Short answer: use a free AI estimate or Instant Screener when you are curious and want a preliminary range. Choose the $59 signed appraisal when you want a human-reviewed PDF to keep for personal records or resale planning. A signature does not make the report automatic proof of authenticity, guarantee a sale price, or force a receiving party to accept it.
Compare the two outputs before you pay
The practical difference is the deliverable. InstAppraisal, ArtValue, ArtHelper, Appraiser.AI, and similar instant tools are built to return a quick range from limited input. That can be useful. It is still different from a named person reviewing the photographs, selecting evidence, stating a conclusion, and signing a report.
Object-specific guides show why a signed name is only one part of the file: see the evidence stack used for a C. Freeman painting and a signed Collini painting.
| Decision point | Signed written report | Free AI / instant estimate |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A human-reviewed, signed PDF with description, comps, conclusion, assumptions, and limits. | An unsigned preliminary identity or value range generated from the submitted information. |
| Best for | Keeping a record, planning resale, or showing how a conclusion was reached. | Curiosity, quick triage, and deciding whether more research is worthwhile. |
| Keep and share | Yes. You receive a PDF designed to be saved and read by another person. | You may be able to save a screen, but it is not a signed appraisal report. |
| Insurance, tax, or court | Standard is not the automatic answer; those uses have separate requirements and services. | Not formal documentation for those decisions. |
| Price | $59 for Appraisily Standard. | Free for Instant Screener; other providers set their own terms. |
| Timing | Human review takes longer. The 24-hour timeframe is a target after complete information, not an SLA. | Usually much faster because the output is preliminary and unsigned. |
| Commercial incentive | Flat fee. Appraisily does not consign the item. | Varies. Check whether the estimate leads to a subscription, marketplace, or sale service. |
A signed report is not “better” merely because it is slower. It is worth paying for only when the extra review and keep-file change what you can do next.
Use the free number when curiosity is the whole job
If your question is simply “Should I look into this?” start free. Instant Screener is a separate, photo-based product with three short screens. It is unsigned and not a formal appraisal, which is exactly why it works as a low-friction first step.
- You found an item while clearing a room. A rough category and market signal may be all you need before deciding what to keep.
- You are testing whether better photos matter. The screener can expose missing views, labels, measurements, or condition details.
- You do not need to show a conclusion to anyone. If the result stays private and no decision depends on a signed file, stop there.
- The likely value does not justify more work. A useful free result can tell you not to buy a report.
That is not a lesser outcome. Good appraisal work includes knowing when an appraisal is unnecessary.
Only curious?
Get the unsigned first look before buying a report
Upload clear photos to see whether your item merits a closer look. Results usually appear within a few minutes; complex items can take longer.
Upload a photo for a free first lookFree. No card needed. The photo upload usually takes about two minutes.
Build a report another person can follow
The $59 Standard report is useful because the reasoning travels with the conclusion. You receive a signed PDF with a named reviewer, a description based on the submitted photographs, relevant comparable sales, a value conclusion for records or resale planning, and the assumptions and limits that frame that conclusion.
The signature is one part of the audit trail, not a magic stamp. A careful report still distinguishes what the photos support from what they do not. One JPEG is not authentication. If the evidence cannot support a conclusion, Appraisily says so and refunds the order.
Before ordering, you can see a sample report and check whether that level of documentation matches your purpose.
What similar items actually sold for
To help ground this guide in real market activity, here are recent example auction comps from Appraisily’s internal database. These matched sales are market context only, not an object estimate or identification, and they do not guarantee a price for your specific item.
Shown USD range: USD 50-USD 1,750. Median of these 5 USD examples: USD 175.
| Comparable | What sold | Auction house | Date | Lot | Source-reported amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Tony Bennett | 1997 Signed Original "Still Life" Painting | Julien's Auctions | 2024-10-29 | 150 | USD 1,750 (buyer’s-premium treatment unknown) |
 |
Illegibly Signed Found Object Figural Sculpture | Auctions at Showplace | 2025-10-30 | 251 | USD 150 (buyer’s-premium treatment unknown) |
 |
Tony Bennett | Signed Original "Sedona" Watercolor Painting | Julien's Auctions | 2024-10-29 | 104 | USD 1,250 (buyer’s-premium treatment unknown) |
 |
Nowak Signed Studio Art Glass Sea Conch Shell | The Benefit Shop Foundation Inc. | 2025-03-19 | 593 | USD 175 (buyer’s-premium treatment unknown) |
 |
Art Deco Hand-Painted Ballroom Romance Ceramic Vase Signed Augustine | Lion and Unicorn | 2025-07-13 | 188 | USD 50 (buyer’s-premium treatment unknown) |
How these auction records were verified
Each row retains its exact source URL, lot identity, retrieval time, access result, and immutable record hash. Inspect the public comparable provenance record.
Disclosure: prices are shown as reported by auction houses and are provided for appraisal context. Learn more in our editorial policy.
Match the report to the decision in front of you
Standard is for records and resale planning. Do not stretch it into a different service merely because the PDF is signed. A receiving party may set its own rules and is not guaranteed to accept a remote report.
Records or resale planning
Use the $59 Standard report when you want a signed keep-file and a supported conclusion. Appraisily charges a flat fee and does not consign. Start Standard for $59.
Insurance
Ask the carrier what it requires first. The separate insurance service is $99, and acceptance of a remote PDF is not guaranteed. Read the insurance scope or start after checking.
Tax, estate, or donation
The $399 path begins with case review; it is not automatically IRS-qualified, and Appraisily does not file Form 8283. Review the donation scope or request case review. This is not tax advice.
An auction-house free estimate is a different job and may lead toward consignment. If you are comparing Mearto, ValueMyStuff, and similar services, use the short online appraisal comparison rather than treating every offer as the same product.
Send photographs that support a conclusion
Whether you start free or order the report, better evidence produces a more useful answer. Photograph the full front and back, any signature or mark, labels and stickers, the item beside a ruler or tape, and every visible area of damage. Add dimensions in writing.
For paintings, the back can matter as much as the image. The frame, stretcher, labels, and repairs help explain what the object is and what changed over time. The painting photo guide gives the longer protocol. For examples of why a signature alone is not enough, compare the evidence approach in the C. Freeman painting guide and the signed Collini painting guide.
If the photographs still cannot separate an original, later edition, reproduction, or attributed work, say so. That uncertainty belongs in the conclusion, not behind a confident-looking number.
Need an in-person specialist?
Search available specialists by location and service. Confirm current credentials, scope, fees, and availability directly with the provider.
Browse the Antique & Art Appraiser DirectoryFive direct answers before you choose
Is a free AI estimate the same as a signed written appraisal?
No. Free AI tools return an unsigned range or first read. A signed Appraisily Standard report is a $59 human-reviewed PDF with a description, comparable sales, a conclusion, assumptions, and limits. Use the unsigned Instant Screener when you only want a first number.
How can I find out what my painting is worth for free?
Upload photos to Instant Screener. It is free, uses three screens, and returns an unsigned preliminary result rather than a formal appraisal. A signed keep-file is $59; insurance is a separate $99 service, and tax or donation work starts with a $399 case review.
Are online art appraisals legit?
The useful question is what the provider delivers and who reviews it. Appraisily’s Standard report is a human-reviewed signed PDF. It is not automatically insurer-approved, court-accepted, or IRS-qualified, and a receiving party may have its own requirements.
Can you appraise a painting from a photo?
Yes, when clear photographs support a conclusion. Useful views include the front, back, signature, labels, dimensions, and damage. Photos cannot settle every attribution or authenticate every painting; Appraisily refunds the order when the supplied evidence cannot support a conclusion.
How accurate is an AI art appraisal? Can I give it to my insurer?
Treat an AI estimate as an indicative first read, not a signed insurance appraisal. Ask your carrier what it requires before ordering the separate $99 insurance service, and confirm whether it will accept a remote signed PDF. Acceptance is not guaranteed.
Search variations this guide answers
- Signed appraisal vs free AI estimate
- Is a free AI appraisal the same as a written appraisal?
- Can I use an AI art appraisal for insurance?
- How to value a painting for free online
- What does a signed appraisal report include?
- Free appraisal app or human appraiser
- Is an online signed appraisal legitimate?
- When is an unsigned estimate enough?
Sources and review notes
- Appraiser.AI App Store listing, reviewed August 25, 2026, for instant-estimate positioning.
- Working RE: Artificial Intelligence in appraisal practice, reviewed August 25, 2026.
- Appraisily editorial policy for evidence, comparable-sale, and correction standards.
Written by Appraisily. Reviewed by Appraisily Editorial Team.
Product scope and prices were checked against the approved service brief on August 25, 2026. No named expert identity was assigned. Auction prices are source-reported market context, not a prediction for your item.