PriceCharting

Overview

PriceCharting tracks current and historic prices for video games, consoles, accessories, and other collectibles, with collection tracking and a marketplace alongside its price guide. It suits collectors who want to value items across categories as well as game shoppers tracking prices. Its free tier covers core collection and search needs; paid plans add alerts, appraisal tools, and data access, though API and CSV use comes with meaningful limits.

Key features

PriceCharting says it refreshes prices daily using sources across the internet. For video games, its proprietary algorithm combines sold listings from eBay and its own marketplace into a value for each game and condition. Automated language-model checks, outlier detection with admin review, and user reports help screen sales data. That layered approach is useful for a broad price guide, but the resulting figure is an estimate derived from sales data, not a guarantee of what an individual item will sell for.

The collection tracker records owned items and their total value, and is connected to browsing, search, and item pages. A wishlist and monthly collection report are included on the free plan; paid subscribers can add deal alerts, and Collector subscribers also get unlimited collection folders. This makes the service more useful for ongoing collection management than a price lookup alone.

Users can buy and sell items listed in the database, spanning video games, trading cards, comics, coins, and toys. Collector adds a lot value calculator, grading recommendations for cards, comics, and coins, an eBay Deal Scanner, and a photo appraiser. These tools broaden its appeal beyond game collecting, though the service’s stated pricing methodology is specifically described for video games.

The API provides price and marketplace functions over HTTPS and JSON, with a subscription-specific token. It allows one call per second; CSV calls are limited to one every 10 minutes. CSV downloads contain current item values, not historical prices or sales, and are reserved for Legendary subscribers. Both API and CSV data are licensed for internal use: displaying or redistributing them to third parties requires a commercial license and written permission. Those conditions make the data less suitable for products or public-facing services without a separate agreement.

PriceCharting says it offers native Android and iOS apps as well as a browser-accessible web app. The company was launched in 2007 by brothers JJ Hendricks and Michael Hendricks as a publicly available video game price guide. When an item is missing, the FAQ directs users to contact PriceCharting to request it or ask for admin help.

Pricing

PriceCharting is freemium, with a free plan and paid subscriptions. The Free Account costs nothing and includes the collection tracker, wishlist, monthly collection report, marketplace access, and price search. It is a sensible starting point for collectors who want to organize items and check values without paid tools; it does not include the paid tiers’ deal alerts or other advanced features.

The Collector Sub costs $6 a month, billed $6 /month. It includes Free features plus deal alerts, a lot value calculator, grading recommendations for cards, comics, and coins, unlimited collection folders, an eBay Deal Scanner, and a photo appraiser. It fits active collectors who want buying signals and valuation tools without needing downloadable data or API access.

The Legendary Sub costs $49 a month, billed $49 /month. It includes Collector features plus downloadable price lists, the price data API, GameStop prices for video games, and item demand reports. CSV downloads are limited to current item values, and API and CSV use remain subject to the stated frequency caps and internal-use license. This tier is best suited to users who need those specific data tools and can work within the usage terms.

Platforms

PriceCharting supports Android, iOS, API, and web access. The mobile apps give collectors app-based access, while the API is the integration route for subscription holders; its one-call-per-second limit and internal-use terms constrain higher-volume or third-party applications.

Who it's for

PriceCharting is a strong fit for video game collectors who want prices, a running collection value, marketplace access, and optional alerts in one service. Its broader listings and Collector tools can also serve people tracking trading cards, comics, coins, or toys. It is a weaker fit for developers or businesses that need unrestricted bulk data or permission to display PriceCharting values publicly, since quotas apply and third-party use requires a commercial license and written permission.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Free access combines price search with a collection tracker, wishlist, monthly report, and marketplace access, giving new collectors useful core tools without a subscription.
• Pros: Collector adds specific buying and valuation tools, including deal alerts, grading recommendations, and an eBay Deal Scanner.
• Pros: Legendary provides API access and downloadable price lists for subscribers who need data beyond the app and website.
• Cons: CSV files contain current values only, not historical prices or sales, limiting their usefulness for trend analysis.
• Cons: API and CSV frequency caps, plus internal-use licensing, make the data a poor fit for unrestricted or public-facing integrations.
• Cons: Legendary costs $49 a month, a substantial step up from Collector for features that matter mainly to data-focused users.

Alternatives

For a wider comparison, browse Game Price Trackers.

Choose Deku Deals if you want a free game-price tracker centered on deal browsing, wishlist sale alerts, and collection tracking, rather than collectible valuation and a marketplace.

GG.deals is another free option for game price tracking, with Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, web, and Windows platforms.

PlatPrices may suit users who want a free API tier with a defined allowance of 1,000 requests per month, two regions, and 25 games per list request for non-commercial use; its listed PRO membership costs 3.00 USD.

BudgetGamer is a free, web-only option for gamers.

Consider PSPrices for free price tracking and instant price-drop notifications without sign-up; its listed Pro Monthly plan adds discount alerts and an ad-free experience for $5 a month.

NTPrices offers a free web and API tier with 1,000 requests per month, two regions, and up to 25 games per list request for non-commercial use.

ReadyGame is another free, web-based option.

PSNDeal is a freemium option available on the web.

Verdict

PriceCharting is the right choice for collectors who want a free starting point for tracking both prices and owned items, with the option to add alerts and specialist tools as their needs grow. Its breadth across collectibles and integrated marketplace are the main reasons to choose it. Look elsewhere if your priority is a simple game-deal tracker, or if you need data for public redistribution without negotiating a commercial license.