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Pokémon card scanner
Pokémon Card Scanner & Value App for iPhone
TCG Vault is a Pokémon card scanner for iPhone. Point the camera at a card and it identifies it — name, set, number and rarity — and shows its current market price from TCGplayer data, refreshed daily. Add the card to a collection and the app keeps a running total of what the collection is worth.
It covers English-language Pokémon sets from the 1999 Base Set to the current Mega Evolution series, plus 11 other card games. The app is free to download and scans 3 cards a day for free; a premium subscription unlocks unlimited scanning, price history charts, multiple collections and TCGplayer links.
Download on iOS 4.6★ from 105 ratings on the US App Store · iPhone, iOS 16+
How to scan a Pokémon card with TCG Vault
Three steps, a few seconds each. Recognition runs on your iPhone; camera images are not stored.
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Step 1
Point the camera at the card
Open the scanner, pick Pokémon in the game menu at the top and hold the card flat inside the frame. TCG Vault reads the printed name and card number right on your iPhone.
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Step 2
Get the match and the price
The app matches what it read against its card database and opens the card: set, number, rarity and the current market price from TCGplayer data, refreshed daily.
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Step 3
Add it to a collection
Save the card with a quantity and the collection total updates. Because prices refresh daily, the total follows the market without you re-scanning.
What you see after a scan
Every scan opens the card’s own screen. Here is what it shows, with the values from the Mega Sharpedo ex screenshot above.
- Name and number
- Mega Sharpedo ex · 127/094 The card as it is printed, so you can check the match.
- Set
- ME02: Phantasmal Flames The expansion the card belongs to.
- Rarity
- Special Illustration Rare From common to secret rare.
- Market price
- $31.36 TCGplayer market data, refreshed daily, in USD or any of 30+ currencies.
- Price history
- 1M · 3M · 6M How the price moved over one, three and six months (Premium).
- Collection total
- Quantity × price Every card you save adds to the collection’s running value.
In Auto mode the scanner keeps going as you swap cards and flags duplicates; Manual mode scans one card per tap. With Premium, a direct link opens the same card on TCGplayer, where you can buy or sell it.
Which Pokémon sets TCG Vault covers
TCG Vault’s Pokémon catalog is the English-language one, built from TCGplayer’s product data — the same source as its prices. In September 2026 it holds 258 sets and promo groups, from the 1999 Base Set through the Mega Evolution series, including promos, trainer kits and special sets.
| Era | Examples in the catalog |
|---|---|
| Wizards of the Coast (1999–2003) | Base Set (incl. Shadowless), Jungle, Fossil, Team Rocket, Gym Heroes, Neo Genesis, Expedition, Skyridge |
| EX (2003–2007) | EX Ruby and Sapphire, EX Team Rocket Returns, EX Delta Species, EX Dragon Frontiers, EX Power Keepers |
| Diamond & Pearl to HeartGold SoulSilver (2007–2011) | Diamond and Pearl, Majestic Dawn, Platinum, Arceus, HeartGold SoulSilver, Triumphant, Call of Legends |
| Black & White (2011–2013) | Black and White, Next Destinies, Dragons Exalted, Plasma Storm, Legendary Treasures |
| XY (2014–2016) | XY Base Set, Primal Clash, Roaring Skies, Generations, Evolutions |
| Sun & Moon (2017–2019) | Guardians Rising, Burning Shadows, Lost Thunder, Hidden Fates, Cosmic Eclipse |
| Sword & Shield (2020–2023) | Vivid Voltage, Evolving Skies, Brilliant Stars, Lost Origin, Crown Zenith |
| Scarlet & Violet (2023–2025) | 151, Paldean Fates, Surging Sparks, Prismatic Evolutions, Destined Rivals, Black Bolt, White Flare |
| Mega Evolution (2025–today) | Mega Evolution, Phantasmal Flames, Ascended Heroes, Perfect Order, Chaos Rising, Pitch Black |
- Vintage: Base Set cards have no set symbol, and Base Set, Shadowless and 1st Edition copies are priced separately — check the version before you save a card.
- Modern: from Scarlet & Violet on, cards print a three-letter set code next to the number (PAL, OBF, PFL…), which makes a modern card quick to pin down.
- Not covered: Japanese cards. New English sets are added as TCGplayer lists them; if a just-released card doesn’t match, search for it by name in the app.
Set lists with prices are on our Pokémon sets pages.
How to get accurate scans
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01
Get rid of glare
Holos, full arts and glossy sleeves reflect light. Use even light and move the lamp rather than the card; turn on the flash only when the room is dark.
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02
Keep the card flat and fully in frame
A card at an angle or cut off at the edge gives the scanner less text to read.
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03
Leave the name and number readable
The scanner reads printed text. A thumb over the bottom corner or a worn number can make a scan miss.
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04
Choose Pokémon before you scan
The game menu sits at the top of the scanner. With the wrong game selected, a Pokémon card has nothing to match.
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05
Try another zoom level
If a small or busy card won’t read, switch zoom and hold the phone a little further back.
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06
Check the version before you save
Base Set comes in 1st Edition, Shadowless and Unlimited; most modern cards come as normal, holo and reverse holo. Each version has its own price.
For stacks, switch to Auto mode and swap cards in front of the camera. The full walkthrough is in how to scan Pokémon cards.
TCG Vault vs other Pokémon scanner apps
We make TCG Vault, so here are four alternatives with the facts their developers publish — including where they beat us.
| App | Scanning on the free plan | Paid plan (US App Store) | Games | Platforms | App Store rating (count) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TCG Vault (ours) | 3 scans a day; unlimited with Premium | Premium, weekly or yearly (price shown in the app) | 12 | iPhone only (iOS 16+) | 4.6 (105) |
| TCGplayer | Free; no in-app purchases listed | None listed | Every game sold on TCGplayer | iPhone, Android | 4.1 (14,816) |
| Rare Candy | Free: “scan your entire collection for free” | None listed | 6: Pokémon, Magic, One Piece, Lorcana, Gundam, Riftbound | iPhone, Android | 4.7 (4,928) |
| Collectr | Limited; unlimited scanning is PRO | PRO $7.99/mo or $59.99/yr | 25+ | iPhone, Android, web | 4.9 (65,266) |
| Dex | Not included; the scanner is part of Dex+ | Dex+ from $3.99/mo | Pokémon only | iPhone, Android, web | 4.8 (13,663) |
- Unlimited scanning without paying? TCGplayer’s app and Rare Candy both advertise free scanning.
- Graded slabs and sealed product? Collectr tracks raw, graded and sealed items across 25+ games.
- Chasing master sets? Dex tracks every variant, but its scanner is part of Dex+.
- On iPhone and collecting more than Pokémon? That is what TCG Vault is built for: scan, price and collection across 12 games.
Eight apps, with what each is best for: best Pokémon card scanner apps, compared.
Sources — checked
- TCGplayer: App Store listing (US)
- TCGplayer: Google Play listing
- Rare Candy: App Store listing (US)
- Rare Candy: get.rarecandy.com
- Rare Candy: Google Play listing
- Collectr: App Store listing (US)
- Collectr: getcollectr.com/pro
- Collectr: Google Play listing
- Dex: App Store listing (US)
- Dex: dextcg.com (pricing)
- Dex: Google Play listing
Pokémon card scanner FAQ
Is there a free Pokémon card scanner app?
Yes. TCG Vault is free to download and includes 3 scans a day, market prices and one collection; a premium subscription removes the scan limit and adds price history charts, more collections and TCGplayer links. If you want unlimited scanning without a subscription, the TCGplayer app and Rare Candy both advertise free scanning.
Can TCG Vault scan Japanese Pokémon cards?
Not at the moment. TCG Vault's Pokémon catalog covers English-language cards: 258 sets and promo groups, from the 1999 Base Set to the current Mega Evolution series. Japanese cards, including Japan-only sets, aren't available in the app.
Does TCG Vault show PSA or other graded values?
No. TCG Vault shows the market price of ungraded cards from TCGplayer data. If graded values matter to you, PokeScope lists PSA, BGS and CGC prices, and Collectr tracks graded cards in its portfolio.
Why did my card match the wrong version?
Many Pokémon cards share a name, artwork or even a number across sets and printings. Base Set alone comes in 1st Edition, Shadowless and Unlimited, and most modern cards exist as normal, holo and reverse holo copies. Check the set and number TCG Vault shows against your card before you save it, because each version is priced separately.
Can I scan a whole stack of Pokémon cards?
Yes. In Auto mode the scanner keeps going as each new card comes into frame and flags duplicates, so a card isn’t added twice by accident. Manual mode scans one card per tap if you’d rather check every result. Scanning a big stack is where Premium’s unlimited scanning matters.
Are the prices in TCG Vault the same as on TCGplayer?
They come from TCGplayer market data and refresh daily, so they follow TCGplayer closely but can trail a fast-moving card by up to a day. Treat them as a guide to what a card sells for, not an offer: condition and the exact version you hold still decide the real price.
Questions about billing, privacy or collections are answered in the main FAQ.
Keep going
- Pokémon card value lookup Look up a card’s price by name and number, right in your browser.
- Pokémon sets and card lists Set lists with card prices and the chase cards of each set.
- How to scan Pokémon cards with your phone A step-by-step guide, with fixes for cards that won’t scan.
- Best Pokémon card scanner apps, compared Eight apps side by side: price, free plan, games and ratings.
Card scanners for the other games
Collectors rate us 4.6
Scan your first Pokémon card.
Point your iPhone at a card and TCG Vault shows what it is and what it’s worth — then keeps your collection’s total up to date.
Download on iOS