Brickify vs the Spreadsheet: Collection Tracking in 2026

A spreadsheet can track a collection perfectly well. The weak points are rarely the formulas. They are the two chores nobody enjoys: identifying every item exactly, and keeping the value column current. A scanner-based tracker changes that part of the work. In Brickify you identify supported items with your camera, save them with quantities and purchase details, and follow estimated market values and price history in the app instead of re-looking-up every row. Estimates are a reference, not guaranteed sale prices.

To be fair, plenty of serious collectors run excellent spreadsheets. Tabs by theme, conditional formatting, purchase dates, the works. This is not a takedown of the spreadsheet. It is an honest look at what each approach does well and where your hours actually go.

What does a spreadsheet do well?

A spreadsheet gives you flexible columns for purchase details, storage locations, photographs, provenance and notes. Its cost, privacy and portability depend on the software, sharing settings and how you store the file. A sheet can use manual entry or appropriate imports; decide how you will identify items and maintain any external data.

Where does the spreadsheet get expensive?

For a manually maintained sheet, entry starts with identifying each item and recording the details. A wrong printing or variant can send you to the wrong price reference. Use consistent identifiers and review records whether you type them, import them or start with a scanner.

Maintenance second. Your values are exactly as current as your last update pass. Sets retire, cards get graded, interest in a character or a set spikes and fades. Unless you have a feed into the sheet, refreshing it means revisiting rows one at a time, which is why most collection spreadsheets are really a snapshot of the last time someone had a free evening.

• Identification time per item, plus the risk that a wrong variant makes the value wrong without you noticing
• Values stay at whatever you last entered until you do another pass
• Condition and printing need their own columns, otherwise a single value cell hides most of the story
• The total at the top drifts away from reality between updates
• Photos and receipts usually live somewhere else, so records are harder to reconstruct later

What does Brickify change about the workflow?

Brickify connects identification and available value estimates to collection records. You can scan LEGO minifigures and sets, Pokémon cards and Magic cards. Review the exact match and variant before saving. Bulk modes work with several clearly visible supported items; give obscured or overlapping items another view.

Saved items have available estimated values and price history. For Pokémon, you can switch between Raw and PSA 10 estimates and select raw conditions from Near Mint through Damaged. Review the price basis for the specific card. You can record quantity, condition, variant and purchase details without confusing purchase cost with a current estimate.

For a binder page or separated minifigures, a supported bulk scan gives you matches to review instead of starting every item with a typed lookup. Compare the results with the visible physical items and correct missing or wrong matches. A batch is complete when the saved records and quantities agree with what you own.

Can you use both?

Yes, and some collectors should. Keep the spreadsheet for the things only you know, such as provenance, who you bought from, repair notes and sentimental context. Let the app handle identification and ongoing value estimates, then compare your sheet's assumptions against the app's current estimate when you are deciding whether to sell. The sheet keeps the story. The app keeps the numbers moving.

Whichever tool you land on, the record itself should contain the same fields:

• Exact set number or card set, number and variant, not just a name
• Condition, and whether the item is sealed, built, complete or graded
• Quantity owned, so duplicates are not collapsed into one line
• Date acquired, price paid and where it came from
• A photo of the item as it is today, and of any packaging or receipt
• Storage location, which matters more than people expect once a collection grows

Which one should you pick?

If your collection is small and stable and you enjoy maintaining a sheet, a spreadsheet may suit you. If you frequently identify new items and want available estimates alongside saved records, Brickify connects those tasks. You can also keep freeform provenance and documents separately, while using the app for supported scanning and collection tools.

Brickify brings collection tools together across LEGO, Pokémon, Magic: The Gathering, Funko, Disney Lorcana and One Piece, with camera scanning for LEGO, Pokémon and Magic. Check current app-store information for availability and plan details.

• Brickify app overview
• How to catalog a LEGO collection without a spreadsheet
• Understanding collectible price changes
• Collection records for taxes and insurance
• Track your collection value over time