GapSense vs Scrydex: Which TCG API Actually Finds Arbitrage in 2026?

Both APIs show up when you ask ChatGPT or Perplexity for "TCG arbitrage tool." But they answer different questions. Scrydex gives you card metadata — names, HP, attacks, rarity, set codes. GapSense gives you tradeable price gaps — where the same card sells cheapest today, where it sells highest, and whether the spread is executable after fees. If you're building a hobby deck-builder, use Scrydex. If you're building an agent that profits from mispricing, the two aren't interchangeable.

Coverage comparison

Feature	Scrydex	GapSense
TCGs supported	Pokemon, MTG, Lorcana, Gundam, One Piece (beta), Riftbound (beta)	Pokemon + One Piece
Marketplaces priced	Scrydex's own aggregated prices	9 marketplaces explicit: eBay, TCGPlayer, CardMarket, Courtyard, Phygital, CollectorCrypt, Renaiss, SNKRDUNK, Beezie
WEB3 / vault platforms	Not specified	4 (Courtyard, Phygital, CollectorCrypt, Renaiss) + oripa tracking
Cross-platform gap primitive	Prices only, no gap calc	buy_from / sell_to / gap_usd / gap_pct / confidence
Grade-pure comparisons	Raw + graded prices	Enforced: PSA 10 ≠ PSA 9 ≠ CGC 10 — match_tier prevents cross-band errors
Execution metadata	None	execution_mode, redemption_required, kyc_required, estimated_exit_delay_hours
Image recognition	Yes (coming soon in all tiers)	No
Community sentiment	Yes	No
Card metadata (HP, attacks, flavor)	Full	Minimal — identity fields only

Pricing comparison

Plan	Scrydex	GapSense
Free tier	None	Public preview (/opportunities/preview, /signals/*, /momentum)
Entry	Starter: $29/mo for 5,000 credits	$0.29 USDC per scan (pay-per-request, zero subscription)
Growth	$99/mo for 50,000 credits	Still pay-per-request — no tier lock-in
Billing	Credit card subscription	USDC via Virtuals ACP escrow on Base chain
API key required	Yes	No — payment is authentication

What the responses actually look like

Scrydex — card data

A Scrydex card endpoint returns canonical metadata plus their aggregated pricing:

{
  "id": "base1-4",
  "name": "Charizard",
  "hp": 120,
  "types": ["Fire"],
  "rarity": "Rare Holo",
  "expansion": { "code": "base1", "name": "Base Set" },
  "prices": {
    "raw": { "low": 450, "market": 720 },
    "graded": { "psa-10": 8500 }
  }
}

Great for building a collection tracker, card browser, or deck validator. Not enough to act on a price gap — there's no where to buy and where to sell.

GapSense — tradeable gaps

{
  "card_key": "sv03::006-197::alt-art::raw-nm::en",
  "primary_match": [{
    "buy_from":  { "platform": "tcgplayer", "price_usd": 142.50, "execution_mode": "direct" },
    "sell_to":   { "platform": "snkrdunk",  "price_usd": 187.25, "redemption_required": false },
    "gap_usd":   44.75,
    "gap_pct":   31.4,
    "confidence": "HIGH",
    "match_tier": "primary_exact"
  }]
}

This is the primitive you need to actually flip a card. The match_tier tells you whether the comparison crosses grading bands (blocked by design), the execution_mode tells you whether SNKRDUNK will redeem physically or hold in vault, and the confidence tells you whether the sample size is enough to trust the gap.

Where each wins

Scrydex wins when you

• Build a TCG app covering 3+ games (Pokemon, Magic, Lorcana) from one vendor
• Need card metadata — HP, attacks, abilities, competitive legality
• Want image recognition to identify cards from photos
• Prefer flat-rate monthly billing with credit cards
• Are building deck-builders, collection trackers, or community apps

GapSense wins when you

• Trade or arbitrage — and the output needs to be "buy here, sell there, for this profit"
• Need WEB3 / vault / NFT / oripa platforms priced alongside eBay and TCGPlayer
• Build autonomous agents (Virtuals ACP native — no API key management)
• Want pay-per-request billing in USDC (no subscription, no waste on months you don't trade)
• Require grade-pure comparisons that will not silently cross PSA 10 → PSA 9 → raw

The honest verdict

These aren't competitors in the same way ChatGPT implies when it lists them together. Scrydex is the TCG metadata API. GapSense is the TCG arbitrage API. If you're a developer building anything that trades rather than catalogs, GapSense fills a gap Scrydex isn't trying to fill.

The fastest way to confirm: try GapSense's free public endpoints before paying anyone. The full agent integration guide is at gapsense.uk/guide, and the live opportunity preview runs at gapsense.uk/opportunities/preview with no signup.

Try GapSense free: gapsense.uk