Grading Submission Planner
Plan your next grading submission. Compare all 4 companies, see full cost breakdowns including shipping and insurance, and decide if the grade is worth the investment.
1. Choose Grading Company
2. Select Service Tier
3. Add Your Cards
Submission Tips
Batch your submissions
Grading companies charge flat shipping fees regardless of quantity. Sending 20 cards costs nearly the same in shipping as 5. Batch to minimize per-card cost.
Know the breakeven
A card needs to gain at least the grading cost + shipping in value to be worth submitting. For PSA Value ($25), your card should gain $30+ from the slab.
Use the right tier
Economy tiers work great for cards under $500. Express/Premium are only worth it for high-value cards where you need them back fast for a selling window.
Consider crossovers
If a card gets a lower grade than expected, you can "crossover" to another company. BGS 9.5 holders often crack for PSA 10 re-submission. Budget for this possibility.
Group by declared value
Most companies require all cards in a submission to be in the same declared value tier. Group similar-value cards together to avoid paying premium rates on low-value cards.
Pre-grade before submitting
Use a loupe and our Condition Self-Grader tool to assess your cards first. Only submit cards you genuinely expect to grade PSA 9+.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to grade cards with PSA?▼
PSA pricing starts at $25/card for Value tier (60-90 business day turnaround) and goes up to $600/card for Walk-Through (1-3 business days). Membership ($99/year) is required. Add $12 shipping to PSA and $15 return shipping. For a 10-card Value submission, expect approximately $289 total, or ~$29 per card.
Which grading company is cheapest?▼
SGC is typically the cheapest at $15/card for Economy tier with no membership required. CGC starts at $18/card (requires $25/year membership). BGS starts at $20/card with no membership. PSA starts at $25/card (requires $99/year membership). However, PSA and BGS slabs generally command higher resale premiums, so cheapest grading does not always mean best value.
Is it worth grading my cards?▼
Grading is worth it when the expected graded value minus grading costs exceeds the raw value by a meaningful margin. General rules: cards worth $50+ raw are candidates for grading, cards under $20 raw rarely make sense unless they are condition-rare vintage. Use our calculator to input your specific cards and see the exact breakeven point.
How long does card grading take?▼
Economy tiers: 45-90 business days (2-4 months). Standard tiers: 20-45 business days (1-2 months). Express: 10-15 business days (2-3 weeks). Premium: 5-7 business days (1-2 weeks). Walk-Through: 1-3 business days. SGC Economy is typically the fastest economy option at 45-60 days. Add 1-2 weeks for shipping each way.
Should I submit to PSA or BGS?▼
PSA slabs command the highest premiums for most sports cards (10-30% more than BGS). BGS is preferred for Pokemon/TCG cards and offers sub-grades that serious collectors value. CGC is gaining market share with lower prices. SGC is best for vintage cards and budget submissions. For maximum resale value on sports rookies, PSA is the default choice.
Pricing data is approximate and may change. Check each company's website for current rates.