Frequently asked questions
How CardNugget works, where prices come from, and what happens to your data.
FAQ12
How does CardNugget recognise a card?
The iPhone camera finds the card's outline, straightens it and reads its text with Apple's Vision framework. The app then matches the printed number, set and language against a catalog of 137,835 cards built into the app. All of this happens on the phone.
Is a photo of my card sent anywhere?
No. No image, thumbnail or anything derived from an image ever leaves your iPhone. To get a price, the app sends the card's catalog identifier, or failing that the text read on the card.
Where do the prices come from?
From third-party market data, mainly Cardmarket trend prices and TCGplayer market prices. Every price is shown with its source and its update date. These are dated estimates, not real-time prices.
What if no price is found?
The app says “price unavailable”. CardNugget never shows a made-up price, a default value or an old price presented as fresh.
Which card languages are supported?
The catalog covers 13 printing languages: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Brazilian Portuguese, Japanese, Traditional Chinese, Thai, Indonesian, Korean and Simplified Chinese. Coverage is excellent for Western languages and Japanese, partial for some Asian sets, and still very limited for Korean and Simplified Chinese.
Why does an Asian card show the “Japanese edition” price?
Cardmarket does not sell Chinese, Thai, Indonesian or Korean printings separately: their listings point to the Japanese twin. When that is the case — checked card by card — CardNugget shows that price and labels it “Japanese edition price”, so you know exactly what you are reading.
Why does the app sometimes ask me to choose between cards?
When the clues read on the card do not single out one card with enough confidence, CardNugget shows two or three candidates and lets you decide, rather than guessing. In rapid mode it does not stop: it says “not recognised” and moves on.
Do I need an Internet connection?
Recognition works on the device, but prices come from our server, so a connection is needed to get them. Cards you have already opened keep their visual and data offline.
Do I need an account?
No. There is no account, no sign-in and no sync. Your collections live on your iPhone.
Is the total value of my collection exact?
It is an estimate. Each card's price stays in its source's currency; to add them up, the app converts them to euros at a fixed rate built into the app. Totals are always labelled as estimates.
Which iPhones are supported?
Any iPhone running iOS 17 or later.
Is CardNugget an official app?
No. CardNugget is an independent app, not affiliated with, endorsed or sponsored by Nintendo, The Pokémon Company, Creatures Inc. or GAME FREAK Inc.