What TCGTracking does well
TCGTracking is free for tracking, it is used by more than 8,000 sellers by its own count, and it imports from more places than most tools, including Cardsphere and Amazon. Its insurance is the main reason many sellers stay: it covers stamped letters up to $50 through PIP, which few companies will do. It also has a card scanner, repricing and listing tools that PigeonTrail does not try to offer.
If insurance on every envelope is what you need, TCGplayer's own rules may already cover part of it. Since August 17, 2026, TCGplayer's Safeguard repays missing untracked orders of $49.99 or less for US sellers with 1,000 or more lifetime orders, once the seller has refunded the buyer.
Emails your buyer gets from your shop
Most of the "where is my order" messages a card seller answers come from buyers who can't see anything happening. PigeonTrail gives every letter a tracking page and emails your buyer the link at the first USPS scan. If you're on Pro, those emails come from your shop's name, and your buyer hears from you when the letter is mailed, when it's almost there and when USPS marks it delivered.
The tracking page carries your logo, tagline and accent color, so it looks like part of your shop. Every email has a link to stop them, and none go out at night.
The route map and the day USPS expects it
Each time USPS sorts the letter at one of its plants, PigeonTrail puts the scan on a map of the real route. It also asks USPS how many delivery days a First Class letter gets between your ZIP code and your buyer's, and counts them out on the calendar, skipping Sundays and postal holidays, so you and your buyer see the same expected day.
A letter more than a day past that day, or five days without a scan, is flagged in your list, and on Pro we email you about it. You can try the same USPS numbers with our free letter delivery time tool.
Envelopes that look like your shop
PigeonTrail's envelope designer puts your logo, a tagline and an accent color in the return corner, with a live preview of each envelope size before anything prints. The address and the barcode stay exactly where USPS reads them. It prints #10, #9, #6 3/4, A7 and 6 x 9 envelopes, Avery 5163 sheets, 4 x 2 and 4 x 6 thermal labels, and a packing slip that shows the address through a #10 window envelope.
Orders of $50 or more go to Pirate Ship
TCGplayer wants carrier tracking on orders over $49.99, and Mana Pool wants a tracked package for its larger orders. PigeonTrail sorts those orders out of your letters and gives you a file to upload to Pirate Ship, where you buy Ground Advantage labels at its rates. When you bring Pirate Ship's shipment file back, the tracking numbers go onto the right orders.
TCGTracking and PigeonTrail side by side
Every TCGTracking fact below comes from TCGTracking's own website, read on October 18, 2026.
| TCGTracking | PigeonTrail | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Tracking free; supporter plan $9.99 a month | 100 letters a month free; Pro $12.99 a month for 500, then 2 cents each |
| Letter insurance | PIP, up to $50: 0.85% with a 17 cent minimum, or 0.70% and 13 cents for supporters | Not offered |
| Order imports | TCGplayer, Mana Pool, Cardsphere, eBay, Amazon, Shopify and CSV | Mana Pool and Shopify connected; TCGplayer, eBay and Shopify files |
| Postage | Your own stamp; EasyPost labels for packages | Your own stamp; a Pirate Ship file for packages |
| Buyer updates | A lookup page for buyers | A tracking page in your colors, and emails at the first scan, or three from your shop on Pro |
| Late letters | A public dashboard of delivery times across its network | USPS's expected day for each letter, a flag when it falls behind, and an email on Pro |
| Other tools | Card scanner, repricing, listing sync, address checks, an API | Envelope designer, address checks, reship with a new barcode, mailing records |
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.
Questions
Is TCGTracking free?
Yes. TCGTracking's site says its tracking, order imports, printing and API are free, and it makes money from insurance and from a $9.99 a month supporter plan. That was still true when we checked on October 18, 2026.
Does TCGTracking have insurance?
Yes. TCGTracking sells PIP insurance on letters worth up to $50, for 0.85% of the value with a 17 cent minimum, or 0.70% with a 13 cent minimum on its $9.99 supporter plan. PigeonTrail does not sell insurance, so if insuring each envelope matters to you, TCGTracking has something we don't.
Does TCGplayer accept either tracking number?
No. TCGplayer asks for USPS, UPS or FedEx tracking on orders over $49.99, and its help pages say nothing about letter barcodes, so neither tool's number counts for those orders. PigeonTrail sends orders of $50 or more to a Pirate Ship package list instead. Our TCGplayer shipping rules guide has the details and dates.
Which one emails my buyer?
PigeonTrail does. Your buyer gets a PigeonTrail email with the tracking link at the first USPS scan, and if you're on Pro, emails from your shop's name when the letter is mailed, almost there and delivered. TCGTracking's site describes a lookup page for buyers and does not describe buyer emails. TCGplayer and Mana Pool do not share buyer email addresses with outside tools, so for those orders the link reaches the buyer through the marketplace or a message from you.
Can I use TCGTracking and PigeonTrail together?
Yes, as long as each envelope carries only one barcode. Some sellers keep TCGTracking for the orders they want insured and print the rest from PigeonTrail.
Sources
- TCGTracking's home page and its page about PIP insurance, read October 18, 2026. We do not link to other companies' sites.
- TCGplayer, "How should I ship my TCGplayer orders?", read October 13, 2026: help.tcgplayer.com
- TCGplayer, "TCGplayer Safeguard", change log through September 30, 2026: help.tcgplayer.com
- TCGplayer seller blog, "Expanded TCGplayer Safeguard Protection for Sellers", August 17, 2026: seller.tcgplayer.com