Comparison

Shiny vs PulseTCG

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

Head to head
About

Shiny

Instantly scan and value trading cards from popular games like Pokemon, MTG, and YuGiOh!. Organize your collection, track prices, and discover new cards with a vast database. Features include price alerts, unlimited collection management, and a centering tool for grading checks.

Highlights
  • Instant card scanning and valuation
  • Price change alerts
  • Unlimited collection management
  • Real-time and historical TCG prices
  • Advanced search and filtering
  • Card centering tool for grading
  • Cross-device collection syncing
Features
Read full description

Join 1M+ Pokemon card & TCG collectors who trust Shiny to identify their trading cards and manage their collections. Scan your cards to get instant, real-time market values based on completed sales. Turn your card collection into a digital portfolio with Shiny! The fastest and most accurate card scanner app for card collectors globally. SCAN WITH PRECISION Leverage the industry's fastest trading card recognition technology with unlimited scanning. Combined with powerful advanced filtering tools, you can easily identify your cards in seconds and instantly pull up real-time market values. MANAGE YOUR PORTFOLIO Professionally manage unlimited items, sets, folders, and wish lists completely for free. Turn your physical collection into a digital powerhouse and access your TCG collection seamlessly across all your devices, so your digital portfolio is always with you. REAL-TIME MARKET INSIGHTS Access millions of trading card, sealed product, and card grading prices alongside historical data for free. With localized pricing data at your fingertips, you can set custom price alerts for singles, sealed products, or slabs and never miss a market shift. PREP FOR GRADING Perform advanced card grading checks with our built-in Centering Tool before sending your cards off. Take the guesswork out of the process and ensure your cards are in optimal condition for submission to major grading companies. JOIN A GLOBAL COMMUNITY Join a worldwide community of 1M+ collectors! Download Shiny today and experience the industry standard in precision scanning. Connect with the market's most trusted data and celebrate the hobby with collectors around the globe. More about Shiny: Terms of Service: https://www.getshiny.io/terms-of-service Privacy Policy: https://www.getshiny.io/privacy-policy E-mail: contact@getshiny.io Developer: Shiny Cardboard, LLC Download Shiny today to turn your physical collection into a digital powerhouse! Supported Games: Pokémon, One Piece, Magic the Gathering, Yugioh, Dragon Ball, Gundam, Riftbound, Disney Lorcana, and emerging card games Pokémon Support: English, Japanese, and Chinese sets One Piece Support: English and Japanese sets Pricing Localization: Global support across multiple international currencies

About

PulseTCG

Manage, analyze, and grow your trading card game collection and business. Scan cards, track market prices, and understand your collection's value. Ideal for collectors, investors, and vendors of Pokémon, One Piece, and Lorcana.

Highlights
  • Card scanning and cataloging
  • Collection tracking (raw, graded, sealed)
  • Market price tracking and alerts
  • Business management tools
  • Purchase, sale, and trade logging
  • Customizable research reports
Features
Read full description

PulseTCG brings your collection, market research, and TCG business together in one place. Scan cards, track UK market prices, and understand what your collection is worth. Built for Pokémon, One Piece, and Lorcana collectors, investors, and vendors—from your first binder to full-time selling. BUILD AND TRACK YOUR COLLECTION • Scan without limits—or search the card catalogue to add items fast. • Track raw cards, graded slabs, and sealed products in one portfolio. • See market value, cost basis, and performance over time. • Organise cards into binders, spot gaps, and share your progress. • Record purchases, sales, and trades, including realised gains. • Follow grading submissions from dispatch through to results. RESEARCH THE MARKET • Set buy and sell targets and get notified when prices reach them. • Build custom research reports by set, rarity, price, trend, and more. • Compare cards and market data side by side. • Chart prices and sales volume over time for any card, product, or set. • Weigh up trades by comparing cards, values, and cash side by side. RUN YOUR TCG BUSINESS • Manage inventory quantities, costs, and sticker prices. • Catch missing or outdated sticker prices before they cost you margin or sales. • Price buy-ins, trade-ins, and cash deals with the Deal Calculator. • Keep acquisitions, sales, and trades organised in one place. • Track performance, calculate VAT liabilities, and export your figures. Sign in with Apple, Google, or email to keep your collection synced. Manage, analyse, and grow your collection with PulseTCG. SUBSCRIPTIONS Investor and Vendor plans are auto-renewable subscriptions billed through your Apple ID. Payment is charged at confirmation of purchase and renews automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel in your App Store account settings. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://pulsetcg.io/privacy

Screenshots

Shiny4 screens
PulseTCG4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Shiny at 95% against PulseTCG's 0%. Shiny also leads on chart position (#184 vs unranked). PulseTCG's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 7). On price, ads, 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. Shiny sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. PulseTCG asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard4 real differences · 7 level
Shiny versus PulseTCG: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterShinyPulseTCG
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (3.7K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews95.3% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings3.7K — better—
Update frequencyWeekly—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
Best chart rank#184 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size115 MB22 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperShiny Cardboard LLCPTCG Limited

Customer experience

Shiny

All ratings3,680 ratings
Positive97.6%
Neutral1.1%
Negative1.2%
Written reviews679 reviews
Positive95.3%
Neutral2.1%
Negative2.7%

PulseTCG

Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

Bugs and requests

Shiny

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Occasional crashes or freezes
  • Compatibility issues on older devices

Requested features

4 requests
  • Wishlist feature
  • Grading recommendation system
  • Set-based organization
  • Total collection value tracking

PulseTCG

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

7 purchases

Shiny

Subscriptions3
  • Shiny Pro Monthly$4.991 Month
  • Shiny Pro - Collector Tools$7.991 Month
  • Shiny Pro - Collector Tools3 Days trial$59.991 Year
One-time4
  • Shiny Pro$9.99
  • Collector Pro Gift Pass$34.99
  • Lifetime Collector Pro Pass$99.99
Show 1 more
  • Lifetime Collector Pro Pass$119.99
None

PulseTCG

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Shiny free?
Shiny is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is PulseTCG free?
PulseTCG is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Shiny or PulseTCG have ads?
Neither Shiny nor PulseTCG shows ads.

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