The Short Answer
- PSA cheapest available: $79.99 Regular (40–50 business days) — Value tiers paused since June 2.
- Beckett cheapest available: $79.95 Express — Base and Standard paused since August 5.
- CGC cheapest: $15/card Bulk (25-card minimum, 100+ business days) — best budget option.
- SGC cheapest: $15/card Standard (no minimum, 40–50 business days) — best value-to-speed ratio.
- TAG cheapest: ~$19/card TCG Bulk — AI-assisted grading, tiers sell out regularly.
- Industry record: 3.5 million cards graded in June 2026 — demand at all-time high.
- AI pre-grading is free on PreGradeCards and eliminates wasted submission fees.
Complete Grading Cost Table: August 2026
Here is every available grading tier from every major company as of August 10, 2026. Paused tiers are listed for reference with their last known pricing.
| Company | Tier | Price/Card | Turnaround | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | Value Bulk | $24.99 | — | PAUSED |
| PSA | Value | $32.99 | — | PAUSED |
| PSA | Value Plus | $49.99 | — | PAUSED |
| PSA | Value Max | $64.99 | — | PAUSED |
| PSA | Regular | $79.99 | 40–50 bus. days | OPEN |
| PSA | Express | $149 | 20–30 bus. days | OPEN |
| PSA | Super Express | $349 | 7–10 bus. days | OPEN |
| PSA | Walk-Through | $599 | 5–7 bus. days | OPEN |
| BGS | Base (no sub) | $14.95 | — | PAUSED |
| BGS | Base (w/ sub) | $17.95 | — | PAUSED |
| BGS | Standard | $34.95 | — | PAUSED |
| BGS | Express | $79.95 | ~15 bus. days | OPEN |
| BGS | Priority | $124.95 | ~5 bus. days | OPEN |
| CGC | Bulk | $15 | 100+ bus. days | OPEN |
| CGC | Economy | $18 | 60–100 bus. days | OPEN |
| CGC | Standard | $55 | 35–55 bus. days | OPEN |
| CGC | Premium | $85 | 15–25 bus. days | OPEN |
| SGC | Standard | $15 | 40–50 bus. days | OPEN |
| SGC | Standard (HV) | $85 | 40–50 bus. days | OPEN |
| SGC | Expedited | $150–$500 | 2–3 bus. days | OPEN |
| TAG | TCG Bulk | ~$19 | 45+ bus. days | OPEN* |
| TAG | Standard | ~$39 | 20+ bus. days | OPEN* |
*TAG tiers sell out regularly. Check TAG's website for current availability.
PSA Pricing and Status: $80 Floor
PSA paused all four Value tiers on June 2, 2026, when the backlog reached 10 million cards. A last-minute submission surge pushed the backlog to 14 million by mid-June. As of July 28, the backlog stands at 12.4 million cards — still well above the 5 million target for reopening Value tiers.
PSA's current pricing structure:
- Regular: $79.99 — 40–50 business days, max $1,500 card value
- Express: $149 — 20–30 business days, max $2,500
- Super Express: $349 — 7–10 business days, max $5,000
- Walk-Through: $599 — 5–7 business days, max $10,000
PSA is investing $200 million in infrastructure, including a new facility in Plano, Texas (opened July 2026) and a planned European facility in Frankfurt. Value tier reopening is now estimated for winter 2026 at the earliest — later than the original October estimate.
PSA still commands the highest resale premium in sports cards by a wide margin. For cards worth $250+ raw, PSA Regular at $79.99 is the right choice — the premium covers the cost. For cards under $250, the math gets harder.
Beckett / BGS Pricing and Status: Budget Tiers Gone
Beckett paused Base and Standard online submissions on August 5, 2026, citing 102% year-over-year submission growth and 159% TCG growth. Reopening is estimated for September 15, 2026.
Before the pause, Beckett offered the cheapest grading with subgrades in the industry:
- Base (no subgrades): $14.95 — 75+ business days
- Base (with subgrades): $17.95 — 75+ business days
- Standard: $34.95 — 45 business days
Now only Express ($79.95) and Priority ($124.95) are available. Beckett is hiring and expanding capacity. Limited Base and Standard drop-off is available at the Front Row Card Show (Las Vegas, August 15–16) and Dallas Card Show (September 10–13).
Beckett's key differentiator — subgrades included at every tier — still applies at Express and Priority. For basketball cards and collectors who value subgrade detail, BGS remains relevant even at the higher price point.
CGC Pricing and Status: The Budget Champion
With PSA and Beckett budget tiers closed, CGC is now the only major grading company offering sub-$20 per card grading. CGC has not paused any tiers.
- Bulk: $15/card — 25-card minimum, 100+ business days, max $500 value
- Economy: $18/card — 60–100 business days, max $500
- Standard: $55/card — 35–55 business days, max $2,500
- Premium: $85/card — 15–25 business days
CGC graded 763,000 cards in 2026 through June, representing 78% year-over-year growth. CGC carries strong recognition in TCG markets — Pokemon, Magic, Yu-Gi-Oh!, One Piece — where it is a legitimate first choice, not a compromise. For sports cards, CGC trades below PSA and BGS by 10–15%.
The tradeoff with CGC is time. Economy turnaround has pushed to 60–100 business days due to heavy submission volume. If economy pushes past 100 business days, the accessible tier stops being accessible for time-sensitive submissions.
SGC Pricing and Status: Best Value-to-Speed Ratio
SGC offers the best combination of price and speed in the industry right now:
- Standard: $15/card — 40–50 business days, max $1,500 value, no minimum
- Standard (high value): $85/card — 40–50 business days, max $3,500
- Expedited: $150–$500/card — 2–3 business days
SGC grades a modern card up to $1,500 for a flat $15 with no membership or minimum — a fifth of PSA's $79.99 Regular price. SGC is the go-to for vintage cards where the tuxedo slab has genuine collector preference.
Important context: SGC is now owned by Collectors Holdings (same parent as PSA). An antitrust lawsuit alleges SGC prices rose 20% and turnaround increased 400% post-acquisition, and that SGC volume dropped 61% in two months. SGC remains a respected brand, but collectors should be aware of the ownership consolidation.
TAG Pricing and Status: AI-Assisted Grading
TAG (Trading Card Authentication & Grading) offers computer-vision grading with subgrade transparency and NFC-enabled slabs. TAG has seen roughly 40% higher volume year over year, but tiers sell out regularly.
- TCG Bulk: ~$19/card — 45+ business days
- Standard: ~$39/card — 20+ business days
TAG partnered with COMC (Check Out My Cards) in December 2025 for distribution reach and holds four patents on imaging technology. Resale premiums still lag PSA, BGS, and CGC, though the gap has narrowed. TAG is best for collectors who value data transparency and AI-assisted consistency over market recognition.
Resale Premiums by Grader: How Much Does the Label Matter?
The grading fee is only half the cost equation. The other half is how much the label adds to your card's value. Here is the resale premium landscape as of August 2026:
| Grader | Sports Card Premium | TCG Premium | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | Highest (10–20% above others) | Highest | High-value cards, resale |
| BGS | Strong (close to PSA) | Strong | Basketball, subgrade detail |
| CGC | 10–15% below PSA | Competitive with PSA | Pokemon, MTG, TCG bulk |
| SGC | 10–30% below PSA (modern) | Limited TCG presence | Vintage sports |
| TAG | Below established brands | Growing | Data transparency, AI grading |
The premium gap matters most for cards in the $50–$250 range. For a $100 card, PSA's 10–20% premium over CGC adds $10–$20 in resale value — which may or may not offset the $62 price difference between PSA Regular ($79.99) and CGC Economy ($18). Run the math for each card.
Decision Framework: Which Grader for Which Card?
Use this framework to choose the right grader for each card in your collection:
Cards Worth $250+ (Sports)
PSA Regular at $79.99. The resale premium covers the cost. AI pre-grade first to confirm gem-mint potential.
Cards Worth $250+ (Pokemon/TCG)
PSA Regular for maximum resale, or CGC Standard at $55 if you need faster turnaround and accept a small resale discount.
Cards Worth $50–$250 (Sports)
SGC at $15 for the best value-to-speed ratio. Accept the 10–30% resale discount vs PSA. Or wait for PSA Value tiers to reopen this winter.
Cards Worth $50–$250 (Pokemon/TCG)
CGC Economy at $18 — genuinely competitive in TCG markets, not a compromise. 60–100 business day turnaround.
Cards Worth $50–$250 (Basketball)
BGS Express at $79.95 if you need BGS specifically. Or wait for Beckett Base to reopen September 15 at $14.95–$17.95.
Cards Under $50
Do not grade at current prices. The math does not work at $80/card for a $30 card. Options: CGC Bulk at $15 (only if graded premium exceeds $15 + shipping), wait for budget tiers to reopen, or sell raw.
Vintage Cards (Pre-1980)
SGC at $15 — tuxedo slab has genuine collector preference in vintage. For the highest-value vintage ($1,000+), PSA Regular for maximum market reach.
Bulk Submissions (100+ cards)
Wait. If PSA Value tiers return this winter at $24.99, waiting 4 months is cheaper than any current alternative. If you must grade now, CGC Bulk at $15/card (25-card minimum, 100+ business days).
How to Save Money on Grading in 2026
With budget tiers paused at both PSA and Beckett, saving money on grading requires a different approach:
1. AI Pre-Grade Everything (Free)
The single most effective way to save money is to AI pre-grade your cards before submitting. PreGradeCards offers free credits and provides predicted grades with subgrade breakdowns. If the AI says your card is an 8.5, don't spend $80 to have PSA confirm it. Sell it raw or keep it in your collection.
2. Check Centering First (Free)
Centering is the #1 reason cards miss PSA 10. Use our AI centering analysis to instantly disqualify off-center cards. If centering is worse than 60/40 on the front, a PSA 10 is impossible — don't waste money submitting.
3. Use Group Submissions
Group submission services (also called middleman services) pool cards from multiple collectors to access volume pricing. A typical group submission gets PSA Economy pricing down to $30–35 per card all-in, compared to $80+ for individual submission. Check with your local card shop for group submission options.
4. Wait for Reopening
Beckett Base reopens September 15 at $14.95–$17.95. PSA Value tiers may reopen this winter at $24.99. If your cards aren't time-sensitive, waiting 1–4 months saves $55–65 per card.
5. Choose CGC for TCG
CGC at $15–18/card is the cheapest available major-grader option. For Pokemon, MTG, and Yu-Gi-Oh!, CGC is a legitimate first choice with strong market recognition. The 10–15% resale discount vs PSA is often less than the $62 price difference.
6. Batch Your Submissions
Shipping and handling costs are per-submission, not per-card. Batching 25+ cards into a single submission reduces the effective per-card cost significantly. CGC Bulk requires a 25-card minimum — use it to your advantage.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to grade a card in August 2026?
Why are PSA Value tiers paused?
Why did Beckett pause grading?
What is the cheapest way to grade cards right now?
Is CGC or SGC better for my cards?
Should I wait for PSA Value tiers to reopen or grade now?
How can I avoid wasting money on grading?
Sources & Further Reading
- Card Grading in August 2026: PSA, CGC, SGC, TAG, BGS Compared — TheCardShopFinder
- PSA Backlog 12.4 Million Cards — SI Collectibles
- Beckett Grading Availability — Beckett.com
- Cheapest Card Grading Services 2026 — ZeroPop
- PSA and SGC Grading Costs in 2026 — AA Mint Cards
- PSA Just Raised Prices Again — Card Atlas
Marcus Chen has evaluated over 50,000 sports cards and TCG cards across PSA, BGS, SGC, and CGC standards. Before joining PreGradeCards, he worked as a submission specialist for a major grading company and trained collectors and dealers on condition assessment.
With submission floors rising, pre-screening is no longer optional. Use our AI Pre-Grade Calculator to score a card's PSA 10 odds before you pay, and the Submission Planner to pick the right tier.