The Short Answer
- CGC Bulk is $17/card with a 25-card minimum — the cheapest active tier at any major grader
- Economy is $20/card (~90 working days); Standard $55 (~10 days); Express $100 (5 days); WalkThrough $300 (2 days)
- CGC is the only major company with all tiers open — PSA Value tiers, Beckett online, and TAG tiers are all paused or restricted
- Paid CGC membership saves 10% (Associate/Premium) or 20% (Elite) on grading fees
- Bulk turnaround is ~150 working days (7+ months) — plan accordingly
- CGC remains the strongest grader for TCG (Pokemon, Magic) resale; PSA still leads for sports cards
CGC Grading Costs in 2026: The Last Open Door
CGC card grading costs $17 per card at Bulk (25-card minimum), $20 at Economy, $55 at Standard, $100 at Express, and $300 at WalkThrough. As of September 2026, CGC is the only major grading company with every service tier accepting submissions.
That distinction matters. PSA's four Value tiers have been paused since June 2, Beckett's online portal is in maintenance mode with Base/Standard operating through a temporary form, and TAG's core tiers are paused pending limited drops. CGC's open calendar — combined with the hobby's lowest active fee — has made it the default overflow valve for the entire grading market.
Here is every CGC tier, the real turnaround estimates, membership math, and where CGC actually beats (or loses to) PSA on resale value.
Before paying any grading fee, pre-grade your card with AI — knowing whether it trends PSA 8, 9, or 10 changes whether grading makes money at all.
CGC Card Grading Fee Table (September 2026)
| Tier | Fee / Card | Max Value / Card | Est. Turnaround | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bulk | $17 | $500 | ~150 working days | 25-card minimum; mixed types/games allowed |
| Economy | $20 | $1,000 | ~90 working days | Cheapest single-card option |
| Standard | $55 | $3,000 | ~10 working days | |
| Express | $100 | $10,000 | ~5 working days | Mark box "EX" |
| WalkThrough | $300 | $100,000 | ~2 working days | Mark box "WK" |
| Unlimited Value | $300 + 1% FMV | Unlimited | ~2 working days | Mark box "UV" |
| Jumbo / Coins | $20 | Unlimited | ~50-120 working days | Separate product lines |
Working days vs calendar time: 150 working days is roughly 7 months of real calendar time; 90 working days is about 4+ months. If you need a card back for a specific show or selling window, count backward from your deadline before choosing Bulk or Economy.
Signature Series (witnessed autographs) runs on a parallel price list: Bulk $30, Economy $35, Standard $70, Express $125, WalkThrough $350, Unlimited $350 + 1% FMV — autograph grading included.
Membership Discounts: When They Pay
Anyone can submit to CGC with a free account. Paid memberships unlock grading discounts:
| Membership | Annual Cost | Grading Discount | Break-Even Volume |
|---|---|---|---|
| Associate | ~$25/yr | 10% | ~$250 in fees (~15 Bulk cards) |
| Premium | ~$149/yr | 10% | ~$1,490 in fees (~88 Bulk / ~30 Standard) |
| Elite | ~$299/yr | 20% | ~$1,495 in fees (~88 Bulk / ~28 Standard) |
The math: if you submit 100 Bulk cards a year, Elite saves ~$340 against its ~$299 cost — marginally positive, plus other member perks. Under ~50 cards/year, the free account wins unless you value the other benefits. This is structurally different from PSA, where the Collectors Club gates the cheapest tier entirely.
The Hidden Costs Nobody Puts in the Headline
CGC's per-card fee is honest, but the all-in number includes:
- Return shipping: Scales with order value and destination — budget ~$20-40 for a small order.
- Inbound shipping: Your cost to Sarasota, FL — use tracked mail (~$5-15).
- Supplies: Penny sleeves + semi-rigid holders (~$0.50/card).
- Upcharge risk: Like PSA, CGC can move a card to a higher tier if its graded value exceeds the declared max — and charge the difference.
- ReHolders: $10/card if you want an existing CGC slab re-cased.
Realistic all-in: Bulk ~$20-22/card, Economy ~$24-26/card at 25+ card volume. Still the cheapest full-service grading available, but not the flat $17 the table implies.
Our hidden grading fees guide breaks down the same math for every company.
CGC vs PSA vs BGS vs SGC — September 2026
| Company | Cheapest Tier | Fee | Turnaround | Constraint |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CGC | Bulk | $17 | ~150 wd | 25-card min — everything open |
| BGS | Base | $14.95 | 75+ bd | Temp Jotform only; no-subs tier |
| SGC | Standard | $50 | 40+ bd | Was $15 until Sept 2 |
| PSA | Standard | $59.99 | 90-100 bd | Value tiers paused since June 2 |
| TAG | — | — | — | Paused; limited drops |
On price, CGC wins everywhere below ~$500/card value. On resale premium, it depends on the card:
- TCG (Pokemon, Magic, One Piece): CGC Pristine 10 slabs command premiums approaching PSA 10 in many modern sets — especially with CGC's newer label gaining acceptance.
- Sports cards: PSA still carries the resale premium at 9 and 10 for most segments. CGC 10s typically sell 15-35% below PSA 10 equivalents on sports cards.
- Volume pre-screening: CGC Bulk is ideal for flipping mid-value modern cards where the $50-60 alternatives make the math impossible.
When CGC Is Worth It
Grade with CGC when:
- You have 25+ cards and want the cheapest legitimate grading ($17 Bulk).
- The card is TCG — Pokemon, Magic, Lorcana, One Piece — where CGC's slab reputation is strongest relative to PSA.
- You want a guaranteed-open pipeline while PSA Value and Beckett online remain restricted.
- The card's expected graded value is $100-500 — the sweet spot where $17-20 all-in fees leave real margin.
Choose elsewhere when: the card is high-value vintage or sports where PSA's premium dominates; you need speed (CGC's cheap tiers run 4-7 months — SGC Expedited or PSA Express beat it); or the buyer pool specifically wants a PSA label.
Not sure which lane fits a specific card? Run it through AI grading first — the estimate plus a sold-comp check settles the tier question.
How to Submit to CGC
- Create a free CGC account at cgccards.com and start an online submission.
- Select the tier per card — Bulk submissions may mix card types and games but need 25 cards.
- Set declared value honestly — the card's realistic graded value, capped by the tier max.
- Pack correctly: penny sleeve + Card Saver I, snug and flat, cardboard sandwich, tracked box. See our packing guide.
- Mark the box if using Express ("EX"), WalkThrough ("WK"), or Unlimited ("UV").
Expect status updates through the CGC portal as your order moves through receiving, grading, encapsulation, and shipping.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does CGC card grading cost in 2026?
What is the cheapest CGC grading tier?
How long does CGC grading take in 2026?
Is CGC cheaper than PSA?
Do you need a membership to submit to CGC?
Is CGC good for Pokemon cards?
Sources & Further Reading
- CGC Services and Fees (live)
- CGC Bulk/Economy Tier Update (March 2026)
- Card Grading News — CGC Bulk 150 Working Days
- PreGradeCards — State of Card Submission 2026
The PreGradeCards Research Team combines machine-learning engineers, grading analysts, and collector-education specialists to produce accurate, data-driven guides on AI card grading, professional grading standards, and collecting strategy.
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.