Frequently asked questions
Short, factual answers. If yours is not here, email us and we will add it.
Answers last reviewed on September 4, 2026.
Scanning and identification
How does SnapCard identify a card?
You photograph the front of the card, and optionally the back. The app finds the card's edges, sends the image to SnapCard's recognition service, and matches it to a specific player, set, year, card number and parallel. The result appears in a few seconds.
What kinds of cards can I scan?
Sports cards for baseball, basketball, football, soccer, hockey, golf, tennis, boxing and wrestling, and trading card game cards for Pokémon, Magic: The Gathering and Yu-Gi-Oh!. Graded slabs from PSA, BGS, SGC and CGC are read from the label.
Can I scan several cards at once?
No. SnapCard scans one card per photo. There is no binder-page or bulk scanning mode. Scanning a card takes about ten seconds, and every scan is saved to your collection automatically.
Does scanning work without an internet connection?
Scanning needs a connection, because recognition and pricing run on SnapCard's servers. Your saved collection is stored on the phone and can be browsed offline.
What if the app identifies the wrong card?
Retake the photo in better light with the whole card in frame, including the borders. If the match is still wrong, you can edit the card's details and override its price by hand inside the collection.
Does it recognise Japanese Pokémon cards or foreign-language sports cards?
Often, but not always. Recognition is strongest on English-language cards from the major manufacturers. Japanese Pokémon cards and non-English sports issues may match to their English equivalent or need manual correction.
Values and prices
Where do SnapCard's card values come from?
From recorded sales on eBay, Goldin, Heritage Auctions, PWCC and Pristine Auction. For each card the app shows recent sales, the average, the low and the high, and a demand trend of Rising, Falling or Stable.
Why is the value shown as an estimate?
Because a card is worth what the next buyer pays, and that changes with condition, timing and the venue. The estimate summarises what the same card has recently sold for; the individual sales are shown so you can judge which ones apply to yours.
Why does my card show a different price from an eBay listing?
Listings are asking prices, and many never sell. SnapCard uses completed sales. A card listed at $200 that has been sitting unsold for a month is not a $200 card.
Does the value account for the card's condition?
Raw and graded sales are shown separately, and graded sales are broken out by grade. Use the condition estimate to decide which graded sales are the right comparison for your card.
Are prices shown in my local currency?
Sales are shown as the marketplace recorded them, which for the sources SnapCard uses is almost always US dollars. Collectors outside the US should apply the current exchange rate.
Grading and condition
How does the AI grade estimate work?
The app examines centering, corners, edges and surface in the front and back photos and returns an estimated grade on the PSA 1 to 10 scale, with the findings that drove it. It is an opinion to guide a submission decision, not a professional grade.
Is the grade estimate the same as a PSA grade?
No. Only PSA, BGS, SGC or CGC can assign the grade that appears on a slab. Estimates and professional grades most often differ on surface issues, which photographs can hide.
Can SnapCard read a card that is already graded?
Yes. Scan the slab and the app reads the grading company, the grade and the certification number from the label, then prices the card from graded sales at that grade.
Should I grade my card?
Compare the raw price with the graded price at the grade the estimate suggests, then subtract the grading fee, shipping both ways and the selling fee. If what is left is not clearly more than the raw price, keep the card raw.
Collection and sync
What does the collection do?
Every scan is saved with its identification and current value. You can search by player, set or card number, sort six ways, group cards into binders, record what you paid and when, and see the portfolio's total value, card count, highest-value card and average.
Does my collection sync between my iPhone and iPad?
With SnapCard Pro, yes, through your own iCloud account. There is no SnapCard account: the app never asks for an email or a password, and iCloud is the only place the collection is copied.
Can I export my collection to a spreadsheet?
Not yet. There is no CSV export today and no price alerts or push notifications. If either matters to you, tell us by email so we can weigh it.
Pricing and subscription
Is SnapCard free?
SnapCard is free to download and try. SnapCard Pro adds unlimited scans, the full condition analysis, the collection manager and iCloud sync.
How much does SnapCard Pro cost?
$7.99 per week or $39.99 per year, billed through the App Store. There is no monthly plan. Any trial offer is shown in the app before you subscribe.
How do I cancel my subscription?
Subscriptions are managed by Apple. Open Settings on your iPhone, tap your name, tap Subscriptions, choose SnapCard and tap Cancel Subscription. Access continues until the end of the paid period.
How do I restore a purchase on a new phone?
Install SnapCard, open the Pro screen and tap Restore Purchases while signed in to the same Apple Account that bought the subscription.
Privacy and device
What data does SnapCard collect?
Card photos are sent to SnapCard's servers to be identified. The app asks for tracking permission on first launch and only reads the advertising identifier if you allow it. The privacy policy on this site describes the details.
Which devices does SnapCard run on?
iPhone and iPad running iOS 17 or later. There is no Android version and no web version of the scanner.
What languages is the app available in?
English, Arabic, German, Spanish, French, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Swedish and Traditional Chinese. The app follows your iPhone's language setting.
Still have a question?
Email hi@impulsiolabs.com and a person will answer, usually within a working day.
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