FAQ
Quick answers to the questions we hear most, grouped by topic. If your question isn't here, try troubleshooting or email [email protected].
Getting started
Do I need an account to look around?
No. You can browse the Marketplace, the Library, the public social feed, profiles and hashtags, and the Leaderboard while logged out. You only need to sign in when you do something that changes data — add an item, post, like, comment, follow, make an offer, buy, or message. Viewing another member's full collection also needs a (free) account.
Do I need to pay to start?
No. The free Hobbyist plan needs no card — just sign up. Paid plans add more and come with a 14-day free trial. See Plans & billing.
How do I sign up?
Register with email and password, or use Continue with Google. On iOS you can also use Sign in with Apple. Then verify your email and choose a username. The full walkthrough is in Account setup.
How do I make my account more secure?
Turn on 2FA (an authenticator app with backup codes), and add a passkey on the web or biometric unlock on mobile. Details in Security.
Plans & billing
What do the plans cost?
There are three tiers. Hobbyist is free, Collector is £5/month or £50/year, and Enthusiast is £15/month or £150/year.
| Hobbyist | Collector | Enthusiast | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £0 | £5/mo or £50/yr | £15/mo or £150/yr |
| Item limit | 50 | 150 | Unlimited |
| Photos per item | 3 | 10 | Unlimited |
| Marketplace selling fee | 7.5% | 5% | 2.5% |
See Plans & billing for the full comparison.
Is there a free trial?
Yes — a 14-day free trial on Collector and Enthusiast, with no card required. It's available once, for first-time subscribers.
What currency am I billed in, and how?
Billing is in GBP via Stripe on the web; other currencies are shown at Stripe's exchange rate. On the Android and iOS apps you pay through Apple or Google in-app purchase.
Can I change or cancel my plan?
Yes — upgrade, downgrade or cancel at any time from your subscription settings. If you subscribed through an app store, manage it there. See Plans & billing.
Adding items & the collection
What can I catalogue?
Six categories: Computer, Console, Handheld, Game, Accessory and Other. Each item holds condition, professional grade (PSA / WATA / CGC), serial number, purchase price and date, value, photos, storage location, notes and related items. See Managing your collection.
What's the fastest way to add an item?
Open Add and pick one of four methods: Snap a photo (AI recognises the item and pre-fills the details), Scan a barcode, Search catalogue, or Enter manually. See Adding items.
How does the AI add work, and is it limited?
Snap a photo uses AI to recognise the item from a photo and fill in the details. It's quota'd per month by plan — 2 on Hobbyist, 30 on Collector, 100 on Enthusiast. AI condition grading has its own monthly allowance (0 / 10 / 50). Both reset at the start of each calendar month (UTC). Barcode scanning and catalogue search are unlimited on every plan.
What happens if I go over my item limit?
Nothing is deleted. Items above your plan's limit become hidden items — kept safe and restored if you upgrade. See Managing your collection.
Can I import or export my collection?
You can import from CSV or JSON on any plan. Exporting your collection is a Collector and Enthusiast feature. See Import & export.
Library & values
Is the Library free to browse?
Yes. The Library is the master catalogue — 120,000+ items enriched from IGDB, Giant Bomb, Wikipedia, RTC Wiki and PriceCharting — and you can browse it without an account. Keeping a Want-it wishlist prompts you to sign in. See The Library.
Where do prices come from?
Market values come from PriceCharting, shown at condition points: Loose, CIB and New/Sealed, plus Box Only and Manual Only for games. Each item has a price-history chart, and values can be displayed in your chosen currency. See Price tracking.
What is RTC Wrapped?
A shareable recap of your collecting year, with a year and month picker and a public share link. There's also a platform-wide Community Wrapped with no personal data. See RTC Wrapped.
Marketplace
Is the marketplace free?
Yes. Browsing and buying are free for everyone, on any plan including Hobbyist. Selling is open to everyone too — you enable a seller profile and connect Stripe for payouts. The only thing that changes by tier is the selling fee.
What are the selling fees?
A per-sale fee based on your plan: 7.5% on Hobbyist, 5% on Collector, 2.5% on Enthusiast. See Fees.
How am I protected as a buyer?
Buyer Protection holds your payment until the item is delivered. If something goes wrong you can open a dispute with evidence. See Disputes.
Can I trade instead of buying?
Yes. Trades are offers with an item on each side, and a dual-shipping tracker walks both parties through address, ship and confirm. See Trading.
The marketplace is free for everyone. You never need a subscription to browse, buy or sell — the plan only sets your selling fee and a few seller perks.
Privacy & data
What is the "Discoverable on the public web" toggle?
It's a privacy setting. When it's on, your public profile, posts and shared collection can be found by anyone. When it's off, only signed-in members can find them. Find it under Settings → Privacy. See Privacy & data.
Can I export or delete my data?
Yes. You can download your data and, on Collector and Enthusiast, export your collection as CSV/JSON. You can also request account deletion from your settings. See Privacy & data.
Are my messages private?
Direct messages are encrypted, with read receipts, an offline queue and a block list. See Messaging.
Apps
Which platforms are supported?
RetroTechCollector runs on the web (installable as a PWA), Android on Google Play, and iOS on the App Store. See Apps.
Does it work offline?
Yes. The app keeps working offline and syncs your changes when you reconnect. See Apps.
Is there a dark mode?
Yes — light and dark themes, plus an accent colour and a command palette (⌘K / Ctrl+K). See Preferences.
Browse troubleshooting for step-by-step fixes, or email [email protected] and we'll help.