Comparison

ISA Cert Validator vs Card Grading AI

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

ISA Cert Validator

Instantly verify the authenticity of graded sports and trading cards. Scan a QR code or enter a serial number to access details like year, set, grade, and population.

Highlights
  • Verify card authenticity
  • Scan QR codes on labels
  • Search by serial number
  • View card details (year, set, grade)
  • Check population totals
Read full description

ISA Cert Validator was built for collectors, dealers, and owners of sports cards, trading cards, and collectible cards that have been graded by ISA Grading. The app gives you a fast way to validate the certification details connected to an ISA graded card, whether you are checking a card from your own collection, reviewing a potential purchase, or confirming the information printed on an ISA grading label. Quickly search by entering the certificate serial number from the ISA label, or scan the QR code on an ISA graded trading card. When a matching certification record is found, the app displays available card details such as year, set, parallel or variation information, card number, player or character name, authenticated date, assigned grade, grade label, and population information for that grade when available. ISA Cert Validator is especially useful for sports card and trading card collectors who want a simple way to confirm that the card in hand matches the ISA certification record. It can help verify graded baseball cards, basketball cards, football cards, hockey cards, soccer cards, Marvel cards, nonsport cards, TCG cards, and other ISA graded collectibles. Key features: -Look up ISA certification numbers -Scan QR codes from ISA grading labels -Validate ISA graded sports cards and trading cards -Review available card, grade, and authentication details -Check population information when available -Designed for collectors, sellers, buyers, and card show use -Optimized for iPhone and iPad Please note: the QR scanner is intended for ISA graded trading card labels only. It is designed to read ISA certificate QR codes and may not function with unrelated or regular QR codes. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Card Grading AI

This app uses AI to predict the grade of your trading cards, including Pokémon, Lorcana, and MTG. Upload images of your cards to get instant analysis of centering, edges, surface, and corners, along with a predicted grade score. It's designed for collectors and resellers to evaluate their collections before official grading.

Highlights
  • AI-powered card grading predictions
  • Supports Pokémon, Lorcana, MTG, Yu-Gi-Oh!
  • Analyzes centering, edges, surface, corners
  • Instant predicted grade score
  • Digital pre-grading assistant
  • Trained on thousands of graded cards
Read full description

Estimate your card's grade before you submit it for professional grading. Photograph the front and back to review centering, corners, edges and surface with Card Grading AI. AI GRADING & CENTERING • Get an estimated grade with all four subgrades. • Check border alignment with the dedicated centering tool. • Revisit your grading history and digital slabs. YOUR PORTFOLIO & CARD CATALOG • Build your collection and follow its estimated value using available market prices. • Browse supported cards and sets in the TCG catalog. • Track the cards you own and find the ones you still need. MORE TO EXPLORE Discover Top Singles, Best to Grade and Top Sealed lists for ideas to research. Check the update dates shown in the app when reviewing these lists. FOR TCG & SPORTS CARD COLLECTORS Use CGA with Pokémon, sports cards, Magic: The Gathering, Yu-Gi-Oh! and Disney Lorcana. Catalog coverage and available prices vary by card and set. FREE DOWNLOAD & OPTIONAL UPGRADES Some features require an in-app purchase. See the app for available plans and included features. ABOUT AI ESTIMATES Results are estimates based on your photos, not authentication or official certification. Lighting, glare, sleeves and hidden defects can affect the result. Professional grades may differ. CGA is independent and is not affiliated with professional grading companies or the owners of the card brands mentioned. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

ISA Cert Validator3 screens
Card Grading AI4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: ISA Cert Validator at none against Card Grading AI's 6. ISA Cert Validator also leads on ads (none vs shown) and rating (5.0 vs 4.8). Card Grading AI's advantage is update cadence (every 10 days vs every 43 months) and ratings volume (581 vs 7). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Card Grading AI sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. ISA Cert Validator asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

ISA Cert Validator holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Card Grading AI has 581 ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ISA Cert Validator ships an update every 43 months, Card Grading AI every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
ISA Cert Validator versus Card Grading AI: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterISA Cert ValidatorCard Grading AI
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (7 ratings) — better4.8 (581 ratings)
Positive reviews—93.0% of reviews
Number of ratings7581 — better
Update frequencyEvery 43 monthsEvery 10 days — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.515.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size1 MB72 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDarryl PoloMatteo Giannessi

Customer experience

ISA Cert Validator

All ratings7 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Card Grading AI

All ratings581 ratings
Positive96.4%
Neutral2.1%
Negative1.5%
Written reviews128 reviews
Positive93.0%
Neutral2.3%
Negative4.7%

In-app purchases

None

ISA Cert Validator

No in-app purchases

6 purchases

Card Grading AI

Subscriptions2
  • Unlimited Plan1 Month trial$9.991 Month
  • Card Grading AI yearly plan$59.991 Year
One-time4
  • Unlimited Plan$19.99
  • Pro Plan upgrade$39.99
  • Pro plan$49.99
Show 1 more
  • CGA Lifetime plan$149.99

Questions

Is ISA Cert Validator free?
ISA Cert Validator is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Card Grading AI free?
Card Grading AI is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, ISA Cert Validator or Card Grading AI?
ISA Cert Validator is rated higher. ISA Cert Validator averages 5.0 out of 5 from 7 ratings, while Card Grading AI averages 4.8 from 581 ratings.
Do ISA Cert Validator or Card Grading AI have ads?
Card Grading AI shows ads; ISA Cert Validator does not.
Which is updated more often, ISA Cert Validator or Card Grading AI?
ISA Cert Validator ships an update every 43 months, and Card Grading AI every 10 days. Most recently, ISA Cert Validator was updated on October 9, 2026 and Card Grading AI on October 16, 2026.

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