PSA Raises Grading Prices Again: What the February 2026 Increase Means for Collectors
$5 more per card across five tiers, longer turnaround times, and the end of affordable bulk grading as we knew it.
⚠️ Effective February 10, 2026: PSA has raised prices by $5 per card on Value Bulk, Value, Value Plus, Value Max, and Regular service tiers. Turnaround times have also increased by 5 business days on several tiers. This is the second price increase in the past year.
If you woke up on February 10th and noticed your PSA submission costs jumped, you're not alone. PSA quietly rolled out a $5/card price increase across their five most popular service tiers — the ones that the vast majority of collectors actually use.
This isn't a premium-tier adjustment that only affects high-rollers flipping six-figure vintage. This hits every collector who submits through Value Bulk, Value, Value Plus, Value Max, or Regular. Combined with extended turnaround times, the math on grading submissions just changed — again.
PSA President Ryan Hoge sat down with Rob DeMay on the NEO Cards and Comics YouTube channel to explain the reasoning. We'll break down what he said, what actually changed, and what you should do about it.
What Exactly Changed?
Here's the before-and-after on every affected tier:
| Service Tier | Old Price | New Price | Old Turnaround | New Turnaround |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Value Bulk | $19.99 | $24.99 | 90 days | 95 days |
| Value | $27.99 | $32.99 | 70 days | 75 days |
| Value Plus | $44.99 | $49.99 | 40 days | 45 days |
| Value Max | $59.99 | $64.99 | 30 days | 35 days |
| Regular | $74.99 | $79.99 | 20 days | 25 days |
Source: PSA Official Announcement • PSA Pricing Page
Key detail: Express ($149), Super Express ($299), and Walk-Through ($599) tiers were not affected. The increases target the volume tiers that everyday collectors use most.
Ryan Hoge Explains the Increase
PSA President Ryan Hoge went on the NEO Cards and Comics YouTube channel (hosted by Rob DeMay) to address the price increase directly. Here are the key takeaways from that conversation:
Key Points from the Interview
- Demand is at all-time highs. PSA is now grading approximately 90,000 cards per day globally — up from 15,000–18,000 pre-COVID. Even with massive facility expansion, demand continues to outpace capacity.
- Pricing is a demand lever. Hoge acknowledged that price increases help manage submission volume while funding continued expansion of grading facilities and technology.
- Capacity expansion is ongoing. PSA plans to significantly expand operations at existing and new facilities throughout 2026 to handle growing volume.
- SGC is being repositioned. Following Peter Steinberg's resignation, PSA parent company Collectors is transitioning SGC to a "boutique" grading brand — scaling it back to pre-COVID levels (2017–2019 volume).
- No relief in sight. Hoge did not indicate any plans to reduce prices or turnaround times in the near term. The trajectory is clear: grading with PSA will continue to cost more.
Watch: PSA Is Raising Prices (Again) — Ryan Hoge Explains Why
NEO Cards and Comics (Rob DeMay) interviews PSA President Ryan Hoge on the February 2026 price increase.
Related: Ryan Hoge on the Future of SGC
Hoge discusses SGC's transition to a boutique brand following Peter Steinberg's departure.
The Real Impact on Your Wallet
A $5 increase doesn't sound like much — until you do the math on a typical submission.
20-Card Value Bulk Submission
- Grading: 20 × $24.99 = $499.80
- Shipping to PSA: ~$15
- Return shipping: ~$20
- Supplies: ~$10
- Collectors Club: $99/year
- Total: ~$544 ($27.20/card)
What It Used to Cost
- Grading: 20 × $19.99 = $399.80
- Shipping to PSA: ~$15
- Return shipping: ~$20
- Supplies: ~$10
- Collectors Club: $99/year
- Total: ~$444 ($22.20/card)
That's a $100 increase on a 20-card submission — or $5 more per card all-in. For someone submitting 100 cards a year through Value Bulk, that's an extra $500 annually.
The breakeven question: At $27+/card all-in, your card needs to gain at least $27 in value from being graded to justify the submission. For a $20 raw card, that means it needs to sell for $47+ graded — a 135% premium. Only PSA 10s and some 9s on desirable cards clear that bar consistently.
What About the Alternatives?
With PSA's cheapest option now at $24.99/card, the competition looks more attractive than ever:
| Company | Cheapest Tier | Price/Card | Turnaround |
|---|---|---|---|
| CGC | Bulk | $15 | 150 business days |
| SGC | Standard (20+ cards) | $18 | ~30 business days |
| BGS | Base (w/ sub-grades) | $19 | 75+ business days |
| PSA | Value Bulk (Club req.) | $24.99 | 95 business days |
SGC stands out with the best combination of price and speed. At $18/card with ~30-day turnaround, it's $7 cheaper and 65 days faster than PSA Value Bulk. The trade-off is resale premium — PSA slabs still command higher prices on the secondary market for most modern cards.
SGC's uncertain future: With PSA parent company Collectors repositioning SGC as a "boutique" brand and scaling back operations, SGC's long-term pricing and availability is uncertain. If you're considering SGC, now may be the time — before the transition takes full effect.
For a complete breakdown of all grading costs including hidden fees, shipping, and supplies, see our Card Grading Costs 2026: Complete Fee Breakdown.
What Should Collectors Do Now?
1. Pre-grade ruthlessly
At $25–33/card, you cannot afford to submit cards that won't return a profit. Use AI pre-grading to filter out anything below a predicted PSA 9. The ROI on a PSA 8 rarely justifies the submission cost at these prices.
2. Consider SGC or BGS for lower-value cards
If a card's graded value is under $100, the PSA premium may not justify the extra cost. SGC at $18/card or BGS at $19/card with sub-grades can be the smarter play for mid-range inventory.
3. Batch submissions strategically
Shipping costs are fixed per order, not per card. Submitting 20 cards at once spreads the $15–20 shipping cost across more cards. If you're not hitting the 20-card minimum for Value Bulk, consider joining a group submission.
4. Use the Submission Planner
Our Submission Planner calculates expected value based on grade probability and current market prices. Run your cards through it before committing $25+ per card to PSA.
5. Don't panic-submit to beat the next increase
Every time PSA raises prices, there's a rush of submissions trying to "lock in" the old rate. This floods the queue and extends turnaround times further. Submit when the math works, not out of fear.
Community Reaction
The reaction across Reddit, X, and hobby forums has been predictably frustrated. From r/psagrading:
"Feb 2026, again increasing TAT and price. That is two increases in a row with no substantial benefit to customers. And with all this going, we all kind of guess the main reason — 20% to do with people sending cards and 80% chance is cause of the BGS buyout."
The sentiment is clear: collectors feel they're paying more for less. Whether PSA's capacity expansion eventually brings turnaround times back down remains to be seen — but for now, the trend is unmistakable.
PSA Price History: The Trend Line
For context, here's how PSA's cheapest tier has evolved:
| Period | Cheapest Tier | Price/Card |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-2020 | Bulk | $10 |
| 2021 (COVID boom) | Value Bulk | $18 |
| 2024 | Value Bulk | $19.99 |
| Feb 2026 | Value Bulk | $24.99 |
That's a 150% increase from the pre-2020 bulk rate. The $10/card grading era is long gone.
The Bottom Line
PSA remains the king of resale value — a PSA 10 still commands the highest premium on the secondary market for most modern cards. But that premium is shrinking relative to the cost of obtaining it. At $25–33/card before shipping, the bar for profitable grading is higher than ever.
The smart play in 2026: Pre-grade everything, be selective about what goes to PSA specifically, and use SGC/BGS/CGC for cards where the PSA premium doesn't justify the cost difference. The days of blindly shipping 50 cards to PSA and hoping for the best are over.
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