How Much Does It Cost to Grade Pokémon Cards? (2026)

If you are looking to grade your Pokémon, Magic: The Gathering, or One Piece cards in 2026, the landscape has not just shifted; it has closed ranks. Prices are up across the board, turnaround times have stretched into months, and the cheap bulk tier that most collectors actually used has been paused at three of the six major graders.

That last part is the bit nobody tells you. You can research fees all day, pick your grader, and then discover the tier you wanted is not accepting submissions. So this guide starts with what is actually open, then breaks down the real costs, membership requirements, and return-on-investment (ROI) potential for each service.

What Is Actually Open Right Now

Last checked: 07 September 2026. This section changes fast. Always confirm on the grader’s own site before you post cards.

• PSA: Value, Value Bulk, Value Plus and Value Max are all paused. Regular and above remain open. Submissions from Europe are currently paused entirely.
• TAG: Regular tiers paused. Limited priority grading available.
• BGS: Base and Standard paused, expected to reopen 15 September 2026. Express and Priority remain open. Beckett EU is operating.
• CGC: All tiers open. Bulk carries a 150-working-day estimate.
• Ace: All tiers open. The two cheapest are now members-only.
• SGC: Open, but repriced on 2 September 2026.

If you are in the UK, that list narrows fast. Skip to the UK section below if that is you.

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1. Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA)

The Market Leader, With a Queue Problem: PSA remains the “King of Liquidity.” A PSA 10 Gem Mint is still the standard currency of the card hobby, and it still typically offers the highest resale value for standard Gem Mint cards. It is also, right now, the hardest one to get into.

In May 2026, PSA announced its active backlog was approaching 10 million cards. On 2 June it paused all four Value service tiers to new submissions, saying that continuing to accept them “would put more pressure on our operations and compromise the turnaround times of existing orders.” PSA is targeting a reduction to 5 million units and publishes a monthly backlog tracker so you can check progress yourself.

2026 Pricing & Service Levels

Currently paused: Value Bulk, Value, Value Plus, Value Max.

Currently open:

• Regular: $79.99 per card.
  • Max Insured Value: $1,500.
  • Turnaround: Est. 70 to 80 Business Days.
• Express: $149.00 per card.
  • Max Insured Value: $2,500.
  • Turnaround: Est. 20 to 30 Business Days. Includes Grader Notes.
• Super Express: $349.00 per card.
  • Max Insured Value: $5,000.
  • Turnaround: Est. 10 to 15 Business Days.
• Walk-Through: $599.00 per card.
  • Max Insured Value: $10,000.
  • Turnaround: Est. 7 to 10 Business Days.

The “Hidden” Costs

• Membership: The Collectors Club is $149/year for Standard or $199/year for Premium, which adds Card Ladder Pro. Bulk access is the main reason to join and it is currently paused, so there is very little point signing up today unless you want the magazine. To PSA’s credit, every membership active on 14 May 2026 is being extended free for the full duration of the pause.
• Upcharges: PSA aggressively checks declared values. If you submit a Charizard under a tier whose insured value it exceeds, PSA will hold the card and charge you the difference for the appropriate higher tier. With the cheap tiers gone, the cheapest landing spot is now Regular at $79.99, so an underdeclared card gets expensive quickly. If this is your first go, read our notes on getting your declared values right before you fill in the form.
• Europe: PSA’s own membership page currently carries the line “Submissions from Europe are currently paused.” If you are reading this from the UK or the EU, PSA is not an option at the moment regardless of price.

Official Pricing Page: https://www.psacard.com/services/tradingcardgrading

Service Update & Backlog Tracker: https://www.psacard.com/articles/articleview/15210/service-level-update-may-2026

2. TAG Grading (TAG)

The Tech Disruptor: TAG (Technical Authentication & Grading) uses computer vision and automation to grade cards, removing human subjectivity. They are best known for their transparent “DIG” reports (Digital Imaging and Grading), which show you exactly why your card received its grade.

TAG has grown into the same problem as everyone else. Their site currently carries a “Regular Tiers Paused” banner with only limited priority grading available, and they run a public backlog tracker of their own.

2026 Pricing & Service Levels

TAG renamed its tiers this year, so the old Value and Regular labels are gone. What used to be Value is now Basic, and what used to be Regular is now Standard. Prices went up with the rename.

• Basic: listed at $36.98 per card.
  • Requirement: 10-card minimum.
  • Turnaround: Est. 45+ Business Days.
  • Insurance Cap: $300.
  • Note: The 1000-point TAG Score is now a paid add-on at this tier, from $7.49.
• Standard: listed at $43.99 per card.
  • Turnaround: Est. 30 Business Days.
  • Insurance Cap: $500.
  • Note: TAG Score and premium imaging included.
• Express and Walkthrough: still offered, pricing not currently published while tiers are paused.

TAG also sells a Submission Kit at $49.95, which covers two-day shipping both ways, $1,000 of transit insurance and all the supplies. If you are submitting a single small order it is worth pricing that in rather than treating it as optional.

Why Choose TAG?

• No Value Upcharges: This is now TAG’s single best feature and it matters more than it used to. Every TAG tier states “No Value Upcharge” on the product page. Unlike PSA, TAG will not chase you for extra fees if your card grades a 10 and spikes in value. The insurance cap is a payout limit, not a price trigger.
• Transparency: Every graded card comes with a digital report (DIG) showing the defects the computer found.
• The “TAG Score”: A 1000-point scale score that ranks your card on their leaderboard and breaks ties between identical grades.

Official Pricing Page: https://taggrading.com/pages/pricing

Backlog Tracker: https://taggrading.com/pages/backlog-tracker

3. Ace Grading (Ace)

The Aesthetic Choice (UK Based): Ace has carved a massive niche in the UK and Europe by focusing on the visual appeal of the slab. Their “Ace Labels” extend the card’s artwork onto the label itself, creating a stunning display piece.

Ace restructured its entire pricing model in 2026 and introduced a membership. Every tier name still exists, but they all now mean something different and cost more, so if you are working from an older guide you will get a shock at checkout.

2026 Pricing & Service Levels

Ace operates in GBP (£), though the site will quote you in EUR, USD, CAD, JPY, AUD or NZD.

Members only (AceSelect):

• Core: £12.00 per card. Turnaround: 75 days.
• Value: £15.00 per card. Turnaround: 60 days.

Open to everyone:

• Basic: £18.00 per card. Turnaround: 30 days.
• Standard: £25.00 per card. Turnaround: 15 days.
• Premier: £32.00 per card. Turnaround: 10 days.
• Ultra: £60.00 per card. Turnaround: 5 days.
• Luxury: £120.00 per card. Turnaround: 2 days.

AceSelect: Worth It or Not?

The £12 rate that made Ace such an easy recommendation still exists, but it is now called Core and it sits behind AceSelect at £199/year. New members get £100 of grading credit, so the first year effectively costs £99.

The maths is simpler than PSA’s. Core saves you £6 per card against Basic, and Value saves you £10 against Standard. At £99 in year one you are ahead after around 17 cards on Core, or 10 on Value. In year two at the full £199 you need roughly 34 and 20 respectively. Ace is upfront that member tiers run within managed capacity and can be paused, so the membership buys access to a price, not a guarantee of a slot.

The Label Fees (Optional Add-Ons)

Ace’s main draw is the custom label, which is an additional cost on top of the grading fee. These have not changed:

• Standard Label: Free.
• Colour Match Label: £1.00 per card (matches the card’s colour palette).
• Ace Label: £3.00 per card (custom artwork extension, the most popular choice).

Why Choose Ace?

• Best Looking Slabs: For “Personal Collection” (PC) cards, many collectors prefer Ace over PSA because the slab enhances the artwork.
• UK Location: With PSA’s European submissions paused, this is no longer just a convenience. For UK and EU collectors, Ace is one of very few routes that avoids US customs, import VAT and expensive international shipping altogether.

Official Pricing Page: https://acegrading.com/pricing

AceSelect Membership: https://acegrading.com/ace-select-grading-membership

4. Certified Guaranty Company (CGC Cards)

Still Open, But No Longer Cheap Or Fast: Rebranded simply as “CGC Cards,” this company became the go-to for TCG collectors who wanted speed, crystal-clear slabs and affordability. Two of those three are currently under strain. The good news is that CGC is the only major grader with every tier still accepting submissions, including bulk.

2026 Pricing & Service Levels

• Bulk: $17 per card.
  • Requirement: 25-card minimum. Cards may be a mix of different types and games.
  • Turnaround: 150 working days.
  • Max Value: $500.
• Economy: $20 per card.
  • Turnaround: 90 working days.
  • Max Value: $1,000.
• Standard: $55 per card.
  • Turnaround: 10 working days.
  • Max Value: $3,000.
• Express: $100 per card.
  • Turnaround: 5 working days.
  • Max Value: $10,000.
• WalkThrough: $300 per card.
  • Turnaround: 2 working days.
  • Max Value: $100,000.

Read that Bulk turnaround again. 150 working days is roughly seven months of calendar time once you add shipping either side. CGC Bulk is still the cheapest open route into a major slab, but you are handing over your cards until well into 2027.

Memberships & ROI

CGC offers paid memberships that discount these fees further:

• Free ($0): Full submission privileges, no discount.
• Associate ($39/yr): 10% off grading fees.
• Premium ($159/yr): 10% off, plus $150 of CGC credit.
• Elite ($329/yr): 20% off grading fees, plus $150 credit and drop-off privileges.

A CGC Pristine 10 (Gold Label) has historically outsold a PSA 10 on plenty of modern chase cards, while a standard CGC Gem Mint 10 typically sells for slightly less than a PSA 10. Check sold comps for your specific card rather than trusting a rule of thumb, because that gap moves.

Official Pricing Page: https://www.cgccards.com/submit/services-fees/cgc-grading/

Memberships: https://www.cgccards.com/join/

5. Beckett Grading Services (BGS)

The Premium Gamble: BGS is famous for its “Black Label” (four perfect subgrades of 10). It is the preferred choice for high-end modern cards where the owner believes the card is perfect, and it remains the only major grader that prints all four condition scores directly on the label.

Beckett paused new online Base and Standard submissions on 5 August 2026, citing year-on-year growth of 102% in cards submitted and 159% in TCG cards graded. They expect to begin reopening those tiers on 15 September 2026, with limited drop-off capacity at selected card shows in the meantime. Existing submissions and packages already in transit are unaffected.

2026 Pricing & Service Levels

BGS pricing is split by whether you want “Subgrades” (detailed scores for Centering, Corners, Edges and Surface) printed on the label.

Currently paused, reopening expected 15 September:

• Base (No Subgrades): $14.95 per card.
  • Turnaround: 75+ Business Days.
  • Note: A $3 fee applies to any 10s where subgrades are added.
• Base (With Subgrades): $17.95 per card.
• Standard: $34.95 per card. Subgrades included.
  • Turnaround: 45 Business Days.

Currently open:

• Express: $79.95 per card. Subgrades included.
  • Turnaround: 15 Business Days.
• Priority: $124.95 per card. Subgrades included.
  • Turnaround: 5 Business Days.

Extras: autograph cards add $5, oversized cards add $8, and relabel or recase services start at $9.95.

The Three Labels

Beckett’s label colours changed the calculation on a 9.5, so it is worth knowing which one you are chasing:

• Black: perfect Pristine 10s (all four subgrades at 10).
• Gold: Pristine 10 and Gem Mint 9.5.
• Silver: all other grades.

Is it Worth it?

Submitting to BGS is still a gamble. If you get a Black Label, you win the lottery, and values can run multiples of an equivalent PSA 10. If you get a BGS 9.5, the card tends to trade closer to a PSA 9, meaning you may lose money on the grading fee. That risk is sharper in 2026, because with Base and Standard paused your cheapest open route is Express at $79.95. It is worth taking a minute to work out whether the fee is worth it on your specific card before you commit to that.

Official Pricing Page: https://beckett.com/grading

Service Availability Update: https://beckett.com/card-grading-availability Beckett EU: https://beckett.com/eu/submit

6. Sportscard Guaranty (SGC)

The Vintage Alternative: SGC is known for its “Tuxedo” holder (black insert). Historically a sports card grader, it has stayed popular with TCG collectors who want a respected slab for their personal collection without the PSA wait.

SGC repriced on 2 September 2026. In their own words: “Effective September 2, 2026, SGC will be adjusting its offered service levels in response to rapidly increasing demand and continued expansion of estimated turnaround times.” They added that further adjustments should be expected between late 2026 and early 2027.

Because that change is days old and SGC prices by declared value band rather than a flat per-card fee, we are pointing you at their live page rather than quoting a number that may already have moved. Check the tier you need before you budget.

Pros & Cons

• Pros: No membership fees required. No minimum submission. A well-regarded slab for vintage.
• Cons: Lower resale value for modern TCG cards compared to PSA, and prices have just gone up. Better for personal collection pieces and vintage than for maximising long-term investment value on modern cards.

Official Pricing Page: https://gosgc.com/card-grading/services-pricing

What UK Collectors Actually Pay

Sticker price is not the cost. If you are submitting from the UK, here is what changes.

PSA is off the table for now. Their membership page states that submissions from Europe are currently paused. No amount of budgeting gets around that.

Your realistic options are:

1. Ace Grading. Domestic, priced in pounds, no customs. The simplest route and the reason its price rise stings less than it looks.
2. Beckett EU. Beckett operates a separate EU submission route, which sidesteps a US round trip.
3. CGC. Still accepts international submissions, but you are shipping to the US and back.

Costs to add on top of the per-card fee for any US submission:

• Outbound shipping with tracking and insurance
• Return shipping, which the grader charges separately
• Import VAT and customs handling on the way back into the UK. Your cards are re-entering the country having had a service performed on them, and that service has a value. Budget for it and check current HMRC guidance before you post anything.

A £18 Ace card and a $17 CGC card are not the same price. By the time a small CGC bulk order has crossed the Atlantic twice and cleared customs, the gap usually closes or reverses. Run the numbers on your actual submission size rather than comparing headline fees.

Summary Comparison Table (2026)

Cheapest currently open tier shown for each grader. Paused tiers excluded.

Which Should You Choose?

1. If you are in the UK: Ace Grading. With PSA closed to Europe, Ace is the only major grader you can reach without an international round trip and a customs bill. £18 Basic at 30 days is a genuinely good deal once you account for what the alternatives cost to ship.
2. For maximum resale profit: PSA, when you can get in. The PSA 10 still commands the most liquidity. Just accept that in 2026 that means $79.99 and a two to three month wait, and that you may be waiting for the Value tiers to reopen at all.
3. For technology and no nasty surprises: TAG. If you hate upcharges and want to know exactly why your card got its grade, TAG is still the most transparent option, backlog permitting.
4. For genuine bulk: CGC. At $17 with a 25-card minimum it is the only cheap tier still taking submissions anywhere. The 150 working day wait is the price of that.
5. For “perfect” high-end cards: Beckett. If you think your card is flawless, chase the Black Label. Watch for Base and Standard reopening rather than paying Express for a bulk-grade card.

One Last Thing Before You Submit

The cheap tiers being closed changes the maths on everything. In 2025, a marginal card could go into a $12 bulk lot, and it barely mattered if it came back a 9. In 2026, your cheapest open options start at $17 with a seven-month wait, or $79.95 if you want it back this quarter.

That makes selection the most valuable thing you do. Be honest about centering, check the surface under a light, and screen them properly first. A submission you do not send is money you do not lose.