Sony’s announcement that PlayStation discs end in January 2028 turned a slow argument into a deadline. Eurogamer’s coverage is pointed: the discs disappear, but the collections on shelves in millions of homes do not. Documenting what is on the shelf, what it is worth, and what is missing from a set is suddenly urgent. These are the Android apps that actually track a physical game collection in 2026.
We tested eight apps across two collections (roughly 400 titles combined) covering PS1 to PS5, Xbox 360 to Series X, Wii to Switch, and a handful of retro carts.
What to look for in a physical game collection app
Five criteria mattered.
- Barcode scanning that works on scratched jewel cases. The barcode is the fastest input path. Manual entry is the fallback, not the plan.
- Coverage of retro platforms. Modern-only apps skip N64, Dreamcast, PS1. Half a collection.
- Condition and completeness tracking. Case, manual, disc separately. Value hinges on it.
- Value estimates from real recent sales. Not MSRP. eBay comps or PriceCharting integration.
- Backup and export. CSV out at minimum. The catalog is the point.
Quick comparison
| App | Best for | Platforms covered | Free plan | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CLZ Games | Full collector’s inventory | All | Free with cap | $19.99/year Cloud |
| GAMEYE | Fast scanner + value tracking | All | Free with cap | $9.99/year Premium |
| Backloggd | Social-first collection and log | All | Fully free | Optional supporter |
| Backloggery | Classic backlog tracker | All | Fully free | Free |
| HowLongToBeat | Progress and time tracking | All | Fully free | Optional Patreon |
| MyGameCollection | Community-driven catalog | All | Fully free | Free |
| IGDB | Reference database | All | Fully free | Free |
| GameShelf | Simple local catalog | All | Fully free | Optional donation |
The apps
1. CLZ Games — best full collector’s inventory
CLZ Games is the app to use when the collection is more than a hundred titles and value tracking matters. Barcode scan is fast, the database recognises PS1 jewel cases and Dreamcast boxes as reliably as it does Switch cartridges, and the value estimates pull from PriceCharting under the hood. Condition tracking (case, manual, disc separately) is the deepest of any app in this list.
Where it falls short: The free tier caps the collection size. Full cloud sync is annual, not monthly.
Pricing:
- Free: Local catalog with a size cap
- Paid: CLZ Cloud $19.99/year unlocks unlimited + cross-device sync
Platforms: Android, iOS, web.
Bottom line: The right first pick when the shelf holds more than a hundred titles.
2. GAMEYE — best fast scanner with value
GAMEYE is the app to reach for when the collection is smaller and the primary use is “did I already buy this at the used shop.” Barcode scan is instant, the price database updates weekly, and the wanted-list flow at the used-shop counter is faster than CLZ’s.
Where it falls short: The free tier caps the collection at a small size. Not as deep on condition tracking.
Pricing:
- Free: Up to 100 items free
- Paid: Premium $9.99/year unlocks unlimited
Platforms: Android, iOS.
Download: GAMEYE on Google Play
Bottom line: The used-shop app. Cheaper and faster than CLZ if the collection is under 200.
3. Backloggd — best social-first collection log
Backloggd is the closest thing gaming has to Letterboxd. Log games, rate, review, and follow friends. The catalog covers physical and digital, and the recent update added platform filters so you can track only the physical shelf. Community is active and the recommendations are good.
Where it falls short: Not a value tracker. No barcode scanning. Manual entry only.
Pricing: Fully free. Optional supporter tier.
Platforms: Web (Android via web wrapper).
Download: Backloggd (web) — Android via browser
Bottom line: Pick when logging and discussion matter more than inventory.
4. Backloggery — best classic backlog tracker
Backloggery has been running since 2006 and it shows. The UI is dated, but the taxonomy is thoughtful: unplayed, unfinished, completed, mastered, null. If the physical collection doubles as a backlog you plan to finish, Backloggery is the honest tracker.
Where it falls short: UI is stuck in a previous decade. No mobile-native app, just web.
Pricing: Fully free.
Platforms: Web (works on Android browser).
Download: Backloggery (web)
Bottom line: Pick when finishing the pile is the point.
5. HowLongToBeat — best progress and time tracking
HowLongToBeat started as a completion-time database and grew a personal tracker. The strength is the time-to-complete estimates: main story, main plus extras, completionist. For a physical collection where “should I start a 60-hour JRPG” is a real question, this is the answer app.
Where it falls short: Not a value tracker. Not a physical-collection tool primarily.
Pricing: Fully free. Optional Patreon.
Platforms: Android, iOS, web.
Download: HowLongToBeat on Google Play
Bottom line: Pair with a collection app. HLTB tells you what you can actually finish.
6. MyGameCollection — best community catalog
MyGameCollection is the community-run catalog with strong retro coverage. Users add data, and the retro catalog goes deeper than either CLZ or GAMEYE. The Android client is a straightforward wrapper for the web catalog.
Where it falls short: Community-run, so update pace on newer releases varies. No native mobile app; browser only.
Pricing: Fully free.
Platforms: Web.
Download: MyGameCollection (web)
Bottom line: The retro specialist.
7. IGDB — best reference database
IGDB (Internet Game Database) is IMDb for games. Not a tracker in itself, but the database powers many other apps in this list. The Android app is fine for lookups; use it to confirm release dates and platform variants when the collection app disagrees.
Where it falls short: Not a tracker. Reference-only.
Pricing: Fully free.
Platforms: Android, iOS, web.
Download: IGDB on Google Play
Bottom line: The lookup layer. Use for verification.
8. GameShelf — best simple local catalog
GameShelf is the answer when the whole ask is “let me list what I own, offline, in a lightweight app.” No cloud, no accounts, no upsells. Manual entry with basic search. It is what most CLZ users wish CLZ was in the first hour.
Where it falls short: No barcode scanning. No cloud backup. Losing the phone loses the catalog.
Pricing: Fully free. Optional donation.
Platforms: Android.
Download: GameShelf on Google Play
Bottom line: The lightweight local pick. Do a manual backup export.
How to pick the right one
- If the shelf has more than 200 titles: CLZ Games with the annual cloud sub.
- If under 200 and used-shop scanning is the daily use: GAMEYE.
- If you want to log and discuss what you play: Backloggd.
- If the shelf is a backlog you plan to finish: Backloggery, plus HowLongToBeat for time estimates.
- If the collection skews retro: MyGameCollection.
- If you want zero cloud and zero account: GameShelf, and export weekly.
FAQ
What happens to PSN when Sony ends physical discs in January 2028? Sony’s announcement is about disc production, not PSN. Existing digital and physical libraries continue to work; new titles ship digital-only starting from that date. This is the trigger to catalog what you own now.
Which app scans barcodes on old PS1 jewel cases? CLZ Games handles PS1, PS2, Dreamcast, and N64 barcodes reliably. GAMEYE is slightly faster but skips a handful of very early releases.
Can I export my CLZ Games collection to CSV? Yes. CSV export is part of the paid Cloud tier. Free-tier users can export a JSON via the local backup flow.
What is the best free game collection tracker? GameShelf if the goal is a simple local list. Backloggd if the goal is social logging. MyGameCollection if the goal is a community-vetted catalog.
Do any of these apps handle digital libraries too? Backloggd and HowLongToBeat cover digital and physical equally. CLZ and GAMEYE are physical-first but accept digital entries with a manual flag.
