How we make this list: we compare pricing pages, product documentation and public user reviews. Ratings come from G2, Capterra or Trustpilot, with the date we checked them.
Key takeaways
- WorthPoint is the deepest source for past auction prices, and it suits regular buyers and sellers who can justify a monthly subscription.
- ValueMyStuff is the clearest route to a human expert valuation, with a per item fee instead of a subscription.
- Google Lens is the best free starting point for a quick photo match, but it gives no reliable price on its own.
- eBay sold listings show what similar items actually fetched recently, which is the most practical free price check.
- No photo app can authenticate an item from pictures alone, so valuable or unusual pieces still need expert review.
- Online valuations are estimates, not formal appraisals, and insurance or legal purposes usually need a certified appraiser in person.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan |
|---|
 WorthPoint | Auction price research | $29.99 per month | No |
 ValueMyStuff | Expert valuations per item | From $10 per valuation | No |
 Google Lens | Quick free photo identification | Free | Yes |
 eBay | Current resale prices from sold listings | Free | Yes |
 LiveAuctioneers | Watching live and past auctions | Free | Yes |
 Kovels | Price guides and collector education | See website | Yes |
 Barnebys | Searching many auction houses at once | Free | Yes |
 1stDibs | High end design and antiques listings | Free | Yes |
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The best antique appraisal app
Starting price$29.99 per month
Free planNo
WorthPoint is a long running price guide for antiques and collectibles, built around an archive of past sales from auction houses and online marketplaces, reported at more than 540 million sold prices. Subscribers can search that history to see what similar items fetched, browse a library of makers marks, patterns, and symbols to identify a piece, and store items in a vault that tracks a collection over time. For dealers, appraisers, and estate sale operators, that depth of history is hard to replace, especially for pieces that rarely come up for sale.
The limits matter for casual users. WorthPoint has no photo identification, so you need to know enough about an item to search for it, and the subscription at $29.99 per month is steep for someone valuing a single attic find. The workflow also feels desktop focused compared with camera first apps. If you buy and sell antiques regularly, the subscription can pay for itself with one good identification a month. If you have one item to value, a per item expert service will cost less.
What we like- Deep archive of past auction prices
- Makers marks library
- Vault for tracking a collection
Watch out for- Monthly subscription is steep for casual users
- No photo identification
- Desktop focused workflow
Starting priceFrom $10 per valuation
Free planNo
ValueMyStuff connects you with human experts in areas like fine jewelry, watches, and antique furniture. You create an account, buy credits, upload photos and a description, and receive a valuation, usually within 48 hours, or within 24 hours with an express option. One credit equals one valuation, and credits never expire, so occasional users can buy a small number and use them over time. Valuations start at $10 per item, with bulk credit packages bringing the per item cost down.
The human element is the point. Algorithms and photo matching can misread condition, reproductions, and rare variants, while an expert weighs those factors from photos and description. The trade off is that results are estimates based on photos, not formal appraisals, and per item fees add up when valuing a whole estate. For a single inherited piece or a possible treasure from a flea market, ValueMyStuff is the clearest route to an informed opinion.
What we like- Human expert valuations
- 24 to 48 hour turnaround
- Credits never expire
Watch out for- Per item fees add up for large collections
- Valuations are estimates, not formal appraisals
- No instant results
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
Google Lens is the best free starting point when you have no idea what an item is. Point your camera at a vase, a chair, or a lamp, and Lens returns visually similar images from across the web, which often leads to the maker, pattern, or model name. It is free, instant, and built into many Android phones and the Google app on iPhone, so there is nothing to install for most users.
Lens does not appraise. A visual match is not a price, and similar looking items can differ hugely in value based on age, maker, condition, and rarity. Use Lens to identify the item, then take that identification to eBay sold listings or WorthPoint for pricing. As a first step, though, it is fast, free, and often surprisingly accurate.
What we like- Free
- Instant visual matches
- Built into many Android phones and the Google app
Watch out for- Gives no reliable price on its own
- Matches can be wrong
- Cannot judge condition or authenticity
#4eBay
Best for: Current resale prices from sold listings1.2/5 on
Trustpilot (19,286 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit ebay.com
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
The eBay app is one of the most practical free appraisal tools, because its sold listings show what similar items actually fetched, not what sellers hope to get. Search for an item, filter to sold items, and compare prices for pieces in similar condition. For items with a barcode, such as books or sealed games, the app can scan and pull the catalog listing directly.
The catch is that most attic and estate finds have no barcode, and a sold search only works when you already know what to type. Prices also swing with condition, timing, and how well a listing was written. Pair eBay with Google Lens: identify with Lens, then price with eBay sold listings. For a free, reality based price check, nothing beats seeing real completed sales.
What we like- Free
- Sold listings show real transaction prices
- Huge volume of items
Watch out for- Search only works if you know what to type
- Prices vary by condition and timing
- No expert help
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
LiveAuctioneers gathers auctions from many auction houses in one place, letting you browse upcoming sales, watch live bidding, and research past results. For appraisal purposes, past auction results are the most useful part: they show what comparable pieces brought under competitive bidding, which is a strong signal of market value for antiques and art.
Auction prices are not retail prices. A piece that sells at auction for one amount might list for more in a shop, where the dealer adds overhead and holds stock for months. Account creation is needed for bidding and alerts, though browsing is free. Use LiveAuctioneers to ground an estimate in real auction results, then adjust for condition and selling channel.
What we like- Free to browse
- Live bidding from many auction houses
- Past results for research
Watch out for- Browsing is free but bidding and some features need an account
- Retail prices differ from auction prices
Starting priceSee website
Free planYes
Kovels has published antiques and collectibles price guides for decades, reporting prices paid at auctions, shops, shows, flea markets, and online. Its online guide covers more than 700 categories, and its articles teach collectors how to spot reproductions, read marks, and understand condition. That educational depth makes Kovels useful beyond a single price lookup.
Kovels is less of a camera first phone app than rivals, and its pricing details vary by plan, so check the current offer before subscribing. For collectors who want to learn a category properly, rather than just price one item, Kovels remains a trusted reference. It pairs well with WorthPoint: Kovels for education and broad guides, WorthPoint for deep sale history.
What we like- Trusted price guide brand
- Covers more than 700 categories
- Collector education content
Watch out for- Pricing details vary by plan
- Less suited to instant phone identification
- App experience is secondary
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
Barnebys is a search engine for auctions, aggregating listings and results from many auction houses so you can search across them at once instead of visiting each house separately. That breadth helps when pricing an unusual item, since a comparable piece may have sold at a small regional house rather than a famous one. Browsing is free.
Barnebys does not provide expert valuations, and the prices shown are generally hammer prices, which exclude buyer premiums and fees. Coverage also varies by region. As a research tool, though, it widens the net usefully, and it is a good second check after eBay and LiveAuctioneers when an item is hard to find.
What we like- Free to browse
- Aggregates many auction houses
- Good for discovering comparable pieces
Watch out for- No expert valuations
- Auction coverage varies by region
- Prices are hammer prices, not retail
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
1stDibs is a marketplace for high end furniture, jewelry, art, and design, with vetted sellers and a large catalog of antiques. Browsing is free, and the listings are useful for identifying makers, styles, and periods, especially for design-led pieces where 1stDibs coverage is strongest.
Treat 1stDibs prices with care: they are asking prices set by dealers, not sold prices, and they sit at the high end of the market. An item listed for one amount may sell for far less, or sit unsold. Use 1stDibs for identification and for the top of a price range, then check sold listings on eBay or auction results for the realistic middle.
What we like- Free to browse
- Vetted high end sellers
- Strong for furniture, jewelry, and design
Watch out for- Asking prices, not sold prices
- High end focus excludes everyday antiques
- No valuations
How we chose
We ranked tools by depth of price data, quality of identification, and honesty about limits. Price databases with long sale histories scored highest for serious research, while free photo tools scored for accessibility. We favored tools that state clearly whether a result is an estimate, a sold price, or an asking price, since mixing those up is the most common appraisal mistake. Pricing comes from vendor pricing pages and public listings checked in October 2026, and unverifiable prices are listed as See website.
Buying guide
Start with identification before pricing. Use Google Lens to name the item, then confirm the maker, pattern, or model with a second source, such as a makers marks library or a collector guide. A wrong identification makes every later price meaningless, so spend time here, especially with reproductions, which can look close to originals in photos.
Next, gather at least three comparable prices. Check eBay sold listings for recent resale reality, an auction source like WorthPoint or LiveAuctioneers for hammer prices, and a dealer listing like 1stDibs for the top of the range. Adjust for condition, since chips, repairs, and missing parts cut value sharply, and note whether prices include buyer premiums or fees.
Finally, decide how much certainty you need. A free research pass is enough for deciding whether to keep, donate, or list an everyday item. A possible treasure, an estate, or anything needed for insurance or legal purposes deserves a human expert or a certified appraiser in person. No app can authenticate from photos alone, and a formal appraisal for insurance usually requires an in person inspection and a written report.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best antique appraisal app for a single item?
ValueMyStuff is the best choice for a single item, since you pay per valuation rather than a monthly subscription and get a human expert opinion within 48 hours. For a free first pass, use Google Lens to identify the item and eBay sold listings to price it.
Can an app authenticate my antique?
No. Photo apps can identify and estimate, but they cannot authenticate from pictures alone. Condition, materials, weight, and construction details often need hands-on inspection, so valuable or unusual pieces still need expert review.
Is WorthPoint worth $29.99 per month?
WorthPoint is worth it for regular buyers, sellers, and dealers who use its sale history often, since one good identification a month can cover the cost. Casual users valuing one or two items will spend less with a per item service.
Are online valuations the same as formal appraisals?
No. Online valuations are estimates based on photos and descriptions. Formal appraisals for insurance, tax, or legal purposes usually require a certified appraiser, an in person inspection, and a written report.
How accurate are free appraisal apps?
Free apps are useful for identification and rough price ranges, but accuracy varies with photo quality, item rarity, and condition. Always cross check a free result against sold listings or an expert before buying or selling.
Sources we checked (0)
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
Shihab Mia · Founder, Rankite
Shihab has 5+ years in B2B and SaaS SEO. He writes Rankite's software buying guides from pricing pages, documentation and public user reviews. More about Shihab.