayer market data.
Are Charizard and Charmeleon used in the same decks?
Not in the archetypes tracked on this site. They may still see play in rogue or tournament-specific builds that aren't listed here.
Which is more recent?
Both were released in 2003, from Dragon and Dragon respectively.
Where should I buy Charizard or Charmeleon?
Both cards are typically available on TCGPlayer (the largest individual-card marketplace) and Amazon (where sealed product and bundles dominate). Use the buy links above to see live listings by condition and seller.