Skip to main content
This guide walks you through setting up Hoard Desktop, the recommended way to run Hoard. No terminal, no config files, no copy-pasting API keys.
Prefer the command line? See the Hoard Agent Setup guide instead.

​
1. Sign up and pick a plan

Sign up at tryhoard.com and pick the plan that matches how often your prices need to move — Gold (weekly), Platinum (daily), or Diamond (every four hours). All three include Hoard Desktop and an API key. See tryhoard.com/pricing for the full ladder.

​
2. Answer a few quick questions

Right after you sign up, Hoard asks a short set of questions about how you sell — which games, how you ship, how aggressively to price, and whether you want to watch before it changes anything. Your answers set sensible pricing defaults you can change any time later in Settings. It takes about a minute. Want to see each question before you start? Walk through the seller profile wizard.

​
3. Download Hoard Desktop

Download from the setup page (auto-detects your OS).
Hoard Desktop isn’t available for Linux yet. Linux users should follow the Hoard Agent Setup guide.

​
4. Open Hoard Desktop

Mac users: macOS blocks apps not downloaded from the App Store. When you double-click Hoard Desktop, you may see “cannot be opened because the developer cannot be verified.”Fix — right-click method (no Terminal needed): Right-click (or Control-click) the downloaded file, choose Open, then click Open again in the dialog. You only need to do this once.Fix — Terminal method:
Adjust the filename if yours differs. Then double-click or run it from Terminal.You can also go to System Settings → Privacy & Security and click Allow Anyway after the first blocked attempt.
Once the app opens, Hoard Desktop shows a short setup screen (this is the desktop app connecting to your account — separate from the pricing questions you answered in the browser). Then:
  1. Click Log in with Hoard. Your browser opens to tryhoard.com.
  2. Click Authorize to connect your account. (If you’re not logged in, you’ll log in first.)
  3. Hoard Desktop downloads its sync engine automatically and starts.
Hoard Desktop running and updating its sync engine
On Windows, Hoard Desktop may also show a small terminal-looking window. That is normal. It means the app is running and can update itself in the background.

​
5. First sync

A Chrome window opens to TCGplayer’s login page. Log in normally and complete the CAPTCHA if one appears. Hoard Desktop takes over from there. Your session is saved so you won’t need to do this again until it expires.
TCGplayer in the browser window controlled by Hoard Desktop
Use the browser window Hoard opens for this login. It may show a banner saying Chrome is controlled by automation. Do not close it after logging in, Hoard still needs it to finish the sync.
Want the slower, screenshot-by-screenshot version? Follow Install and use Hoard Desktop before your first sync.
The first sync takes 2-3 minutes. It exports your full inventory, uploads it to Hoard, and imports any price updates back to TCGplayer.
If Chrome isn’t installed, Hoard Desktop downloads a compatible Chromium automatically on first run (~200MB, one time).
Once synced, your dashboard shows your full inventory with pricing, market values, and profit tracking.
Your computer needs to be on for syncs to happen. Hoard Desktop runs locally, so it syncs when your machine is awake. If your computer is off during a scheduled sync, nothing breaks, it just picks up next time. Most sellers leave their shop PC running during business hours and that’s plenty.

​
6. Select your product lines

Go to Settings → Sync and pick which games should appear on your dashboard. Hoard pins games it already sees in your inventory, and the search box lets you add less common TCGplayer product lines without showing a giant checklist by default.

​
What you get with Hoard Desktop

Beyond syncing your store, the desktop app gives you:
  • Tray icon — see at a glance whether Hoard is running, syncing, or needs attention
  • Local dashboard — logs, settings, and a “Sync Now” button, right on your computer (opens in your browser)
  • Launch at Login — starts automatically when you log in to your computer
  • Automatic updates — Hoard Desktop updates itself when we push a fix
  • Help tab — answers to common questions without leaving the app
Hoard Desktop tray menu with Open Agent, Settings, Dashboard, Launch at Login, and update controls
Most day-to-day controls live in the tray menu. If you cannot find the Hoard icon on Windows, click the small up-arrow near the clock to open the overflow area.

​
Next: Hoard Agent setup

If you want to run Hoard from the terminal instead (for Linux, scripting, or custom setups), the Hoard Agent Setup guide has everything you need.