The short answer
- Photo to identification and value range, on Android: StampScan.
- Match a stamp against the Colnect catalogue, on Android or iPhone: Stamp Identifier (Colnect).
- Browse a country's stamps by year, series, face value or perforation: World Stamps (Colnect).
- A detailed inventory with have / wish / trade / sell lists and desktop sync: Stamp Mate.
- An Apple-only setup on iPhone, iPad and Mac: Stampmeister or iCollect Stamps.
How we compared. We make StampScan. Every fact about another app below comes from its public store listing, linked next to it, as shown on 16 October 2026 in the US storefront; prices and features change, so check the listing before you buy. We list no ratings or download counts, and we did not test the other apps' accuracy.
Stamp collecting and identifier apps compared
| App | Platforms | Price model | Core feature | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| StampScan (ours) | Android. On iPhone, our Download button opens our iOS app, listed in the App Store under a different name. | Free download; contains ads and in-app purchases. Free tier: 3 scans a day, up to 50 saved stamps. Pro: $7.99/month or $29.99/year. | Photograph a stamp: country, year, catalogue numbers (Scott, Michel, Stanley Gibbons) and a value range from sold listings and auction results; collection with total value. | Google Play listing; prices from our pricing |
| Stamp Identifier (Colnect) | Android, iPhone, iPad | Free; contains ads; in-app purchases (Premium $8.99 and $73.99 on the App Store) | Image recognition matched against Colnect's stamp catalogue; a “Not found?” option where a person answers (Google Play listing) | Google Play · App Store |
| World Stamps (Colnect) | Android, iPhone, iPad | Free; contains ads; in-app purchases (Pro $4.99 and $28.99 on the App Store) | Catalogue browser: filter world stamps by country, year, series, face value and perforation; search by catalogue code. Not a camera scanner. | Google Play · App Store |
| Stamp Mate | Android, iPhone, iPad; the iPad app also runs on Apple silicon Macs; syncs with a desktop version | Free; in-app purchases on Google Play and the App Store (neither listing shows their prices) | Collection manager: add stamps from the Colnect database, have / wish / trade / sell status, quantities, album and location, import from a Colnect account, cloud sync | Google Play · App Store |
| Stampmeister | iPhone, iPad; the iPad app also runs on Apple silicon Macs; needs iOS / iPadOS / macOS 26 | Free with 10 image searches; subscription $9.99/month or $89.99/year | Identify a stamp from a photo, browse its stamp database and manage a collection | App Store |
| iCollect Stamps | iPhone, iPad; the listing says it syncs with the developer's Mac and other apps | Free; in-app purchases: unlimited stamps $29.99 or $49.99, AI scan packs from $9.99 for 50, Pro yearly $79.99 | Inventory and lists with image recognition, estimated values on most stamps, cloud backup and device sync | App Store |
Prices are the US App Store in-app purchase list and our own Pro plan, as shown on 16 October 2026. Google Play listings show whether an app contains ads or in-app purchases but not their prices.
What each app is best at
StampScan: a photo, an identification and a value range
Point the camera at one stamp on a plain background and StampScan returns the country, year, catalogue references and a price range built from what stamps actually sold for, then saves it to a collection that adds up the total value. It suits sorting an inherited album or checking whether a stamp is worth a closer look.
Where it falls short: the free tier stops at 3 scans a day and 50 saved stamps, market prices need Pro, and the app itself is Android-only.
Stamp Identifier (Colnect): the catalogue match
It matches your photo against Colnect's worldwide stamp catalogue and shows the catalogue entry. The Google Play listing asks you to crop the background fully for a reliable match.
Better than StampScan at: it runs on Android and iPhone under one name and ties into Colnect's catalogue and collector community, and its listing offers a “Not found?” request that a person answers, which StampScan's listing does not.
Sources: Google Play listing, App Store listing
World Stamps (Colnect): browsing a catalogue
Not a scanner: a catalogue you filter by country, year, series, face value and perforation, or search by catalogue code.
Better than StampScan at: working through a country or a set page by page, when you already know roughly what you have and want to see what you are missing.
Sources: Google Play listing, App Store listing
Stamp Mate: the detailed inventory
A collection manager built around records: each stamp can carry album, location, quantity, price and estimated value, plus a have, wish, trade or sell status. Stamps come in from the Colnect database or a Colnect account import, and data syncs between mobile and desktop. Its Google Play listing was last updated on 14 March 2023.
Better than StampScan at: bookkeeping for a large collection, such as want lists, trade and sale lists, duplicates and where each stamp is stored, and working on a computer as well as a phone.
Sources: Google Play listing, App Store listing
Stampmeister: identify and organise on Apple devices
Photo identification, a browsable stamp database and a collection, in one Apple app. It needs iOS, iPadOS or macOS 26.
Better than StampScan at: one app for iPhone and iPad, and its iPad app also runs on Apple silicon Macs.
Source: App Store listing
iCollect Stamps: lists and sync across devices
An inventory app with image recognition, estimated values on most stamps, cloud backup and sync with the developer's other apps. Large collections need an in-app purchase to unlock unlimited storage.
Better than StampScan at: AI identification scans are sold in packs (from $9.99 for 50), so an occasional user can buy scans instead of a monthly plan, and the collection syncs with the developer's Mac app.
Source: App Store listing
How to choose a stamp app
- Identify, catalogue or keep records? A scanner (StampScan, Stamp Identifier, Stampmeister) answers “what is this stamp”. A catalogue (World Stamps) shows what exists. An inventory app (Stamp Mate, iCollect) tracks what you own. Many collectors use one of each.
- Your phone. Stampmeister and iCollect Stamps are App Store apps; StampScan is on Google Play; Stamp Identifier, World Stamps and Stamp Mate are on both.
- The free limit. Scan caps and storage caps differ: 3 scans a day on StampScan's free tier, 10 image searches on Stampmeister, storage limits on iCollect. Try the free tier on a few stamps you already know before you pay.
- Where values come from. A catalogue value is a reference price; sold prices say what buyers paid. StampScan shows a range from sold listings and auction results; check what any app's value is based on before you rely on it.
- Getting your data out. If the collection matters, pick an app that exports or backs up (StampScan Pro exports to CSV or PDF; iCollect and Stamp Mate list cloud backup or sync).
What a stamp identifier app can and can't tell you
A stamp identifier app compares your photo with catalogued designs. It is good at the design itself: the country, the issue, the year and the catalogue number of the basic stamp. It is weaker on anything a front photo cannot show.
- Photograph one stamp at a time, flat, in even light, on a plain background, with the edges and perforations in frame. StampScan's listing asks for a single stamp on a plain background, and Colnect's asks you to crop the background fully.
- Watermarks are invisible in a normal photo. Where two varieties differ only by watermark, check with watermark fluid or a detector; see our stamp watermark guide.
- Perforation varieties need a gauge: see how to measure perforations.
- Condition drives value. Centering, gum, thins and repairs change the price more than most apps can see; read the stamp identification guide before you sell.
- A possibly valuable stamp deserves an expert opinion or a certificate. An app is for sorting and shortlisting; see free stamp appraisal options.
Looking for a physical album to go with the app? See our guide to the best stamp albums for collectors. For StampScan's identifier on its own, see the stamp identifier app page.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best stamp collecting app?
It depends on the job. To photograph a stamp and get an identification and a value range on Android, StampScan. To match a stamp against the Colnect catalogue on Android or iPhone, Colnect's Stamp Identifier. For a detailed inventory with have, wish, trade and sell lists, Stamp Mate. For an Apple-only setup with iPhone, iPad and Mac, Stampmeister or iCollect Stamps.
Is there a free stamp identifier app?
Several are free to download. StampScan has a free tier of 3 scans a day and up to 50 saved stamps. Colnect's Stamp Identifier is free with ads and offers a paid Premium. Stampmeister includes 10 free image searches before a subscription. Check each store listing for current limits.
Which stamp app works on iPhone?
Stamp Identifier, World Stamps Collecting, Stamp Mate Mobile, Stampmeister and iCollect Stamps are all on the App Store. StampScan itself is an Android app; on iPhone, our Download button opens our iOS app in the App Store, where it is listed under a different name.
Can a stamp identifier app replace an expert appraisal?
No. An app reads the design from a photo and gives a catalogue match and an estimate. Watermarks, perforation varieties, regumming and repairs often need a gauge, watermark fluid or an expert. For a stamp that may be valuable, use the app to sort and shortlist, then get an expert opinion or a certificate.