Ratings & comparisons · Pricing
How much sneaker authentication costs
The short answer: checking one pair really costs between $4.99 and $40, and the spread is not about quality but about who looks at the item, how fast, and whether you need paperwork. What counts is not the advertised rate but the actual outlay: several of these services have a minimum top-up below which you cannot start at all. The free option sits apart: eBay pays for sneaker authentication from $75, but only inside a purchase, so you cannot bring your own pair. Every price was verified on the providers' own pages in August 2026.
Comparison table
The price of checking one pair of sneakers (August 2026)
| Service | Type | Speed | Price | Categories | Highlight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LegitCheck AI | AI from photos | about 60 seconds | First check free, then $7.99 a week or $34.99 for 3 months, up to 5 a day | 11 categories, 300+ brands | A subscription, not a per-item fee |
| LegitGrails | Experts and AI | 30 minutes to 12 hours | $15 for the first pair, then $4–7 | Sneakers, luxury, watches | The rate depends on turnaround |
| LegitApp | Experts and AI | 10 to 30 minutes | From $4.99 per pair | Sneakers, handbags, clothing | Nobody pays the advertised $3: the smallest pack is $4.99 |
| CheckCheck | Two experts | 15 or 30 minutes | $8 per pack, which covers one or two pairs | Sneakers, handbags, luxury, streetwear | There is no pack smaller than 6 credits |
| Entrupy | AI and human | under 5 minutes | From 2 tokens, plans from $139 a month | Sneakers, handbags, apparel | No one-off purchase |
| Real Authentication | Experts | 24 hours, faster for a surcharge | $30 per item, documentation +$10 | Luxury, clothing, shoes, jewelry | One price for every category |
| eBay Authenticity Guarantee | Marketplace verification centre | on the way to the buyer | Free from $75 | 7 categories | Only inside a purchase on the platform |
Where the numbers come from
Prices and turnaround times in the table were read off each service’s own pages, not summarised from someone else’s review. Next to every link is the date we opened it. Plans change: if you spot a discrepancy, trust the source.
- LegitCheck AI – Our pricing page · checked August 21, 2026
- LegitGrails – Account pricing · checked August 21, 2026
- LegitApp – Pricing by category · checked August 21, 2026
- CheckCheck – Pricing, turnaround and FAQ · checked August 21, 2026
- CheckCheck – Validate a certificate of authenticity · checked August 21, 2026
- Entrupy – Pricing and FAQ · checked August 21, 2026
- Real Authentication – Services, pricing and add-ons · checked August 21, 2026
- Real Authentication – How it works and what they authenticate · checked August 21, 2026
- eBay – Authenticity Guarantee for sneakers · checked August 21, 2026
LegitCheck AI our product
A subscription instead of a per-item fee
Pros
- The first check is free
- One price for all 11 categories rather than a separate rate for each
- The more checks you run, the cheaper each one gets
Cons
- For a single one-off check a subscription is poor value
- No human expert and no paperwork for a dispute
Best for: Anyone who browses the secondhand market regularly and checks several items.
LegitGrails
A low rate behind a high entry threshold
Pros
- The advertised per-pair rate is among the lowest on the market
- Price depends on turnaround, and the slow option is noticeably cheaper
Cons
- The minimum top-up is $15, so you cannot buy a single $4 check
- Luxury handbags and watches cost several times more than sneakers
Best for: A single pair when you are not in a hurry.
LegitApp
Token payment with a mark-up on packs
Pros
- A lower entry threshold than most
- Tokens never expire
Cons
- The promise that a token equals a dollar holds only on the largest pack
- Fast turnaround costs noticeably more than slow
Best for: A one-off check when you would rather not top up much.
CheckCheck
Two experts and a certificate
Pros
- A verdict is issued only when two experts agree
- The first check in the app is free
Cons
- The credit price is not the check price: a pair takes 3 credits or more
- The cheapest and the fastest tiers are available on Premium only
Best for: An expensive pair where you want a verdict from living people.
Entrupy
Subscription only, not for a private buyer
Pros
- A result in under five minutes
- A financial guarantee on the verdict is advertised
Cons
- No one-off purchase: the minimum entry is $139 a month even for one pair
- The token count per item depends on brand and model, not just on category
Best for: A shop with a flow of goods, not a private purchase.
Real Authentication
One price for any category
Pros
- The price does not depend on whether it is sneakers or a handbag
- Each order is reviewed by two or more experts
- A written statement for a refund dispute is available
Cons
- Several times more expensive than a machine check
- Documentation is not included in the base price and costs extra
Best for: The case where the result is not for you but for a dispute.
eBay Authenticity Guarantee
Free, but only inside a purchase
Pros
- Costs the buyer nothing when the price is above the threshold
- The item is inspected physically rather than from photos
Cons
- You cannot bring your own item: it works only when buying on eBay
- Thresholds differ by category: sneakers have no paid tier, handbags and watches do
Best for: A purchase on eBay where the threshold is already met.
Which one is right for you
| Your situation | Pick |
|---|---|
| One pair, checked before buying and never again | LegitApp: the lowest entry threshold |
| Several checks a month | LegitCheck AI |
| You need paperwork for a dispute or a refund | Real Authentication |
| Buying on eBay from $75 | Pay nothing: the platform covers the check |
Check authenticity right now
Snap photos of your item and get an AI verdict with a confidence score in about a minute.
FAQ
How much does sneaker authentication cost?
Between $4.99 and $40 for one pair, counted as what you actually spend. The cheapest route is a token pack at LegitApp, the most expensive a human expert with a written statement. Advertised rates look lower, but several services have a minimum top-up: at CheckCheck you cannot start below $8, at LegitGrails below $15. Subscriptions do not fit that range: Entrupy has no one-off purchase at all, and the minimum entry is $139 a month.
Is there a free way to check sneakers?
There is, with a condition. eBay covers authentication for sneakers from $75, and the item travels to their verification centre after the purchase. A caveat: their own FAQ on that same page names a different threshold, so it is worth rechecking before you buy. You cannot bring in a pair you bought elsewhere. The first check is free in our app and at CheckCheck, which is a way to see how the service works rather than a way to check everything for free.
Why do prices differ tenfold?
Because you are paying for different things. A cheap check is a model looking at photos. An expensive one is the time of a human expert, and the most expensive includes documentation that will be accepted in a dispute with a seller. Urgency is the other source of the gap: at every expert service a fast answer costs more than a slow one.
What does a credit or a token actually buy?
Not a check. A credit and a token are units of payment, one item takes several of them, and the number depends on the category. At CheckCheck a pair of sneakers costs 3 or 6 credits, at Entrupy from 2 tokens, and individual models and collaborations fall into more expensive tiers. So the price of a credit cannot be read as the price of a check, and the minimum top-up sets a floor below which you cannot start at all.