Every tool, side by side
We read each company's own website on the date in the last column, and we list only what it says there. The PigeonTrail row comes from our pricing table.
| Tool | Price | Free allowance | Imports | Letter insurance | Buyer updates | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PigeonTrail | Pro $12.99 a month for 500 letters, then 2 cents each; Shop $49 for 2,500; credits at 10 cents | 100 letters a month | Mana Pool and Shopify connected; TCGplayer, eBay and Shopify files | None | Tracking page in your colors; one email at the first scan, or three from your shop on Pro | Oct 19, 2026 |
| TCGTracking | Tracking free; supporter plan $9.99 a month | Unlimited tracking | TCGplayer, Mana Pool, Cardsphere, eBay, Amazon, Shopify, CSV | PIP up to $50, 0.85% with a 17 cent minimum | Lookup page for buyers | Oct 18, 2026 |
| TCGHaulTracker | $9 a month for 75 orders up to $149 for 3,000; 30 credits for $4.50 | 25 orders | TCGplayer packing slips, CSV | Its own Shipment Guarantee, 2% of the order up to $1, which it says is not insurance | Share links; buyer scan emails the buyer signs up for | Oct 18, 2026 |
| WheresMyTCG | $2.49 a month for 100, $4.99 for 250, $9.99 unlimited | First month in full, then 10 a month | TCGplayer, with the barcode on its packing slip | None | Lookup by order number | Oct 18, 2026 |
| PWETracker | $5.99 a month, unlimited | 25 shipments | CSV | None | Buyer tracking page | Oct 18, 2026 |
| Card Pathfinder | 17 credits for $5 up to 1,200 for $180, 15 to 29 cents each | 5 credits | Not stated | None | Scan updates | Oct 18, 2026 |
| TCG QuickShip | Free plan; postage plans from $10 to $40 a month | Free barcoded labels with your own stamp | eBay, Mana Pool, CardNexus, Misprint, Shopify | PIP at 1% with a 20 cent minimum, on postage bought there | Buyer tracking page | Oct 18, 2026 |
| LetterTrack | Prepaid packs, 50 for $16 up to 1,000 for $180 | 5 labels | eBay, Etsy, TCGplayer, Shopify, ShipStation | None | Emails to sender and recipient at each scan | Oct 18, 2026 |
| Envelope Tracker | Free, open source | Unlimited | None, one letter at a time | None | Tracking by serial and ZIP code | Oct 13, 2026 |
| eBay Standard Envelope | $0.78 to $1.36 a letter, postage included | Not applicable | eBay orders under $20 only | eBay's protection up to $20, or $50 combined | Tracking shown inside eBay | Oct 19, 2026 |
| USPS Informed Greetings | Free | Not applicable | None, made for greeting cards | None | An email to you and your recipient when it is about to arrive | Sep 24, 2026 |
We read every fact about another company on its own website on the date shown. Prices and features change, so if something here is out of date, write to support@pigeontrail.com and we will correct it.
Two tools in more detail
LetterTrack and TCGTracking are the two names card sellers search for most, so each has its own page with what PigeonTrail does for its users and a short side by side table: the LetterTrack alternative and the TCGTracking alternative.
What every one of these can and cannot do
A letter barcode gets scanned when USPS runs the letter through its sorting machines, so these tools can show that a letter is moving and roughly where it is. None of them can show a scan at the mailbox, because USPS does not scan letters there. When any of them shows a letter as delivered, it is passing on USPS's estimate from the carrier's route, which USPS's own guide calls an implied delivery. Our guide to what each USPS scan means explains the events a letter can get.
A letter has to stay machinable to be scanned at all. A stiff or lumpy envelope gets sorted by hand and usually gets few scans or none, whichever tool printed its barcode, and the letter checker tells you which way yours will go.
Questions
Is there a free way to track a stamped letter?
Yes. TCGTracking and Envelope Tracker are free, PigeonTrail's first 100 letters each month are free, and USPS's own Informed Greetings label is free for greeting cards. Each of them prints a USPS Intelligent Mail barcode on an envelope you stamp yourself.
Do TCGplayer, eBay or Mana Pool accept these tracking numbers?
No. TCGplayer wants USPS, UPS or FedEx tracking over $49.99, Mana Pool says letter tracking services cannot meet its tracking requirement, and eBay counts only its own Standard Envelope label for letters. A letter barcode helps you and your buyer see where the letter is, and the marketplace rules still decide when you need a package label.
Which tool should I pick?
Pick by the one thing you care about most. If you want insurance on letters, look at TCGTracking or TCG QuickShip. If you want your buyers to get emails and a tracking page from your shop, and a warning when a letter falls behind, PigeonTrail is built around that. If you sell only on eBay under $20, eBay Standard Envelope is cheaper than any stamp.
Sources
- Each company's own website, read on the date in the table. We do not link to other companies' sites.
- eBay, "eBay standard envelope", read October 19, 2026: ebay.com/sellercenter
- Mana Pool, "Shipping, Rates and Methods", updated September 20, 2026: support.manapool.com
- TCGplayer, "How should I ship my TCGplayer orders?", read October 13, 2026: help.tcgplayer.com
- USPS, Informed Visibility Mail Tracking and Reporting User Guide, version 2.19.9 (September 2026), Appendix E.3.2 on the logical delivery event, opcode 517: postalpro.usps.com/informedvisibility