Best Pokémon card scanner apps in 2026, compared
Mint, Collectr, Dex, PokeScope, Dragon Shield, PriceCharting, Rare Candy, Pokellector and TCG Collector compared on scanning, price sources, free tier and price, with sources for every fact.
Updated
Nine apps collectors actually use to scan Pokémon cards and track what they are worth, compared on the things that decide the choice. Short version: Mint and Dex are the only two with true multi-card scanning; Mint and Dragon Shield are the only two showing both CardMarket (EUR) and TCGPlayer (USD) prices; Mint is the only one with AI condition grading; Collectr has by far the most ratings and covers 25+ games; Rare Candy is fully free; TCG Collector has no scanner at all.
| App | Platforms | Rating (count) | Scanning | Price sources | Free tier | Paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mint | iOS, iPadOS (26+) | 4.3 (8) US · 4.8 (24) DE | Single + multi-card (Deck Sweep™), AI grading (Pro) | CardMarket EUR, TCGPlayer USD, PSA graded | 20 scans/month, 200 cards, 1 binder, 3 alerts | $6.99/mo, $39.99/yr, $59.99 lifetime |
| Collectr | iOS, Android, web | 4.9 (65,043) | Single; multi-card reported by reviewers, not documented | "Real sales data", sources not named | Limited scans (count not published) | $7.99/mo, $59.99/yr |
| Dex | iOS, Android, web | 4.8 (13,621) | Single + stack scanning, both Dex+ only | TCGPlayer, CardMarket, CardTrader, eBay | Unlimited cards, no scanner, 3 folders | $3.99/mo, $34.99/yr, $109 lifetime |
| PokeScope | iOS, Android | 4.6 (2,751) | Single, through sleeves | eBay sales, graded PSA/BGS/CGC, other sources not named | Capped scans (reviewers: ~5/day) | $7.99/week, $24.99/yr |
| Dragon Shield | iOS, Android | 4.6 (13,816) | Single, any language | TCGPlayer, CardMarket, 30-day history | Free with ads | $3.99/mo, $39.99/yr |
| PriceCharting | iOS, Android, web | 4.8 (26,482) | Photo search, single | Own guide from eBay, Heritage, PWCC sales (USD) | 30 tracked items, 3 folders | $5.99/mo, $59.99/yr |
| Rare Candy | iOS, Android | 4.7 (4,392) | Single, raw and slabs | Not named on official pages | Fully free (marketplace-funded) | None |
| Pokellector | iOS, Android, web | 4.7 (3,752) | QR-code scanner; image scan weak | Not named | Ads and limits | Not listed on the App Store; reviewers cite ~$60/yr |
| TCG Collector | Web, Android wrapper (no iOS app) | n/a (Play 3.9, 110) | None | Not stated | 1 list, 300 cards | Premium, roughly $40/yr (price rendered client-side) |
What each app is best at
- Mint: digitizing a binder fast (one photo per page), European collectors who need CardMarket euros next to TCGPlayer dollars, PSA graded prices, and a condition estimate before paying for grading. Trade-off: iOS only, Pokémon only, Japanese sets not yet supported, and a small number of ratings because it launched in October 2025.
- Collectr: the biggest community and the widest game coverage (25+ TCGs plus sports). Trade-off: prices sources are not named, multi-card scanning is not an official feature, and cataloguing a large collection needs the $7.99/month plan.
- Dex: the richest free tier for browsing and checklist tracking, 12 interface languages, Japanese and Chinese sets. Trade-off: the camera scanner itself is behind Dex+, and reviewers call it beta-quality.
- PokeScope: simple single-card scanning with eBay sold data. Trade-off: weekly billing, small free allowance, weak European coverage.
- Dragon Shield: mature, free with ads, reads cards in any language. Trade-off: no bulk scan, no grading, basic collection analytics.
- PriceCharting: the deepest sold-price history for graded cards, and it covers video games and comics too. Trade-off: US prices only, no scanner in the usual sense, restricted free tier.
- Rare Candy: unlimited free scanning, funded by its marketplace. Trade-off: USD only, price sources not named, recognition misses on tricky variants.
- Pokellector: the classic set checklist with Japanese sets. Trade-off: last updated in 2024, ads, not a pricing or scanning tool.
- TCG Collector: the most detailed variant-level checklist on the web. Trade-off: no app, no scanner, prices behind Premium.
How to choose
- You have a shoebox to digitize: pick an app with bulk scanning (Mint's Deck Sweep™ on iOS; Dex's stack scan with Dex+).
- You buy and sell in Europe: you need CardMarket prices in euros (Mint, Dex, Dragon Shield).
- You care about graded cards: PSA sale prices matter (Mint, PokeScope, PriceCharting, Rare Candy).
- You collect several games: Collectr, TCGLens or PriceCharting.
- You are on Android: Mint is out; Collectr, Dex, Dragon Shield, PokeScope and Rare Candy all have Android apps.
How this comparison was made
Facts were taken from each app's own App Store listing, in-app purchase list and website on 2026-09-17 (links in the sources list). Ratings are the US App Store. Where a vendor does not publish a fact it is marked n/a rather than guessed. Mint is our app, so the trade-offs section spells out where the others win. Corrections: josh@getmint.app.
- Mint: App Store listing, pricing
- Collectr: Pro page, App Store
- Dex: dextcg.com, App Store
- PokeScope: App Store
- Dragon Shield: App Store
- PriceCharting: plans
- Rare Candy: App Store
- Pokellector: App Store
- TCG Collector: Premium page
Disclosure: this page is published by the maker of Mint. Every claim about another app links to that app's own public page, and the section on where each app is stronger is written to be fair. Prices are US App Store prices on 2026-09-17 and change without notice.