TrophyShelf as a hobbyDB alternative
Both TrophyShelf and hobbyDB catalogue collectibles across many categories. The difference is where a record comes from: hobbyDB is a database you search for your item, and TrophyShelf is a camera that reads the item you are holding. That makes TrophyShelf quicker to fill, able to catalogue anything you own, and ready to share with a link.
The short answer
TrophyShelf is the better choice for cataloguing and showing your collection. A photograph fills in the record, every one of its 56 types has its own fields, anything you own can be catalogued — customs, prototypes, convention exclusives, signed pieces — and the finished shelf is a link anyone can open.
Side by side
| hobbyDB | TrophyShelf | |
|---|---|---|
| How a record starts | Search the database or scan a barcode, then mark it owned | Photograph the item; AI fills the fields that type declares |
| Items outside the database | Wait for an entry to be created | Catalogued the same way as anything else |
| Fields per collectible | Whatever the database entry carries | A schema per type — card number and rarity for a card, scale and articulation for a figure |
| Your own photographs | Database images | Up to ten of your own per collectible |
| Showing a collection | Showcase pages on hobbyDB | A public link that opens in any browser, with no app and no account |
| Value | A price guide across many brands | Est. value looked up for Pokémon, Magic and Yu-Gi-Oh; your own figure for everything else |
| Cost | Free to use, paid tier to sell | Free: unlimited collections and collectibles, 15 AI autofills a month |
| Platforms | iOS, Android and web | iPhone and Android |
Why TrophyShelf is the better choice
- Nothing has to exist first. A custom, a prototype, a one-off or a piece nobody has catalogued still gets a complete record, because the record comes from your photograph.
- Typed fields, not one generic form. 56 schemas, each asking what that kind of collectible actually has.
- Your photographs, not stock images. Up to ten per collectible, showing the condition your copy is actually in.
- Quicker to fill. One photo replaces searching, comparing variants and matching an entry.
- A shelf that is a URL. No account needed at the other end, which makes it easy to post to a Discord or a group chat.
Photo-first beats search-first
hobbyDB starts from a catalogue: you search for the entry that matches what you own and mark it yours. That works when the entry exists and when you find the right one among near-identical variants.
TrophyShelf starts from the object in your hand. You photograph it, the app resolves the type first — a Pokémon card, an action figure, a watch, one of 56 — and then fills the fields that type declares. A card gets a card number and a rarity, a figure gets a scale and an articulation count. There is nothing to search for and nothing to match, which makes cataloguing quicker and reaches every piece you own, from mass-market releases to customs and one-offs.
Moving across
Start new records in TrophyShelf and photograph the shelf as it stands. Ten pieces in one sitting is enough to see how much quicker it is, and you keep every photograph.
Common questions
Does TrophyShelf show value?
Yes. For Pokémon, Magic: The Gathering and Yu-Gi-Oh, Est. value is looked up from free public catalogues. For everything else you set your own Est. value alongside what you paid.
Can I catalogue a piece that is not in any database?
Yes. The record is built from your photograph, so customs, prototypes and one-offs catalogue exactly like everything else.
Can people see my collection without an account?
Yes. A shared collection is a public web page that opens in any browser with nothing installed.
Why choose TrophyShelf over hobbyDB?
A photograph fills in the record, each of 56 types has its own fields, you keep your own photos, and your collection becomes a link you can share. It is free with unlimited collections and collectibles.
See it on your own shelf
Free on iOS & Android · Unlimited collections · 15 AI autofills a month · No credit card.
Start your shelf →