Is it worth grading a Pokémon card?
Grading pays when the graded price beats the raw price by more than the fee and the postage. For most cards it does not. Look up what your exact card sells for raw and at each grade before you send anything.
Will grading your card pay?
Type what the card sells for raw and at the grade you expect, in dollars. Pick a company for its fee.
- Do the sum for your exact card: graded price, minus raw price, minus the fee and postage.
- Only the top grades add much. A card that comes back a 7 or an 8 often sells for less than the cost.
- We track six grading companies. The same card sells for far more in one company's slab than in another's.
- PSA slabs sell for the most at the top grades for most cards. The other companies cost less.
- Our card pages show the raw price, the price at each grade and how many copies exist at each grade.
The sum to do first
- Find the raw price.Look the card up on our card pages. The raw price is what an ungraded copy in good condition sells for.
- Find the price at each grade.The same page lists what the card sells for graded, grade by grade and company by company.
- Be honest about the grade.Most cards pulled from a pack do not come back a 10. Centering, corners, edges and surface all have to be right.
- Take off the costs.The grading fee, postage both ways and insurance. Then compare what is left with the raw price.
- Decide.If a 9 still leaves you ahead, send it. If only a 10 does, you are taking a bet. If neither does, sell it raw.
Four real cards, worked through
Pick a card
Charizard 4 (Base Set)
Umbreon VMAX 215 (Evolving Skies)
Mew ex 193 (151)
Youngster 198 (Scarlet & Violet)
These are today's figures from our own grade advice. It weighs what each grade sells for against the fee and the raw price.
| Card | Raw | Best slab sells for | Fee | Average gain | Our verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charizard 4 (Base Set) | $334 | PSA 10 at $12,307 | $60.06 | $5,164 | Worth grading |
| Umbreon VMAX 215 (Evolving Skies) | $1,855 | TAG 10 at $4,499 | $59.07 | $808 | Worth grading |
| Mew ex 193 (151) | $29.01 | ACE 10 at $113 | $15.88 | $15.72 | A close call |
| Youngster 198 (Scarlet & Violet) | $0.07 | No graded sales | $60.06 | No gain | Not worth it |
Average gain allows for the card not coming back at the top grade. It is what you stand to make over selling raw, after the fee.
What the six grading companies charge
Several companies closed their cheaper services during 2026. So the fee here is for the cheapest service you can use today.
| Company | Cheapest open service | Fee a card | What is open today | Where the figure is from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | Standard | $59.99 | Value services are paused. Standard is open, quoted at 90 to 100 business days. | Its own price list, read October 11, 2026 |
| ACE | Core | $15.88 | Open. It is a UK company, and its two cheapest services are for members. | Its own price list, read October 11, 2026 |
| CGC | Economy | $20.00 | Every service is open. Economy is the cheapest with no minimum number of cards. | As reported, October 11, 2026 |
| BGS | Express | $79.95 | Its website has been offline since September 9, 2026. Base and Standard are closed. Express is taken through a temporary form, at its Texas office. | As reported, October 11, 2026 |
| TAG | Limited drop | $59.00 | Its usual services are closed. Cards go in through limited drops, at a higher price. | As reported, October 11, 2026 |
| SGC | Standard | $15.00 | Open. | As reported, October 11, 2026 |
We track six companies: PSA, ACE, CGC, BGS, TAG and SGC. These are the fees our grade advice uses. Postage and insurance come on top.
Beckett, which grades as BGS, has had its website offline since September 9, 2026 and is not taking Base or Standard cards. BGS slabs still sell, so their prices stay on our card pages.
The same card in different slabs
One card, Charizard 4 (Base Set), in each company's slab. Raw, it sells for $334.
| Company | Its top grade | Sells for |
|---|---|---|
| PSA | 10 | $12,307 |
| SGC | 10 | $7,305 |
| BGS | 9.5 | $7,192 |
| TAG | 10 | $5,570 |
| CGC | 10 | $4,356 |
The gap between companies is different for every card. Each card page lists what that card sells for in each company's slab.
Which company to choose
| If you want | Consider |
|---|---|
| The highest resale price for a top grade | PSA, for most cards. Buyers pay most for its 10s. |
| A lower fee and a quicker return | CGC, TAG or SGC. Check what your card sells for in their slabs first. |
| Sub grades on the label | CGC. It prints separate marks for centering, corners, edges and surface. BGS does too, but most of its services are closed. |
| To see which slab sells best for your card | Our card pages. They list prices by grading company where there are sales. |
Our free binderTrack what your slabs are worthOur binder prices graded cards from six companies as the market moves.Open My Binders →How to prepare a card
- Check the centering first. Uneven borders are the commonest reason a clean card misses a 10.
- Look at the corners and edges under a bright light. Any white showing lowers the grade.
- Tilt the card to see the surface. Print lines, scratches and dents all count.
- Do not clean it with liquid. Wipe dust off gently with a dry microfiber cloth.
- Put it in a soft sleeve, then a semi rigid holder. That is how graders ask for cards to arrive.
- Photograph the front and back before it leaves you.
Sealed products below their usual price today
Sealed products on sale right now, ranked by how far each sits under its usual price. Tap one for its price history.
Common questions
How much does it cost to grade a Pokémon card?
PSA is $59.99 a card on the service our figures use. The other companies charge less. The table on this page lists the fee we use for all six.
Is it worth grading a cheap card?
Rarely. The fee and postage take most of the gain unless the card comes back a 10. Check what a 10 and a 9 sell for on the card's page first.
Which grading company is best?
PSA slabs sell for the most at the top grades for most cards. The others cost less and are quicker. Check what your card sells for in each slab before you choose.
How long does grading take?
From a few days on the dearest services to several months on the cheapest. The time quoted starts when the company logs your order, not when you mail it.
What grade will my card get?
Nobody can promise one. Graders judge centering, corners, edges and surface. A card fresh from a pack with even borders and clean corners has the best chance of a 10.
More guides
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