UltraRare vs Card Codex
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
UltraRare
Instantly identify trading cards using your camera in real-time. This app recognizes collectible cards offline, displays their market value, and helps organize your collection. It's designed for speed and ease of use, perfect for collectors at home or at shows.
- Real-time camera card identification
- Offline scanning and recognition
- Up-to-date market value checks
- Complete card index browsing
- Visual gallery for scanned cards
- One-handed operation
- Secure collection syncing
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Instantly identify any trading card with your camera — in real time. No typing. No searching. No internet required. UltraRare recognizes collectible trading cards instantly as you scan, showing you exactly what each card is and what it's worth. Designed to be fast, lightweight, and easy to use with one hand, it's the perfect companion for card shows, local shops, and sorting collections at home. REAL-TIME CARD IDENTIFICATION Instantly recognize cards as you point your camera Continuous scanning lets you identify card after card without stopping Fast, accurate recognition that works completely offline CHECK MARKET VALUES View up-to-date market prices at a glance Browse a complete card index Review your scans in a clean, visual gallery DESIGNED FOR COLLECTORS Free to use Fully functional offline for card identification Comfortable one-handed operation for scanning through large collections Simple, modern, distraction-free interface Securely sign in to save and sync your collection Whether you're opening fresh packs, organizing years of cards, or hunting for hidden gems at a card show, UltraRare transforms a stack of cards into an organized, identified collection in minutes. Download UltraRare today and start scanning instantly.
Card Codex
Instantly identify trading cards by pointing your camera. Get card name, set, number, and current value without typing. All recognition happens on your device for complete privacy.
- Instant card identification
- Automatic value lookup
- Camera-based scanning
- On-device processing
- Unlimited free scans
- Supports English and Japanese sets
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Point. Scan. Know. Card Codex identifies your trading cards in an instant — name, set, card number and current value — just by pointing your camera. No typing, no searching, no guesswork. PRIVATE BY DESIGN Card recognition runs entirely on your phone. Photos of your cards never leave your device. No ads, no trackers, and no account needed to scan. Check the permissions: we ask for the camera, and nothing else. UNLIMITED SCANNING, FREE Scan as many cards as you like. We don't put the thing that matters behind a weekly limit. FAST AND ACCURATE A purpose-built recognition engine identifies cards across English and Japanese sets, including tricky holo and full-art cards — through a sleeve, or straight off a binder page without taking anything out. TWO WAYS TO SCAN • Auto — hold steady and it identifies hands-free. • Manual — line up the shot and tap the shutter for tough or vintage cards. Priced in £, with English and Japanese sets built in. YOUR SESSION, ORGANISED Build up a scan session and see the total value at a glance. Card Codex is the companion app to cardcodex.com. Card Codex is an independent tool and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Nintendo, The Pokémon Company International, or Game Freak. Trademarks are used only to describe compatibility.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ads: Card Codex at none against UltraRare's shown. Card Codex also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.8) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 18.0). UltraRare's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs fortnightly) and ratings volume (89 vs 1). On price, review sentiment, in-app purchases and monetization model 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Card Codex holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: UltraRare has 89 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.
UltraRare ships an update every 2 days, Card Codex fortnightly. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.
| Parameter | UltraRare | Card Codex |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (89 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 89 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 days — better | Fortnightly |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 15.1 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 85 MB | 78 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Ultra Rare World, INC | Card Codex Ltd |
Customer experience
UltraRare
Card Codex
In-app purchases
UltraRare
No in-app purchases
Card Codex
No in-app purchases









