Frequently Asked Questions

It's instant onboarding! Just visit pokedexchecklist.com on your browser (desktop or mobile). You'll see a scrollable list of all 1025 Pokémon species right away. Use the search bar to find a Pokémon (e.g., type "Char" for Charizard or 150 for "Mewtwo"), check the box next to it when you've collected a card, and watch your completion percentage update at the top. Free accounts can mark up to 250 species as captured; Premium unlocks all 1,025. Your progress saves automatically to your device's local storage. You can sign in with Google, Discord, or email; Premium unlocks cloud syncing across devices, language preferences, leaderboard ranking, and multiple binders.

Unlike other apps that track a "Living Pokédex", which focus on tracking all variants of a Pokémon from the video games, this app keeps it brutally simple: one checkbox per species. It's not for hardcore set completists or living dex trackers in video games. Instead, it's for casual collectors who want a quick, simple way to represent every Pokémon without the overwhelm. Plus, it's fully offline-capable, mobile-first, and has zero bloat like card prices or card scanning.

Yes! The app is built to work offline after your first visit, thanks to its lightweight design and caching. This makes it ideal for use at conventions, trade events, or anywhere without reliable internet. Your checklist progress is stored locally on your device, so you can check off Pokémon on the go.

Progress is saved automatically using your browser's LocalStorage. This means you can just open the app and pick up where you left off. Card details (language, rarity, reverse holo, and 1st edition) are saved locally the same way. For free users, progress is stored locally on each device. Premium users can sign in to enable cloud syncing, which automatically backs up your progress and card details and syncs them across all your devices. If you switch devices or clear your browser data, free users will need to export to CSV first to preserve their progress, while premium users' progress is safely stored in the cloud.

The Leaderboard ranks trainers by how many Pokémon species they've captured (out of 1,025). Anyone can view it from the Leaderboard link in the site navigation. To appear on the rankings, sign in with Premium and sync your main My Pokédex checklist to the cloud (extra challenge binders do not count toward rankings).

The page includes highlight podiums (most captured and longest collection journey), top rankings by generation and by Pokémon type, an overall table of top trainers, and a completion histogram showing how trainers are spread across Pokédex completion %.

Columns include Trainer, Pokémons Captured, completion %, Trainer Start Date, and Since Last Capture (how long since that trainer's last cloud sync). If you are signed in and ranked outside the visible top list or a gen/type podium, your real rank still appears with a You highlight so you can find yourself without scrolling endlessly.

Living Dex Champions (trainers who completed all 1,025 species) show a gold crown badge with their worldwide finisher number. Links at the top of the Leaderboard go to the Hall of Fame.

Privacy defaults stay anonymized: a first initial (e.g. "A**"), an assigned trainer avatar sprite instead of your sign-in photo, and no email. Opt in to share your profile in Account settings to show your real name and profile picture when available.

The Hall of Fame lists every trainer who completed all 1,025 National Dex species on their main My Pokédex with Premium cloud sync. Each champion receives a permanent worldwide finisher number (#1, #2, …) and a shareable certificate page with a unique link that does not change if listings are edited.

Champion status is confirmed after your full Pokédex stays complete in the cloud for about 24 hours (a verification window). You get an email with your certificate link when it confirms. Unchecking species during that window resets the timer; once confirmed, your finisher number and certificate stay permanent even if you later uncheck a species. Extra challenge binders do not count.

Privacy matches the Leaderboard: anonymized name and trainer avatar by default, or your real name and profile photo if you enable leaderboard profile sharing in Account settings. Find the Hall of Fame from the Leaderboard, the site footer (under Leaderboard), or the hamburger menu.

Yes! You can generate images of your overall progress and your progress by generation directly from the app. These images are perfect for sharing on social media, X, Reddit, or Discord to show off your collection milestones. You can just download or copy the images and share them anywhere you like!

Yes! In the Actions menu, you'll find "Check All Gen X" and "Uncheck All Gen X" options. When you click either option, a modal will open where you can select which generation (Gen 1-9) you want to check or uncheck all at once. This is perfect for quickly marking entire generations as collected or clearing them if you're starting fresh with a specific generation.

You can export your entire checklist as a CSV file with one click. This includes columns for Pokédex number, Pokémon species, and your checked status (true or false). Use it for backups, printing, or importing into spreadsheets.

Yes! The app supports importing data from any CSV file. You can upload a CSV export from another tool or your own spreadsheet, and the app will match and update your checklist automatically. This makes it easy to migrate your collection or sync progress from other trackers.

Your CSV needs:

• A Pokédex number column (Number, ID, Dex, #) OR a Pokémon name column (Name, Pokemon, Species)
• A status column (Collected, Checked, Caught, Have, Owned, Status)
• Status values like: true/false, 1/0, yes/no, checked/unchecked, or any non-empty value for "collected"

Example format:
"Pokedex Number","Name","Collected"
"1","Bulbasaur","true"
"25","Pikachu","1"

Just use the import feature in the app to get started!

Yes, it's designed mobile-first with a clean, responsive layout optimized for small mobile screens. It works seamlessly on phones and tablets, with touch-friendly checkboxes and scrolling. You can even add it to your home screen for a native app-like experience, complete with offline access. For step-by-step instructions on adding the app to your iOS home screen, see: https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/iphone/iphea86e5236/ios .

No native iOS app exists yet, as the web app is built in a way that provides a similar experience without needing App Store downloads. To "install" it on your iPhone or iPad for easy access:

1. Open Safari and visit pokedexchecklist.com
2. Tap the Share button (the square with an upward arrow) at the bottom of the screen
3. Scroll down and select "Add to Home Screen"
4. Customize the name if you like, then tap "Add"

This adds an icon to your home screen that launches the app in full-screen mode, with offline support, just like a native app!

Yes! There's a theme toggle for light or dark mode, so you can switch based on your preference.

Yes! The core app is free to use. You can track up to 250 species using local storage on your device. The free checklist may show sponsored shop ads in the sidebar (and a compact strip on mobile); Premium removes those ads. Premium also unlocks unlimited tracking (all 1,025 species), cloud syncing across devices, language preferences for Pokémon names, leaderboard ranking, multiple binders for challenge checklists, and an ad-free experience. Premium features require a subscription or one-time lifetime purchase.

Yes — with Premium. Your main My Pokédex checklist stays as it is and still powers the Leaderboard. Premium users can create additional binders from Account → Additional Pokédex Checklists for challenge collections (e.g. Full Art only or cards in one language). Each binder can have its own default card details, and you can choose which list opens by default when you load the home page. Switch between My Pokédex and your binders with the binder dropdown on the home checklist. Free users can see the binder controls, but creating and switching binders requires Premium.

We prioritize privacy. For free users without an account, checklist progress and optional card details (language, rarity, reverse holo, 1st edition) stay in your browser's local storage. If you sign in (Google, Discord, or email magic link), we store account profile data needed for authentication. Premium cloud sync also stores your checklist progress, card details, binders, and language preference so they work across devices. Analytics cookies (Google Analytics) are optional in the EEA, UK, and Switzerland via our cookie consent banner — you can Accept or Reject, and change your choice anytime from Cookie preferences in the footer. We only collect the minimum data necessary for these features. For more details, see our Privacy Policy at https://www.pokedexchecklist.com/privacy-policy.

Yes! Upcoming features we're working on, based on user feedback:

• Set purchase recommendations: get suggestions for the cheapest sets to buy to complete your checklist faster.
• Cheapest buy links per card: see the lowest available price for each Pokémon card.

We've already shipped:

• Cloud saving & syncing across devices (Premium).
• Multi-language Pokémon names (Premium).
• Multiple binders / challenge checklists per account (Premium).
• Per-species card details (language, rarity, reverse holo, 1st edition) plus filters and defaults.
• Public Leaderboard with gen/type podiums, your rank when outside the top list, and a completion histogram.

We always aim to keep the app simple and focused. We don't plan to add real-time pricing dashboards, card scanning, or trading features, as those could complicate the experience.

Have a feature idea or want to help decide what we build next? Suggest new features and vote on upcoming improvements at https://insigh.to/b/pokedex-checklist.

No, the app tracks by base species only (e.g., one entry for Pikachu, not separate for Gigantamax or Alolan forms). It's meant for a simple "one per Pokémon" checklist, not exhaustive variant tracking. Data is sourced from reliable static sources like PokeAPI, and we'll update it if new generations are officially added.

We're in early stages, so feedback is very welcome! The best way to share your thoughts is through our feedback form: https://forms.gle/wDBVygvRawYfsT546 . Alternatively, you can email us at support@pokedexchecklist.com or post on our feature board at https://insigh.to/b/pokedex-checklist . If something breaks, you can also try clearing your cache or reloading.

While it's tailored for physical card collectors, you could repurpose it for a living dex in games. However, our focus is on card collections without set details or variants tracking.

Premium features include unlimited tracking for all 1,025 species (free accounts are capped at 250 captured species), cloud syncing, language preferences, leaderboard participation, multiple binders for challenge checklists (each with its own defaults, plus a home-page default list), and an ad-free experience. With cloud syncing, your progress and card details are automatically backed up and synced across all your devices. Language preferences allow you to view Pokémon names in your preferred language: English, Japanese, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Korean, or Chinese (Simplified). Sign in with Google, Discord, or email magic link. Free users can continue using the app with English names and up to 250 captured species.

Cloud syncing is available for premium users. When you sign in with a premium account, your local progress is automatically uploaded to the cloud. If you have progress on another device, it will be loaded and intelligently merged with your local progress—nothing gets deleted, we combine everything so you keep all your checked Pokémon. Your progress then syncs automatically across all your devices whenever you make changes. Your local progress also stays saved in your browser as a backup.

Premium users can choose to display Pokémon names in one of 8 languages: English, Japanese (日本語), French (Français), German (Deutsch), Spanish (Español), Italian (Italiano), Korean (한국어), or Chinese Simplified (简体中文). Your language preference is saved to your account and syncs across all your devices. Free users can continue using the app with English names.

A living dex checklist for Pokémon cards is a simple list where you mark off each National Dex species once you own any physical card for that Pokémon — one Bulbasaur, one Pikachu, and so on through all 1,025 species. Unlike set-by-set trackers or video-game living dex tools that count regional forms and variants, pokedexchecklist.com keeps it species-first: one checkbox per Pokémon, with search, generation filters, and progress stats so you can see how close you are to a complete binder.

Open pokedexchecklist.com and you will see every species from Gen 1 through Gen 9 in a single scrollable list. Use the search bar to jump to a name or Pokédex number, check the box when you have that species, and your completion percentage updates at the top. Filter by generation or type to focus on one era at a time, export to CSV for backups, and sign in with Premium if you want the same checklist synced across phone, tablet, and desktop.

Yes. The core Pokédex Checklist is free: track your first 250 species, search and sort, record optional card details locally, use offline after your first visit, and export or import CSV files (imports are capped to the free limit). Premium is optional and adds unlimited tracking for all 1,025 species, cloud sync, multi-language Pokémon names, leaderboard ranking, multiple challenge binders, and an ad-free experience.

Pick a simple rule and stick to it — for example, one card per species from any set or language. Use this checklist to tick off species as you buy, trade, or pull them, and use generation filters to tackle one era at a time. Share progress images from the app to stay motivated, and import an existing spreadsheet if you are migrating from another tracker. There is no single "correct" binder order; the goal is steady progress toward 1,025 species checked.

When you check off a collected Pokémon species, four optional card details appear on that row so you can record which physical card you counted toward your living dex:

• Card language — the printing language (English, Japanese, French, and more).
• Card rarity — how rare the card is (options depend on the language you pick; see the rarity FAQ below).
• Reverse holo — a toggle if your copy is the foil-outside-the-artwork variant.
• 1st edition — a toggle if your copy has a 1st edition stamp (e.g. vintage Wizards of the Coast printings).

Use the small arrow on each checked row to collapse or expand those controls. If you uncheck a species, its saved card details are kept in the background — checking it again restores what you had entered. Card details are optional; you can ignore them and use the checklist as a simple one-checkbox-per-species tracker.

Open Account → Checklist Card Details → Default card values. If you have Premium binders, use the scope dropdown to pick My Pokédex or a specific binder — each list has its own defaults. Pick a default card language, rarity, reverse holo, and 1st edition stamp.

Those defaults are applied automatically whenever you newly check a species — one at a time, via Check All, or when you check an entire generation. They fill in only when that species has no card details saved yet.

If you uncheck a species and check it again later, the app keeps the card details you had before — defaults do not overwrite them.

Changing the default language updates the rarity dropdown to match (Western names for most languages; letter codes for Japanese, Korean, and Chinese printings). Sign in to save defaults to your account; they also sync across devices with Premium cloud sync.

In Account → Checklist Card Details → Checklist display mode, choose how card details behave when you reload the page:

• Advanced mode (default) — language, rarity, reverse holo, and 1st edition controls stay expanded on every collected species.
• Simple mode — those controls stay collapsed until you tap the arrow on a row to open them.

Either way, you can still collapse or expand individual species during your session. That per-species open/closed state resets when you reload the page; only the Simple/Advanced default is remembered.

The Card Details button in the checklist toolbar lets you narrow the list to collected species that match specific card metadata. Open it to filter by:

• Card language — select one or more languages (multi-select).
• Card rarity — select one or more rarities (multi-select).
• Reverse holo — Any, Yes, or No.
• 1st edition — Any, Yes, or No.

Card Details filters apply only to species you have already checked. Uncollected species are hidden while a card-details filter is active, and the completion filter switches to Completed only automatically. Clear the Card Details filter (or switch away from Completed only, back to Full Pokédex) to see the full list again. Card Details filters work together with generation, type, search, and sort — handy for questions like "show my Japanese holo pulls in Gen 1" or "which checked species are reverse holo?"

Yes. Card details are stored alongside your checklist in your browser's local storage, so they persist between visits even without an account.

If you sign in with Premium, card details are also saved to the cloud with your checklist progress and merged intelligently across devices — same as your checked/unchecked state. Free users keep everything locally; Premium users get cloud backup and cross-device sync for card details too.

CSV export/import currently covers species checked status only, not card details.

Rarity labels describe how scarce or premium a printing is within its set. The dropdown is language-aware: English and most international printings show full rarity names; Japanese, Korean, and Simplified/Traditional Chinese printings show the letter codes used on those cards (RR, SAR, etc.). If language is Unspecified, both Western names and Asian codes appear in one list, separated by dividers.

You can also mark Reverse holo separately with the checkbox on each row — that tracks the foil variant, not the printed rarity symbol.

Western / international rarities:

• Common (C) — The most basic cards in a set.
• Uncommon (U) — Slightly less common than Commons.
• Rare (R) — Standard rare cards, often holo in modern sets.
• Holo Rare — A rare card with holographic foil.
• Reverse Holo — A foil variant with shine outside the artwork box.
• Double Rare (RR) — Usually standard-art Pokémon ex cards.
• Triple Rare (RRR) — A higher Japanese-era rarity, often used for cards like VMAX or VSTAR.
• Ultra Rare — Premium full-art cards in English sets; in Japanese, UR usually means gold cards.
• Illustration Rare (IR) — Full-art cards with scenic or character-focused artwork.
• Art Rare (AR) — The Japanese-style equivalent of Illustration Rare.
• Special Illustration Rare (SIR) — Premium illustration-style chase cards in English sets.
• Special Art Rare (SAR) — The Japanese-style equivalent of Special Illustration Rare.
• Super Rare (SR) — A Japanese-style rarity usually used for textured full-art Pokémon or Supporter cards.
• Hyper Rare (HR) — In Japanese, usually older rainbow-style cards; in modern English, Hyper Rare usually means gold cards.
• Secret Rare — Any card numbered above the set total.
• Shiny Rare (S) — Shiny Pokémon cards.
• Shiny Ultra Rare (SSR) — Higher-end shiny cards, often full-art or more premium shiny pulls.
• Character Rare (CHR) — A Japanese rarity featuring Pokémon with a Trainer in the artwork.
• Character Super Rare (CSR) — A more premium version of Character Rare.
• Amazing Rare (A) — A colorful special rarity from Sword & Shield.
• Radiant Rare (K) — Radiant Pokémon cards; K comes from *Kagayaku*, the Japanese term used for them.
• ACE SPEC (ACE) — Powerful special cards limited to one copy per deck in play.
• Promo (P) — Cards released outside normal booster packs.
• Prism Star (PR) — A special older rarity used for Prism Star cards.

The dropdown also includes legacy-era Western options (e.g. Rare Holo EX, Holo Rare V/VMAX/VSTAR) for older sets.

Japanese / Asian letter codes (shown when card language is Japanese, Korean, or Chinese): C, U, R, RR, RRR, AR, SAR, SR, UR, HR, SSR, CHR, CSR, K, A, ACE, P, PR.

If your question isn't covered here, feel free to reach out, we're here to help you check 'em all! Contact us at support@pokedexchecklist.com.