Card Grading Cost, Company & ROI Calculator 2026
Shortlist PSA, BGS, SGC, or CGC by live tier constraints, then compare exact graded sold comps with the raw-card exit and all-in grading cost.
Evidence rule: this calculator never predicts a grade or invents a grading premium. All-in cost is always available; ROI appears only after you enter the exact sold comp for the selected company and grade.
Sports-card company comparison
PSA vs BGS vs SGC vs CGC: shortlist a live tier
Set the card value, shipment size, timing constraint, and subgrade requirement. The table finds the lowest public fee tier that fits those constraints. It does not predict a grade, buyer premium, or which holder will sell for more.
Using the declared value and card quantity from the cost inputs below. An open-ended estimate such as “75+ days” is excluded whenever you choose a hard deadline.
| Company | Constraint result | Fee/card | Turnaround | Subgrades | Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA fees ↗ | Standard | $59.99 | 90-100 business days | No | |
| BGS/Beckett fees ↗Current availability ↗ | Express with subgrades | $79.95 | 15 business days | Included | |
| SGC fees ↗ | Standard (up to $1,500) | $15.00 | 75+ business days | No | |
| CGC Cards fees ↗ | Economy | $20.00 | 90 working days | No |
4 of 4 companies have a matching public tier. A tier fit is not a resale-premium claim. Compare exact same-card, same-company, same-label, and same-grade sold records before choosing a service.
1. All-in grading cost
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70-80 business days; maximum insured/declared value $1,500. Verified Oct. 1, 2026; Value services were temporarily paused ↗
2. Exact resale evidence
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Match card, set, number, variant, language, grading company, label type, and grade. Use completed sales—not asking prices—and record the date checked.
Decision output
All-in grading / card
$99.99
Raw-sale net
$87.00
Grade 9 sold comp
Comp required
Spread vs sell raw
ROI unavailable
Enter the exact Grade 9 sold comp to calculate profit, ROI, and the sell-raw comparison. The tool will not substitute a generic multiplier.
| Grade | Exact sold comp | Profit vs raw cost | Spread vs selling raw |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 7 | Not entered | — | — |
| Grade 8 | Not entered | — | — |
| Grade 9 | Not entered | — | — |
| Grade 10 | Not entered | — | — |
Copy-ready evidence summary
Grading cost review — PSA Priority Raw sold comp / current raw value: $100.00 All-in grading cost per card: $99.99 Tier estimate: 70-80 business days; max insured/declared value: $1,500 Grade 9 ROI: unavailable until its exact sold comp is entered Raw-sale net after estimated fee: $87.00 Sources reviewed: 2026-08-26. Verify live terms before submitting.
| Service | Tier | Fee/card | Max declared value | Minimum | Turnaround | Availability note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA ↗ | Standard | $59.99 | $1,000 | 1 | 90-100 business days | Verified Oct. 1, 2026; Value services were temporarily paused |
| PSA ↗ | Priority | $79.99 | $1,500 | 1 | 70-80 business days | Verified Oct. 1, 2026; Value services were temporarily paused |
| PSA ↗ | Express | $199.00 | $2,500 | 1 | 20-30 business days | Verified Oct. 1, 2026; Value services were temporarily paused |
| PSA ↗ | Super Express | $349.00 | $5,000 | 1 | 10-15 business days | Verified Oct. 1, 2026; Value services were temporarily paused |
| PSA ↗ | Premier | $599.00 | $10,000 | 1 | 7-10 business days | Verified Oct. 1, 2026; Value services were temporarily paused |
| CGC Cards ↗ | Bulk | $17.00 | $500 | 25 | 150 working days | Verified Aug. 26, 2026; estimates are not guaranteed |
| CGC Cards ↗ | Economy | $20.00 | $1,000 | 1 | 90 working days | Verified Aug. 26, 2026; estimates are not guaranteed |
| CGC Cards ↗ | Standard | $55.00 | $3,000 | 1 | 10 working days | Verified Aug. 26, 2026; estimates are not guaranteed |
| CGC Cards ↗ | Express | $100.00 | $10,000 | 1 | 5 working days | Verified Aug. 26, 2026; estimates are not guaranteed |
| CGC Cards ↗ | WalkThrough | $300.00 | $100,000 | 1 | 2 working days | Verified Aug. 26, 2026; estimates are not guaranteed |
| SGC ↗ | Standard (up to $1,500) | $15.00 | $1,500 | 1 | 75+ business days | Verified Aug. 26, 2026; confirm the live SGC order form before submitting |
| SGC ↗ | Standard (up to $3,500) | $85.00 | $3,500 | 1 | 75+ business days | Verified Aug. 26, 2026; confirm the live SGC order form before submitting |
| SGC ↗ | Expedited (up to $3,500) | $150.00 | $3,500 | 1 | 2-3 business days | Verified Aug. 26, 2026; confirm the live SGC order form before submitting |
| SGC ↗ | Expedited (up to $7,500) | $250.00 | $7,500 | 1 | 2-3 business days | Verified Aug. 26, 2026; confirm the live SGC order form before submitting |
| SGC ↗ | Expedited (up to $20,000) | $500.00 | $20,000 | 1 | 2-3 business days | Verified Aug. 26, 2026; confirm the live SGC order form before submitting |
| TAG ↗ | Basic (10-card minimum) | $22.00 | $300 | 10 | 45+ business days | Verified Aug. 17, 2026; availability can change |
| TAG ↗ | Standard | $39.00 | $500 | 1 | 30 business days | Verified Aug. 17, 2026; availability can change |
| TAG ↗ | Express | $59.00 | $1,000 | 1 | 15 business days | Verified Aug. 17, 2026; availability can change |
| TAG ↗ | Priority | $149.00 | $2,500 | 1 | 5 business days | Verified Aug. 17, 2026; availability can change |
| TAG ↗ | Walkthrough | $299.00 | $5,000 | 1 | 2-3 business days | Verified Aug. 17, 2026; availability can change |
| GameStop → PSA ↗ | In-store PSA card grading | $79.99 | $1,500 | 1 | 40-50 business days | $9.99 flat order shipping shown separately |
| BGS/Beckett ↗ | Base without subgrades | $14.95 | Check live service terms | 1 | 75+ business days | Temporarily paused as of Aug. 26, 2026 |
| BGS/Beckett ↗ | Base with subgrades | $17.95 | Check live service terms | 1 | 75+ business days | Temporarily paused as of Aug. 26, 2026 |
| BGS/Beckett ↗ | Standard with subgrades | $34.95 | Check live service terms | 1 | 45 business days | Temporarily paused as of Aug. 26, 2026 |
| BGS/Beckett ↗ | Express with subgrades | $79.95 | Check live service terms | 1 | 15 business days | Verified Aug. 26, 2026; Base and Standard were paused, with reopening expected Sept. 15 |
| BGS/Beckett ↗ | Priority with subgrades | $124.95 | Check live service terms | 1 | 5 business days | Verified Aug. 26, 2026; Base and Standard were paused, with reopening expected Sept. 15 |
How to decide whether grading is worth it
- Confirm the exact raw card and use completed raw sales as the sell-now benchmark.
- Choose a live service tier that covers the estimated post-grade declared value.
- Enter shipping, insurance, membership allocation, and any known upcharge.
- Enter sold comps separately for each company and grade you are evaluating.
- Prefer the raw sale when the result only works at the highest grade, sales are sparse, or turnaround risk consumes the spread.
Important: population is context, not proof of value. A low population can mean scarcity, weak demand, or simply few submissions. Validate it against repeat sold comps and time-to-sale.
| Path | Evidence cue | Caution |
|---|---|---|
| PSA | Compare exact PSA-grade sold comps with the raw alternative. | Do not transfer a PSA premium to another holder or variant. |
| CGC Cards | Use exact CGC label and grade matches, including Pristine versus Gem Mint. | CGC and PSA grades are not interchangeable comp sets. |
| BGS/Beckett | Use exact BGS grade and subgrade configuration where buyers distinguish them. | A Black Label result is upside, never a planning assumption. |
| Sell raw | Keep this as the benchmark for proceeds, speed, and buyer depth. | Prefer raw when only a top-grade outcome clears all costs. |
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