Pokémon card scanner: hold up a card, see what it is and what it’s worth.
MonDex is a Pokémon card scanner app for iPhone, with Android to follow. Hold a card in front of the camera and MonDex recognises it in about 0.3 seconds, English or Japanese. It finds the right set and printing, shows today’s prices and adds the Pokémon to your Pokédex.
How scanning a Pokémon card works
MonDex looks at the card’s artwork, not its text, so it recognises a card whatever language it is printed in. Where artwork alone is not enough, it reads the collector number at the bottom of the card. A green outline tells you the card is recognised.
- Open the scanner and choose Auto.
- Hold your Pokémon card in front of the camera. There is nothing to press.
- MonDex shows the card, its set, number and price as soon as it is sure.
- Pick the printing if the card exists in several (for example Holo or Reverse Holo), then add it to your collection.
One card or a whole stack: Auto and Batch
Auto recognises card after card while you hold them up, without pressing anything, which suits sorting a pile or scanning a binder page by page. Batch takes up to 100 cards in one session and lets you check each one before anything is saved.
Opening packs? Scan the pulls in either mode, mark them as a pack opening and enter what the pack cost. MonDex then shows what you paid next to what came out.
English and Japanese Pokémon cards
MonDex knows more than 200 English sets, from the 1999 Base Set to the newest release, and more than 440 Japanese sets, each with its own Japanese cards and prices. When a Japanese card and its English printing share the same artwork, MonDex reads the printed text to tell them apart.
A card printed in another language, such as German or French, is recognised by its artwork and saved with your copy’s language.
What is my Pokémon card worth?
Every scanned card shows its market value: the TCGplayer market price, the last eBay sale of a raw copy and of a PSA 10, and the Cardmarket price trend in euros. Prices are updated daily and shown in your currency: US dollars, euros, pounds, Canadian or Australian dollars, or yen.
Set a price alert on any card and MonDex sends a notification when it rises above or falls below your target. If you would rather not see prices at all, one switch hides them everywhere.
Scanning without an internet connection
At a card show or in a basement with no signal, MonDex still scans. It downloads an offline pack while you are online, recognises cards on the phone itself and syncs them to your collection when you are back online.
Holo, Reverse Holo and special printings
Normal, Holo and Reverse Holo copies of a card share the same artwork, so a photo cannot always tell them apart. MonDex asks when it matters, and one choice can apply to every other copy of that card in the session. Special printings with a visible pattern, such as Poké Ball and Master Ball reverse holos, are recognised from the photo when you are online and the pattern clearly shows.
Tips for a clean scan
Use even light and tilt the card slightly away from bright reflections. Keep the whole card in view, with the bottom edge and its collector number visible. A plain table works better than a busy surface in the same colour as the card’s border.
Common questions
Is the MonDex card scanner free?
MonDex is free to download, and collecting is free. Scanning is included in a free Welcome Week of MonDex Plus; after that it is part of MonDex Plus, $3.99 a month or $29.99 a year.
How fast does it recognise a card?
Typically in about 0.3 seconds from the moment the card is in view.
Can it scan Japanese Pokémon cards?
Yes. MonDex recognises Japanese cards and keeps them in their own Japanese sets, with their own prices.
Does the scanner work offline?
Yes. Download the offline pack while you are online; scans made without a connection sync later.
Does the scanner grade my card’s condition?
No. You set a copy’s condition yourself. For graded cards you can record the grading company, grade and certificate number.
Which phones does it run on?
MonDex is coming to iPhone first. Android follows soon.