Best TCG card scanner apps for iPhone
Five card scanner apps for iPhone compared on the games they scan, how they handle foils and variants, where prices come from and what the privacy label says, with App Store facts.
GunTomo is made by Lucernel.
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Short answer
If you collect several games, TCG Vault and HoloDex are the two scanners here that name the Gundam Card Game among their games, with TCG Vault naming its price sources, TCGplayer and Cardmarket. If you collect the Gundam Card Game only, GunTomo is built for it and reads the exact version.
Choose this if
Choose GunTomo for Gundam cards when the exact version matters, and you want the scan to stay on the device.
Choose TCG Vault or HoloDex for several games today, or FoilSnap if
Foil detection is the feature you want.
The picks
GunTomo
Best for Gundam Card Game collectors who need the exact versionSee the official app page for current pricing.Made by Lucernel
Reads the card code on the device, so photos are not uploaded, tells LR, LR+, LR++, parallel and promo versions apart, shows the market price of that version from public TCGplayer data and adds the card to a collection valued by set.
- Good
- Reads the card code locally; photos are not uploaded
- Detects the exact variant, including parallels and promos
- Scan, confirm, add and scan the next card in a fast loop
- Prices from public TCGplayer data, in your currency
- Watch out for
- Gundam Card Game only, no other games
- iPhone only
TCG Vault
Best for several games including Gundam, with named price sourcesFree download, 3 free scans a day; Premium listed at $49.99 a year, with weekly options at $4.99 and $6.99
Identifies a card from its artwork and values the collection with daily prices from TCGplayer in US dollars and Cardmarket in euros. It scans Pokémon, Magic, Yu-Gi-Oh!, One Piece, Lorcana, the Gundam Card Game and Riftbound, with auto mode for binders and duplicate detection.
- Good
- Names the Gundam Card Game among the games it scans
- Names its price sources and updates prices daily
- Price history over 1, 3 and 6 months
- Watch out for
- Only 83 ratings, average 4.6
- Unlimited scans, multiple collections and history charts are Premium
- Its privacy label lists data linked to you
HoloDex
Best for a many-game scanner with grading helpFree download; in-app purchase unlocks unlimited scans, filters and AI grading
Scans cards across eleven games that include the Gundam Card Game, shows real-time prices, adds AI grading insights on condition and keeps a cloud backup of the collection.
- Good
- Names the Gundam Card Game among its supported games
- AI grading insights for whitening, centering and wear
- Rated 4.8 from about 23,600 ratings
- Watch out for
- Does not name its price source on its page
- Its privacy label lists data used to track you
FoilSnap
Best for telling a foil from a regular cardFree download; Premium and Pro subscriptions listed from $3.99 to $39.99
An AI scanner that detects whether a card is a foil and matches it to the correct price tier, with live market data, portfolio analytics and a grading assistant.
- Good
- Foil and variant detection is its stated focus
- Rated 4.8 from about 13,900 ratings
- Updated September 28, 2026
- Watch out for
- Its page names Magic, Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh! and MetaZoo and does not name Gundam
- Premium is needed for unlimited identifications
- Its privacy label lists data used to track you
TCG Card Identifier & Value
Best for scanning from a photo or an uploaded imageFree download; subscriptions listed from $3.99 to $49.99
Identifies a card from a snapshot or an uploaded image with AI, then shows market value, rarity and set information, and lets you save cards and build decks.
- Good
- Works from a photo or an image you upload
- Rated 4.8 from about 4,300 ratings
- Watch out for
- Its page does not name the games it supports or its price source
- Requires iOS 18.0 or later
- Its privacy label lists data used to track you
How we chose: We looked for iPhone card scanners and ranked them on four criteria for a collector: the games they scan and whether the Gundam Card Game is named, how they handle foils and other variants, whether they name where prices come from, and the privacy label and price listed on the App Store on October 1, 2026. Facts about other apps come from their App Store pages and iTunes listings. GunTomo is made by Lucernel, the publisher of this site, and covers one game by design.
Games covered
Most scanners cover many games, and the list matters. TCG Vault and HoloDex name the Gundam Card Game on their App Store pages. FoilSnap and TCG Card Identifier do not, so a Gundam collector would have to test them before trusting them. GunTomo covers only Gundam, which is a limit if you also collect Pokémon or Magic.
Foils, variants and the right price
A scan that finds the right card can still show the wrong price if it picks the wrong version. FoilSnap says it detects foils and matches them to a price tier. GunTomo describes telling Gundam LR, LR+, LR++, parallel and promo versions apart. The other pages do not describe variant handling, so check the version on the result against the card in your hand.
Price source and privacy
Only TCG Vault names two sources, TCGplayer and Cardmarket, and says prices update every day. GunTomo names public TCGplayer data. The other apps say live or real-time prices without naming a source.
The App Store pages do not say how each scanner handles your photos, so read the privacy label. Developers self-report it and Apple does not verify it. GunTomo reads the card code on the device and does not upload photos. TCG Vault lists data linked to you, and HoloDex, FoilSnap and TCG Card Identifier list data used to track you.
A five-minute test before you trust one
Our own suggestion, since no App Store page can show how a scanner behaves with your cards: pick ten cards from the game you collect, including two or three alternate arts or foils, and scan them in normal room light. Count how many it names correctly, and whether the version and price match the card in your hand.
Then scan one card in a sleeve and one at an angle. A scanner that fails on those will be slow when you work through a binder. If an app fails your own test, the long list of supported games on its page does not matter.
Free scans and subscriptions
Every installable app here is free to download and most limit scans until you pay. TCG Vault gives 3 free scans a day. HoloDex and FoilSnap unlock unlimited scans with a purchase. Weekly and yearly prices change, so read the price in the app before you subscribe.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best TCG card scanner for iPhone?
For several games including Gundam, TCG Vault or HoloDex. For Gundam Card Game only, GunTomo.
Can a scanner tell a foil from a regular card?
FoilSnap says it detects foils and matches the right price tier. Check any scanner’s result against the card in your hand.
Do card scanners upload my photos?
The App Store pages of the other scanners do not say. GunTomo reads the card code on the device and does not upload photos. For the others, read the privacy label and the developer’s privacy policy.
Are card scanner apps free?
They are free to download, and most limit scans or features. TCG Vault gives 3 free scans a day, and the paid tiers vary.
Is GunTomo available?
See the official app page for current availability and pricing.
Our pick
GunTomo, a Gundam scan that stays on your iPhone
A multi-game scanner is the better tool if you collect several games. For the Gundam Card Game, GunTomo reads the card code on the device, so photos are not uploaded, tells LR, LR+, LR++, parallel and promo versions apart, and shows the market price of that version from public TCGplayer data. Scan, confirm, add and scan the next card. Card text and images belong to Bandai; GunTomo is an independent app.
- Card codes read on the device; photos are not uploaded
- Exact variant detection, including parallels and promos
- Collection by set with copies and total value
