Patina vs Curio: Which Antique Identifier App Fits You?
Curio is the most popular antique identifier app. Patina values pieces from real sold prices and helps you sell. Here's how they compare on price and features.
The short answer: Curio is a well-loved identifier that's great for learning what an object is and keeping a log of your finds. Patina identifies the piece too, then values it from completed sales and helps you sell it if you choose. We make Patina, and every Curio detail below comes from Curio's App Store listing as of October 19, 2026.
What Curio does well
Curio, from Dionysus Labs, is the most widely used app in the category, with a 4.8 rating from about 17,000 App Store reviews. 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, save finds into collections and export a collection as a PDF. Curio runs on iPhone and Android, and it's free to download with premium plans starting at $4.99.
Where the two apps differ
- Where the value comes from. Curio gives an estimated range based on what similar pieces are listed for on the market. Patina values a piece from completed sales on eBay, Chairish and 1stDibs, which reflect what buyers actually paid.
- What happens next. Curio focuses on identification and your collection. Patina also recommends the marketplace where a piece would sell best and writes a ready-to-post listing.
- Platforms. Curio is on iPhone and Android. Patina is on iPhone only for now.
Side by side
| Curio | Patina | |
|---|---|---|
| Made by | Dionysus Labs, LLC | Use All Five, Inc. |
| Platforms | iPhone, Android | iPhone |
| Identifies from a photo | Yes | Yes |
| Maker, era and origin | Yes | Yes |
| Value source | Estimated range from items on the market | Completed sales from eBay, Chairish and 1stDibs |
| Where to sell and listing drafts | No | Yes |
| Price | Free download, premium from $4.99 | $7.99/mo or $44.99/yr, 7-day free trial |
Which one should you use?
- Choose Curio if you're on Android, or if you mostly want to learn what things are and keep a catalog of your collection.
- Choose Patina if you want a value you can act on, whether you're buying at an estate sale, deciding what to keep from a family home or getting ready to sell.
It depends on what you need. Curio is excellent for identification and cataloging, and it runs on Android. Patina adds values grounded in completed sales plus where-to-sell guidance and listing drafts, on iPhone.
Curio's App Store listing describes its estimates as based on what similar pieces are on the market for, which points to listed prices. Patina values pieces from completed sales.
Curio is available on iPhone and Android. Patina is available on iPhone only for now.
Yes. Curio is free to download with optional premium plans, and Patina includes a 7-day free trial with full access.
