Short Answer: As of September 4, 2026, the card grading submission landscape is defined by widespread tier pauses and price increases. PSA has paused all four Value tiers since June 2, making Regular at $79.99/card the cheapest active PSA option. Beckett paused Base and Standard tiers (expected reopen September 15). TAG paused Basic, Standard, and Express. SGC raised its entry-level Standard price from $15 to $50 on September 2. CGC remains the only major company with all tiers open, with Bulk at $17/card (25-card minimum) as the cheapest active tier across all five companies. The result: the floor for grading a single card has risen from ~$15 to $50 at most companies, and the cheapest option for a single-card submission at PSA now costs more than 3x what it did in early 2026.
The State of Card Submission: September 2026
The card grading industry has never been more volatile. What was a predictable, tiered pricing landscape in early 2025 has become a dynamic, shifting market where prices change monthly, tiers get paused without warning, and backlogs measured in the tens of millions reshape collector strategy overnight.
This snapshot — pulled directly from the official pricing pages of PSA, Beckett, CGC, SGC, and TAG on September 4, 2026 — is the most comprehensive and current pricing resource available to collectors. It covers every published tier, every paused service, every turnaround estimate, and every max declared value cap. It is the de facto reference for anyone deciding whether to submit or sell raw in today's market.
Key Findings
1. The sub-$25 tier is nearly extinct. In early 2026, four of five companies offered a sub-$25 grading tier. Today, only CGC Bulk at $17 remains — and it requires a 25-card minimum submission. SGC's entry-level Standard tier jumped from $15 to $50 on September 2. PSA's Value Bulk at $24.99 is paused. TAG's Basic at $22 is paused. For a single-card submission, the cheapest active option is now SGC Standard at $50/card or CGC Economy at $20/card (no minimum beyond the tier's $1,000 max declared value).
2. PSA's backlog is the industry's bottleneck. PSA's backlog was reported at 12.4 million units as of July 28, 2026 — up from 11 million on July 14. The company tied reopening of Value tiers to reducing the backlog to 5 million units, a target it initially projected could take 5-6 months from June. At current rates, that reopening may not come until late 2026 or early 2027. In the meantime, PSA Regular at $79.99 with a 40-50 business day turnaround is the entry point for direct PSA submission.
3. Beckett is reorganizing under demand pressure. BGS paused both Base (75+ business days, was $14.95-$17.95) and Standard (45 business days, was $34.95) tiers, with submissions expected to reopen September 15. Express at $79.95 (15 business days, includes subgrades) and Priority at $124.95 (5 business days, includes subgrades) remain active. The pause means Beckett's cheapest active tier is now more than 5x the cost of its paused Base tier.
4. CGC is the stability play. CGC is the only major company with all grading tiers currently active. With six tiers ranging from Bulk ($17, 150 working days, 25-card minimum) through Unlimited Value ($300 + 1% FMV, 2 working days), CGC offers the widest range of active options. Their March 24, 2026 price update raised Bulk from $15 to $17 and Economy from $18 to $20 — modest increases compared to the seismic shifts at PSA and SGC.
5. SGC's price hike reshapes the value landscape. SGC was long the budget alternative to PSA — a respected slab with fast turnaround at a fraction of the cost. The September 2 increase from $15 to $50 for the Standard ($1,500 max value) tier fundamentally changes that value proposition. At $50/card with a 40-50 business day turnaround, SGC Standard now costs more than PSA Regular did before the February 2026 price increase. However, SGC Expedited at $150 (2-3 business days) remains competitive for time-sensitive submissions.
6. TAG is navigating growth pains. TAG (Technical Authentication & Grading) paused three of its five tiers — Basic ($22), Standard ($39), and Express ($59) — leaving only Priority ($149, 5 business days) and Walkthrough ($299, 2-3 business days) active. The pause affects the entry-level tiers that made TAG attractive to new collectors. The company's tech-forward approach with computer-vision grading and DIG reports still differentiates it, but the pricing gap to CGC and SGC has narrowed significantly.
What This Means for Collectors
The practical reality of September 2026 is that grading a single low-value card has become significantly more expensive. A collector with a $200 raw card that might grade a 9 had several sub-$25 options a year ago. Today, that same collector faces a minimum $50 cost at SGC (40-50 business days) or $79.99 at PSA (40-50 business days) — and that's before shipping, insurance, and supplies. The math of "is it worth grading?" has shifted dramatically toward "no" for cards valued under $300.
This is where AI pre-grading becomes essential. If you can identify surface flaws, centering issues, and edge wear before submitting, you can avoid spending $50-$80 on a card that would grade a 7 or 8 and net you less than the grading cost. The PreGradeCards economics engine now uses the exact pricing data from this table — including paused status and turnaround times — to calculate real-time ROI for every submission decision.
Important: Grading company prices, turnaround times, and tier availability change frequently. PSA's Value tiers could reopen if the backlog clears. Beckett's Base and Standard tiers are expected to reopen September 15. TAG's paused tiers may resume as capacity expands. Always verify current pricing on the official company website before submitting. This data was verified on September 4, 2026.
Complete Grading Pricing Table — September 2026
Below is every tier from all five major grading companies, sourced directly from each company's official pricing page. Paused tiers are marked. Turnaround times are estimates published by each company and are not guaranteed.
| BGS — 5 Tiers | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tier | Price / Card | Max Declared Value | Est. Turnaround | Status & Notes |
| Base (No Subgrades) Paused | $14.95 | Unlimited | 75+ business days | paused; $3 fee for 10s w/ subgrades |
| Base (With Subgrades) Paused | $17.95 | Unlimited | 75+ business days | paused |
| Standard Paused | $34.95 | Unlimited | 45 business days | paused |
| Express Active | $79.95 | Unlimited | 15 business days | active; includes subgrades |
| Priority Active | $124.95 | Unlimited | 5 business days | active; includes subgrades |
| CGC — 6 Tiers | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tier | Price / Card | Max Declared Value | Est. Turnaround | Status & Notes |
| Bulk Active | $17.00 | $500 | 150 working days | 25-card minimum |
| Economy Active | $20.00 | $1,000 | 90 working days | active |
| Standard Active | $55.00 | $3,000 | 10 working days | active |
| Express Active | $100.00 | $10,000 | 5 working days | active |
| WalkThrough Active | $300.00 | $100,000 | 2 working days | active |
| Unlimited Value Active | $300.00 + 1% FMV | Unlimited | 2 working days | active; +1% FMV |
| PSA — 13 Tiers | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tier | Price / Card | Max Declared Value | Est. Turnaround | Status & Notes |
| Value Bulk Paused | $24.99 | $500 | 140-160 business days | Collectors Club only; 20-card min; paused |
| Value Paused | $32.99 | $500 | Paused | paused |
| Value Plus Paused | $49.99 | $1,000 | 45 business days | paused |
| Value Max Paused | $64.99 | $1,500 | 35 business days | paused |
| Regular Active | $79.99 | $1,500 | 40-50 business days | active; lowest active tier |
| Express Active | $149.00 | $2,500 | 20-30 business days | active |
| Super Express Active | $349.00 | $5,000 | 10-15 business days | active |
| Walk-Through Active | $599.00 | $10,000 | 7-10 business days | active |
| Premium 1 Active | $999.00 | $25,000 | 5-7 business days | active |
| Premium 2 Active | $1,999.00 | $50,000 | 5-7 business days | active |
| Premium 3 Active | $2,999.00 | $100,000 | 5-7 business days | active |
| Premium 5 Active | $4,999.00 | $250,000 | 5-7 business days | active |
| Premium 10 Active | $9,999.00 + $399/$10k | $350,000 | 5-7 business days | active; +$399 per $10k over $350k |
| SGC — 8 Tiers | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tier | Price / Card | Max Declared Value | Est. Turnaround | Status & Notes |
| Standard ($1,500) Active | $50.00 | $1,500 | 40-50 business days | active; raised from $15 on Sep 2 2026 |
| Standard ($3,500) Active | $85.00 | $3,500 | 40-50 business days | active |
| Expedited ($3,500) Active | $150.00 | $3,500 | 2-3 business days | active |
| Expedited ($7,500) Active | $250.00 | $7,500 | 2-3 business days | active |
| Expedited ($20,000) Active | $500.00 | $20,000 | 2-3 business days | active |
| Expedited ($50,000) Active | $1,000.00 | $50,000 | 2-3 business days | active |
| Expedited ($100,000) Active | $2,000.00 | $100,000 | 2-3 business days | active |
| Expedited ($100,000+) Active | $3,750.00 + $375/$10k | Unlimited | 2-3 business days | active; +$375 per $10k over $100k |
| TAG — 5 Tiers | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tier | Price / Card | Max Declared Value | Est. Turnaround | Status & Notes |
| Basic Paused | $22.00 | $300 | 45+ business days | 10-card minimum; paused |
| Standard Paused | $39.00 | $500 | 30 business days | paused |
| Express Paused | $59.00 | $1,000 | 15 business days | paused |
| Priority Active | $149.00 | $2,500 | 5 business days | limited availability |
| Walkthrough Active | $299.00 | $5,000 | 2-3 business days | active |
Company-by-Company Analysis
PSA (Professional Sports Authenticator)
PSA remains the industry leader in brand recognition and resale premium, but its submission pipeline is under unprecedented strain. With all four Value tiers paused since June 2, 2026, the cheapest active PSA tier is Regular at $79.99/card (max $1,500 declared value, 40-50 business days). The backlog was 12.4 million units as of July 28 — actually increasing from 11 million on July 14 — suggesting that even at the higher Regular price, demand is outpacing capacity. PSA's premium tiers (Walk-Through at $599 through Premium 10 at $9,999+) remain active with 5-7 business day turnaround, serving the high-value card market where speed matters more than cost.
PSA raised most prices by $5 on February 10, 2026: Value Bulk $21.99→$24.99, Value $27.99→$32.99, Value Plus $44.99→$49.99, Value Max $59.99→$64.99, and Regular $74.99→$79.99. Those new prices are reflected in the table above, but all Value tiers remain paused. Collectors should monitor PSA's Backlog Tracker for reopening signals.
Beckett Grading Services (BGS)
Beckett's tier structure centers on its three-label system — Black (Pristine 10), Gold (Pristine 10 & Gem Mint 9.5), and Silver (all other grades) — combined with four service levels. Base and Standard are paused, with Beckett stating submissions are "expected to reopen September 15." Express at $79.95 (15 business days) and Priority at $124.95 (5 business days) remain active and include subgrades. Beckett's subgrade system remains a key differentiator, giving collectors detailed insight into centering, corners, edges, and surface scores. The $3 fee for any 10s where subgrades are added on the Base tier is a notable detail for when that tier reopens.
CGC (Certified Guaranty Company)
CGC is the only major grading company with all tiers currently active, making it the most reliable option for collectors who need predictable service. The March 24, 2026 price update raised Bulk from $15 to $17 and Economy from $18 to $20 — modest increases that kept CGC competitive. The 25-card minimum on Bulk means the effective minimum submission cost is $425 (25 × $17), but per-card it remains the cheapest active tier in the industry. CGC's Standard tier at $55 (10 working days, max $3,000) offers an excellent balance of speed and cost for mid-value cards. The Unlimited Value tier at $300 + 1% FMV handles cards of any value with a 2-working-day turnaround.
SGC (Sportscard Guaranty Corporation)
SGC's September 2, 2026 price increase was the most dramatic single change in this snapshot. The Standard tier for cards up to $1,500 jumped from $15 to $50 — a 233% increase. The Standard tier for cards up to $3,500 remains at $85. SGC's Expedited service (2-3 business days) starts at $150 for cards up to $3,500 and scales up to $3,750 for cards over $100,000 (plus $375 per additional $10,000). SGC's vintage card expertise and respected slab aesthetics remain strong differentiators, but the value proposition for low-end cards has fundamentally shifted. The company cited "rapidly increasing demand and continued expansion of estimated turnaround times" as the reason for the changes.
TAG (Technical Authentication & Grading)
TAG's tech-forward approach — using computer vision and a 1000-point grading scale — made it an exciting entrant in the grading space. However, three of five tiers are currently paused: Basic ($22, 45+ business days, 10-card minimum), Standard ($39, 30 business days), and Express ($59, 15 business days). Priority at $149 (5 business days, max $2,500) and Walkthrough at $299 (2-3 business days, max $5,000) remain active. TAG's DIG (Detailed Inspection Grade) reports provide unprecedented transparency into grading decisions, and the TAG Leaderboards add a gamification element. But with entry-level tiers paused, TAG is currently positioned as a premium option rather than the budget-friendly alternative it was designed to be.
The Pre-Grade Imperative
With grading costs at historic highs, the margin for error in submission decisions has never been thinner. Submitting a card that grades a 7 or 8 when you expected a 9 or 10 can mean a net loss of $30-$100 after grading fees, shipping, and insurance. AI pre-grading tools like PreGradeCards analyze centering, corners, edges, and surface from a smartphone photo, giving collectors a projected grade range before they spend money on submission.
The PreGradeCards economics engine now uses the exact pricing data from this table — pulled live from the database — to calculate whether submitting or selling raw is the better financial decision. It factors in the card's estimated raw value, projected graded value, grading fee (from the correct tier based on declared value), shipping, and insurance to produce a per-company ROI calculation. Paused tiers are excluded from recommendations, and turnaround times are displayed alongside each option.
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Start Pre-GradingSources & Methodology
All pricing data was verified directly from each grading company's official website on September 4, 2026. These are the de facto sources of pricing information:
- PSA: psacard.com/services/tradingcardgrading — official PSA trading card grading service page
- Beckett (BGS): beckett.com/grading — official Beckett grading services and pricing page
- CGC: cgccards.com/submit/services-fees/cgc-grading — official CGC Cards services and fees page
- SGC: gosgc.com/card-grading/services-pricing — official SGC services and pricing page
- TAG: taggrading.com/en-ca/pages/pricing — official TAG grading services pricing page
Prices are per card in USD for direct US submissions. Turnaround times are estimates published by each company and are not guaranteed. Max declared value is the maximum insured value allowed for that tier. Paused tiers are not currently accepting new submissions but their pricing is retained for reference. This data is maintained in a live database and updated via automated scraping scripts that check each company's official pricing page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cheapest card grading service in 2026?
SGC Standard at $50 per card (raised from $15 on September 2, 2026) is the cheapest active direct submission tier among the five major grading companies for single-card submissions. CGC Bulk at $17 per card is cheaper but requires a 25-card minimum submission, making the effective minimum order $425.
Which PSA grading tiers are paused?
PSA paused Value Bulk ($24.99), Value ($32.99), Value Plus ($49.99), and Value Max ($64.99) on June 2, 2026 due to a backlog exceeding 12 million cards. Regular at $79.99 is the lowest active PSA tier, with an estimated turnaround of 40-50 business days.
Which Beckett grading tiers are paused?
Beckett paused Base and Standard card grading tiers in 2026. Submissions are expected to reopen September 15. Express ($79.95, 15 business days) and Priority ($124.95, 5 business days) remain active and include subgrades.
What is the fastest card grading turnaround in 2026?
CGC WalkThrough and CGC Unlimited Value both offer 2 working day turnaround. SGC Expedited offers 2-3 business days. TAG Walkthrough offers 2-3 business days. PSA Walk-Through offers 7-10 business days, and PSA Premium tiers offer 5-7 business days.
How many grading tiers are currently paused?
As of September 2026, 10 out of 37 total tiers across the five major grading companies are paused — 4 PSA Value tiers, 3 BGS tiers, and 3 TAG tiers. That means 27% of all published grading tiers are not currently accepting new submissions.
Should I wait for PSA Value tiers to reopen?
PSA tied reopening to reducing its backlog from ~12.4 million to 5 million units. At the current rate, this could take until late 2026 or early 2027. If your card's value would decrease significantly with a lower grade, or if you need liquidity now, submitting at a higher tier or using an alternative company may be better than waiting indefinitely.
How often is this pricing data updated?
This data is maintained in a live database with automated scraping scripts that check each grading company's official pricing page. The PreGradeCards economics engine uses this database in real time, so the "Submit or Sell Raw" recommendations always reflect current pricing. The admin team can also manually update prices through the admin dashboard.