Frequently Asked Questions

PocketDex sources estimated market values from pokemontcg.io, which aggregates TCGPlayer pricing data. All prices shown in PocketDex are estimates only — they are not real-time trading data and should not be treated as financial advice. Actual sale prices vary depending on platform, condition, and negotiation.

Prices are refreshed regularly as new data becomes available from pokemontcg.io. A freshness indicator on each card shows when the price was last updated. Cards with very recent sales may reflect current market more accurately than obscure cards with infrequent sales.

Yes. Tap any card in your portfolio → "..." menu → "Override Price." Enter your own estimated value. The override will replace the auto-fetched price for P&L calculations. A pencil icon indicates the price has been manually overridden. You can clear the override at any time to return to automatic pricing.

Some cards may not have pricing data in the pokemontcg.io database — this is common for older sets, regional printings, or very recently released cards. You can manually set a price for these cards. If you believe a card is missing from our database entirely, use the "Report Missing Card" option.

The scanner uses OCR and image matching — it works best with good lighting, a flat surface, and a clear shot of the card. Common issues include glare from sleeves, poor lighting, or motion blur. Try rescanning with better conditions. If the card still isn't recognized, use manual search. Some older or less common sets may have limited coverage.

The scanner works with most modern trading card sets in our database. Coverage is strongest for sets released in the past 5 years. Older sets and regional/international printings may have more limited recognition. We continuously expand our database — use "Report Missing Card" to flag gaps.

Yes — scanning is free for all PocketDex users. PocketDex is currently fully free, with no user paywalls for scanner access.

In good lighting conditions with a clear shot, the scanner typically achieves 85–95% accuracy for supported cards. Accuracy is lower for foil/holo cards (reflective surfaces), damaged cards, or poor lighting. The confidence score displayed after each scan helps you judge whether to confirm or rescan.

No. PocketDex Marketplace is a classifieds platform — we connect buyers and sellers, but we do not process payments, hold funds, or act as a party to any transaction. All payment arrangements are made directly between buyers and sellers. PocketDex is not responsible for the outcome of any transaction.

Check their profile for trust badges (Trusted Trader, Power Seller, Elite Trader), their star rating, and total completed transactions. Read their recent reviews. Verified Vendor badge indicates a business that has been reviewed by PocketDex. When in doubt, meet in person in a public place.

Use the "Report" button on the listing or in the chat to report the user. Provide details about what happened. Our moderation team reviews reports within 24–48 hours. For significant issues like fraud, also contact your local consumer protection authority or police. PocketDex cannot recover funds from private transactions.

Yes, sealed products (booster boxes, packs, starter decks, etc.) can be listed in the marketplace. Make sure the listing clearly states the product is sealed and accurately describes the condition of the packaging.

Go to Marketplace → My Listings → tap the listing → "Delete Listing." Listings can be deleted at any time. If you've already started a conversation with a buyer about the listing, it's courteous to let them know you've removed it.

Yes. Go to Profile → Privacy Settings → Collection Privacy → set to "Private." With a private collection, no one can see your individual cards or collection value. Your username may still appear on leaderboards (without value details), which you can also disable separately.

By default, your collection value is visible to anyone who views your profile. You can change this in Privacy Settings. If your collection is set to "Friends Only," only accepted friends see your value. If "Private," no one sees it. You can also specifically opt out of showing your value on leaderboards.

Profile → Settings → Account → "Delete Account." You'll be asked to confirm. Deleting your account permanently removes your profile, collection data, marketplace listings, and all associated data from our systems. This action cannot be undone. Data deletion is processed within 30 days per our Privacy Policy.

Currently, each account has one main collection. You can organize within your collection using Lots (for dealer purchases) and Showcase lists. Multiple portfolio support is on our roadmap for future updates.

Yes. All data is encrypted in transit (TLS) and at rest. We follow industry-standard security practices and do not sell your personal data to third parties. See our Privacy Policy for full details on data handling. You can export all your data at any time from Account Settings.

Leaderboards update daily. Collection Value rankings are based on the estimated total market value of your tracked collection (prices from pokemontcg.io). Other categories like Biggest Gainer and Most Active update based on activity in the current calendar month. Regional leaderboards filter to users who have set their location to the same city or region.

Yes. Profile → Privacy Settings → "Hide from leaderboards." Your profile and stats will be excluded from all public leaderboards. You'll still be able to see the leaderboards yourself — you just won't appear on them.

On any user's profile, tap "..." → "Report User." Choose a reason: harassment, spam, scam attempt, counterfeit items, or other. Reports are reviewed by our moderation team. For serious safety concerns, don't hesitate to report immediately — we take safety seriously.

There are 6 ranks: Rookie (0 XP) → Collector (100 XP) → Trader (500 XP) → Veteran (1,500 XP) → Elite (5,000 XP) → Legend (15,000 XP). Earn XP by adding cards (1 XP each), completing sets (50 XP bonus), scanning cards, completing trades (10 XP each), and social activity. Your rank displays as a badge on your profile.

Apply through Profile or visit pocketdex.app/vendor-apply. Fill in your business details and submit. Our team reviews applications within 2–3 business days. Approved vendors receive a Verified Vendor badge and access to vendor-facing features like restock blasts, follower notifications, and promotional opportunities.

Collector users are fully free. PocketDex plans to make early revenue from stores and local events that want to advertise on the platform, rather than charging collectors. Vendor onboarding and monetization details can evolve over time as those ad products are finalized.

Vendor accounts are available to card shops, online card retailers, convention dealers, and similar trading card businesses. Applications from unrelated businesses or individual collectors (rather than businesses) may not be approved. All vendors must agree to our Community Guidelines and Vendor Standards.

No. PocketDex is currently 100% free for collectors and dealers using the core product. There are no user paywalls and no credit card is required to get started.

The current direction is advertising and promotional products for stores and local events, rather than charging collectors for access to core features.

Yes. All core features — portfolio tracking, scanner, marketplace, analytics — are free for all users. We monetize through business and event promotion products, not collector subscriptions.