Best Antique Identifier Apps in 2026, Compared
We compared eight antique identifier apps, including Patina, Curio, Google Lens, WorthPoint, Underpriced and Antiqly, on identification, sold-price data and cost. Updated October 2026.
The short answer: If you want one app that identifies an object and values it from real sold prices, Patina is our pick for iPhone, and yes, we make it. Curio is the most popular identifier and works well for a quick answer about what something is. Google Lens is the best free first look. WorthPoint is the deepest archive for collectors who already know what they're researching.
You're standing at an estate sale holding a ceramic vase with a mark on the bottom you don't recognize. It could be a $5 vase, or it could be a $300 one. You've got about 30 seconds before someone else picks it up.
Antique identifier apps exist for that moment, but they answer different questions. This guide explains what each app does well, what each one costs, and which one fits which kind of person.
How we compared the apps
We looked at five things that matter when you're holding an object and want an answer:
- Identification from a photo. Can the app tell you the maker, era, materials and style from your camera?
- Where the value comes from. Does the app show what similar pieces sold for, or only what sellers are asking? Asking prices run optimistic, so sold prices are the better guide to what something is worth.
- Speed in the field. Can you get an answer before the moment passes?
- Category range. Does the app handle furniture, ceramics, jewelry, clothing, books and art, or one niche?
- Price and free access. What does the app cost, and what can you try for free?
We haven't run a scored accuracy test across these apps yet. When we do, we'll publish the objects, the photos and every app's answer on this page.
The apps at a glance
| App | Made by | Photo ID | Value source | Platforms | Price (Oct 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patina | Use All Five, Inc. | Yes | Sold prices from eBay, Chairish and 1stDibs | iPhone | $7.99/mo or $44.99/yr, 7-day free trial |
| Curio | Dionysus Labs | Yes | Estimated range from items on the market | iPhone, Android | Free download, premium plans from $4.99 |
| Google Lens | Yes | None (shows web matches and shopping results) | iPhone, Android, web | Free | |
| WorthPoint | WorthPoint | No (keyword search) | Historical sold records | Web, iPhone | About $29/mo for full access |
| Underpriced AI | Underpriced AI LLC | Yes | Recent sales with links | iPhone, Android, web | From $5/mo for 30 scans |
| Underpriced | Underpriced.App | Yes | Resale comps | iPhone, Android, web | From $9.99/mo for 75 analyses |
| Antiqly | OBZENA LLC | Yes | Median of recent sales of similar items | iPhone, iPad | First analysis free, then weekly or credits |
| AntiqBot | AntiqBot | Yes | European auction data | Web | About €1.30 per analysis |
The apps, one by one
Patina: best for identifying and valuing almost anything
Patina identifies an object from your iPhone camera in seconds and tells you the maker, era, materials and condition. It then values the object from completed sales on eBay, Chairish and 1stDibs, so the number reflects what buyers actually paid for comparable pieces.
The gap between those two numbers is real. An item might have dozens of listings at $150 while completed sales keep landing around $60, and Patina shows you the $60.
If you decide to sell, Patina recommends the marketplace that suits the piece and writes a ready-to-post listing. You can just as easily keep the piece and enjoy knowing its story. Patina covers furniture, clothing, books, art, ceramics, jewelry, watches, collectibles and vintage electronics.
Patina costs $7.99 a month or $44.99 a year, and the 7-day free trial includes full access.
Best for: Estate sale shoppers, thrifters, collectors, people sorting a family home, and anyone who wants to know what something is and what it's worth in one scan.
Keep in mind: Patina is iPhone-only for now. Make sure you've found the right app, too. Patina's full App Store name is Patina - Identify & Value, it's made by Use All Five, Inc., and its subtitle reads "See what collectors see." A different app called "Patina: Antique Identifier" isn't connected to us.
Curio: the most popular quick identifier
Curio is the best-known app in the category. It has a 4.8 rating from about 17,000 reviews on the App Store. You snap a photo and Curio tells you what the item is, who made it, where it's from and roughly when it was made. You can add details like a maker's mark to sharpen the result, and you can save finds into collections.
Curio's value estimate is a range based on what similar pieces are listed for on the market, which is closer to asking prices than to completed sales. It's free to download, and premium plans start at $4.99.
Best for: Curious people who mostly want to know what an object is and enjoy building a collection log.
Keep in mind: Curio doesn't write marketplace listings, and its value ranges lean on listed prices.
We compare the two apps in detail in Patina vs Curio.
Google Lens: the best free first look
Google Lens is built into the Google app and Chrome, and it's free. Lens is very good at recognizing objects and reading visible marks, and it finds visually similar items across the web.
Lens doesn't appraise. The results it shows are listings, articles and shopping pages, so the prices you see are asking prices. Lens can also match a reproduction to the original it copies.
Best for: A free first look when you're curious and the stakes are low.
Keep in mind: Lens doesn't show sold prices or give you a valuation.
We compare the two apps in Patina vs Google Lens.
WorthPoint: the deepest archive of past sales
WorthPoint has collected sold records from auctions and marketplaces for years. If you already know the maker or pattern you're researching, WorthPoint's depth is hard to beat.
WorthPoint works by keyword search, so it won't identify an unfamiliar object from a photo. Full archive access costs about $29 a month, based on recent published checks.
Best for: Established collectors and dealers who know their category and want long price histories.
Keep in mind: WorthPoint rewards knowledge you already have, and its price is the highest on this list.
Underpriced AI and Underpriced: pricing tools for sellers
Two different companies use the Underpriced name. Underpriced AI identifies items from photos, shows recent sales with links and can publish listings directly to eBay or Bonanza. Plans start at $5 a month for 30 scans. Underpriced is a separate app with plans from $9.99 a month for 75 analyses.
Both are built around selling, and both meter your scans by plan.
Best for: People who sell often and want listing tools close to the scan.
Keep in mind: Scan limits apply on every plan, and both apps lean toward everyday resale goods more than antiques history.
See Patina vs Underpriced for the details.
Antiqly: a simple identifier with credit-based pricing
Antiqly, from OBZENA LLC, identifies antiques from up to four photos and estimates value from the median of recent sales of similar items. It shows a confidence score with each estimate. Your first analysis is free, and after that you buy a weekly plan, credits or a lifetime plan.
Best for: Beginners who want a simple identifier and like paying per use.
Keep in mind: Antiqly is iPhone and iPad only, and it's a newer app with a small number of reviews so far.
AntiqBot: built for European antiques
AntiqBot is a web tool built by a Belgian antiques dealer. It values items from European auction data and includes authenticity checks. It charges about €1.30 per analysis after one free credit, and results usually take a minute or two.
Best for: Collectors focused on European antiques.
Keep in mind: AntiqBot runs in a browser rather than as a phone app, and its prices are in euros.
Why sold prices matter so much
When you're deciding whether to buy, keep or sell, you're really asking what a piece like the one in your hand sells for today.
Asking prices can't answer that, because many listings never sell. Completed sales show what real buyers paid for comparable items recently. Most identifier apps show asking prices or a broad estimate, so check where an app's number comes from before you trust it.
Which app should you use?
- You want to know what something is and what it's worth in one scan: use Patina.
- You mostly want to know what something is, and you'd like a free download: try Curio or Google Lens.
- You're a serious collector researching a known maker or pattern: add WorthPoint.
- You sell often and care most about listing tools: look at Underpriced AI alongside Patina.
- You collect European antiques: try AntiqBot.
How to get better results from any identifier app
Photograph the maker's mark separately. If there's a stamp, hallmark or signature on the bottom or back, photograph it on its own. The mark is often the strongest clue to what you have. Our guide to reading maker's marks covers what to look for.
Take several angles. Front, back, bottom and any markings give the app more to work with than one photo.
Show the condition honestly. A hairline crack can cut a ceramic piece's value by 40% or more, and the app can only judge what you show it.
Read the value as a range. Where your piece lands in the range depends on condition, the platform and how well it's presented. Once you know what you have, our guide on where to sell helps you choose a marketplace.
For identifying an object and valuing it from real sold prices in one scan, Patina (Patina - Identify & Value, by Use All Five) is our pick on iPhone. Curio is the most popular app for quick identification, Google Lens is the best free option, and WorthPoint has the deepest archive of past sales for collectors. We make Patina, and we explain how we compared the apps on this page.
Google Lens is completely free and identifies many objects, but it doesn't value them. Curio is free to download with paid premium plans. Antiqly and Underpriced AI each include a free first analysis. Patina offers a 7-day free trial with full access.
Yes. Google Lens recognizes many antique and vintage objects and reads visible marks. It shows web matches and shopping results, which are asking prices, so it doesn't tell you what a piece is worth. Lens can also match a reproduction to the original it copies.
Asking prices are what sellers list items for, and many of those listings never sell. Sold prices are what buyers actually paid in completed sales. Sold prices are the more reliable guide to what an object is worth today.
No. Patina - Identify & Value is made by Use All Five, Inc. and uses the subtitle "See what collectors see." A separate app called Patina: Antique Identifier comes from a different developer and isn't affiliated with Patina.
Accuracy depends on the app and the object. AI identification works best on pieces with clear visual features or maker's marks, photographed from several angles. Treat any result as a strong starting point, and get a formal appraisal from a qualified appraiser for insurance, estates or high-value pieces.
The broader apps cover furniture, ceramics, jewelry, art, vintage clothing, books, collectibles, watches and vintage electronics. Patina and Curio cover all of these. WorthPoint goes deep on collectibles but needs you to search by keyword.
