Question 1

When can I get it for my phone?

Accepted Answer

The iPhone version of Collectionary is available NOW in the App Store.  Just tap the Apple logo on our Home Page or Downloads page.  Collectionary is compatible with iPhone 6S and newer models (iOS version 12.0 or higher).

Android users, please add your name to our email list on the Downloads page to let us know that you want Collectionary, too!

Question 2

Can I really use my camera to find comics, even ones without a barcode?

Accepted Answer

The Collectionary app knows well over a MILLION covers, and it matches the entire comic cover instead of the barcode, so the answer is "YES," and this is why it's called Cosmic Cover Search!  Often you will discover that the Cover Search results not only present all similar covers, but it often correctly ranks the correct selection, choosing from the Direct Edition,  the Newsstand version, and from the slightly different 2nd , 3rd, etc... printings!

Some ask "Why don't you scan barcodes?"  The short answer is that it is on our To-Do list.  But the longer, more interesting answer is: "Of the 2.2 million comics that we track, nearly 2 million of those do NOT have a barcode!"  So, barcode scanning is "nice-to-have" but hardly a robust solution.  A better solution was clearly needed to allow our users to quickly pull up a comic -- Full comic cover search is that better solution.
 
If your camera searches aren't finding your book, but you can find them with text search, these tips will help:
1. Best to put the book over a single color background 
2. Find a place with better lighting (NOTE: Daylight works best)
3. Try to avoid spotlights and huge glare on the cover (small glare isn't a problem, but here's another reason daylight works best  ;D )
 
When the conditions are good for Camera search, you'll see a bright, solid green line around the entire cover.  If the line is missing or jittery, try putting the comic on a different surface, or finding better lighting.

Finally, Cosmic Cover Search works better the more covers we have, obviously!  So, if you have a book cover that we don't, please send a photo, so we can make the app better for everyone.  Send it to: Support@Collectionary.net

Question 3

Ok, got it about Camera Search. Tell me about your Text Search.

Accepted Answer

Scanning covers with Collectionary is GREAT, but what if you don't have the comic book in front of you?!  This is why we ensured you can also find a book nearly as fast by typing in the Title and Issue number.

And, here’s another interesting thing Text Search lets you do:  Search all comic details.  So, when you type in text, you'll see that it returns both matching Series and matching Issues... any books which match your typed text in their plot summaries, character appearance lists, and/or creator credits (Note: This feature is a work-in-progress, but have fun with it, anyway).

Question 4

How do I shop online for comic listings thru Collectionary?

Accepted Answer

Collectionary makes it easy to shop for books that are for sale on eBay and other sites.  Here's how:

First, search for the book by text or camera, and tap the matching book cover.  When you land on the comic's ISSUE DETAILS page, the red Quick Buy button suggests a copy of that book which it has confirmed is available for purchase right now – a copy that's at a great Price for a decent Grade among all copies for sale.
Tapping the SHOP MORE button on the Issue Details page takes you to the Prices page.  The left tab here is FOR SALE, which lists a number of confirmed listings (all sorted by grade), the price & official grading service (if any), and a link that'll take you directly to that listing online.
Lastly, you can have Collectionary notify you when the book you seek appears online for sale at the price and grade you desire, by using the SEEKER feature.  On the Issue Details page of the book you want, tap the Targeting Icon to add it to your Seeking List, while setting a Maximum Price you're willing to pay, and a Minimum Grade you're willing to accept.  When Seeker finds that perfect book, the app will send you a notification so that you can grab it before anyone else does.

Question 5

I have an idea (or a gripe) – how do I contact you?

Accepted Answer

Either way, we'd love to hear from you.  The best way to reach the Collectionary team is to email us at: Support@collectionary.net

Frequently asked questions

When can I get it for my phone?

Can I really use my camera to find comics, even ones without a barcode?

Ok, got it about Camera Search. Tell me about your Text Search.

How do I shop online for comic listings thru Collectionary?

I have an idea (or a gripe) – how do I contact you?