How LootLink's Scanner Identifies a Card
Point your camera at a Pokémon card and LootLink names it in about a second. Here's exactly what happens between pressing scan and seeing the result – and what never leaves your phone.
Step 1: Your phone finds the card in the frame
When you point the camera, LootLink continuously runs a small AI model on your device to detect whether a card is visible and find its boundaries. This step happens entirely on your phone, roughly 10–15 times per second, with no server contact at all.
Step 2: Text is read from the card – on your phone
Once the card is in frame, LootLink reads text directly from two areas of the image: the card name at the top, and the set code plus collector number at the bottom left – for example TWM 129/167. This text recognition also runs entirely on your device. No internet required yet.
Step 3: A small data packet is sent to LootLink's server
The extracted text alone isn't always enough – card names can be partially cut off, different editions share the same name, or lighting makes characters hard to read. So LootLink also computes a compact visual fingerprint of the card's artwork: a list of 256 numbers that capture the image's pattern without encoding the photo itself.
Both pieces – the text and the fingerprint – are sent to LootLink's server. The server compares them against its full card database and returns the best match, usually within 1–2 seconds. Your photo never leaves your phone.
Step 4: The result is saved on your device
Once the card is identified, LootLink stores the card data – name, edition, print language, Cardmarket price – directly on your phone. From that point on, you can browse, edit, and manage that card without any internet connection.
- On-device detection: Card shape and text are read entirely on your phone.
- Minimal data transfer: Only text and a 256-number fingerprint leave your device – never the photo.
- Result stored locally: Once identified, the card is available offline.
- No scan limits: No photo uploads, no metered API – scans are unlimited and free.
See it for yourself. LootLink identifies cards with no photo uploads and no scan limits.
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Does my photo get uploaded to identify the card?
No. The photo stays on your phone. LootLink extracts the card name and set details from the image locally, then sends only that text and a compact visual fingerprint (256 numbers describing the artwork) to its server. The server matches this against its database and returns the card details – without ever seeing your photo.
Does scanning work without internet?
Identifying a new card requires a brief connection – the server lookup typically takes 1–2 seconds. Without internet, LootLink cannot complete the identification step. Once a card is identified, all collection management – browsing, editing, adding to binders – works fully offline.