Guides & answers
All 28 guides →How the grading calculator works
Short answer: grade a card only when the probability-weighted profit from selling it graded beats what you would net selling it raw today, after grading fees, shipping both ways and selling fees.
The formulas
Worked example
You paid $40 for a card that sells for $60 raw. You send it to PSA Standard ($59.99) with $5 shipping in and $8 back, and you pay $5 to ship it to the buyer.
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Total cost (40 + 59.99 + 5 + 8) | $112.99 |
| Sell raw at $60: 60 − $8.35 eBay fee − $5 shipping − $40 | +$6.65 |
| PSA 10 at $150: 150 − $20.28 eBay fee − $5 − $112.99 | +$11.73 |
| PSA 9 at $80: 80 − $11.00 − $5 − $112.99 | −$48.99 |
| Break-even graded sale price | $136.47 |
Even a 10 only beats selling raw by about $5. With 25% odds of a 10, 45% of a 9, 20% of an 8 and 10% of a 7, the expected graded result is a loss of $43.35, so the verdict is sell raw.
What makes grading pay
- A big gap between raw and 10. Cheap cards rarely work now that the cheapest open PSA tier is $59.99.
- A 9 that still profits. If only a 10 makes money, you are betting on the gem rate.
- Bulk orders. Return shipping of $20+ per order hurts a single card; split across 20 cards it is $1 each.
- The right tier. Declare honestly: cards above a tier's maximum value get upcharged.
2026 grading fees we use
Checked against official pages on . Grading companies change prices and pause tiers often, so confirm before you ship.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
Is it worth grading my card?
Grading is worth it when the probability-weighted profit from selling graded beats what you would net selling raw today, after grading fees, shipping both ways and selling fees. If only a 10 makes money and your odds of a 10 are low, selling raw is usually better.
How much does PSA grading cost in 2026?
As of October 14, 2026, PSA charges $59.99 per card for Standard (up to $1,000 declared value, 90-100 business days), $79.99 for Priority (up to $1,500), $199 for Express (up to $2,500), $349 for Super Express (up to $5,000) and $599 for Premier (up to $10,000). PSA's Value and Value Bulk tiers are paused.
How much does SGC grading cost?
As of October 14, 2026, SGC charges $50 per standard-size card declared up to $1,500 and $85 up to $3,500 at Standard (40+ business days). Expedited (2-3 business days) is $150 up to $3,500 and rises to $2,000 for cards up to $100,000.
How much does Beckett (BGS) grading cost right now?
As of October 14, 2026, Beckett only accepts Express submissions, at $79.95 per card with subgrades and about 15 business days, through a temporary submission form. Base and Standard are paused.
How much does CGC card grading cost?
As of October 14, 2026, CGC Cards charges $17 per card for Bulk (25-card minimum, up to $500 value), $20 for Economy (up to $1,000), $55 for Standard (up to $3,000), $100 for Express (up to $10,000) and $300 for WalkThrough (up to $100,000). Paid members save 10-20%.
What are eBay's fees for selling trading cards?
eBay's standard final value fee for trading cards is 13.25% of the total sale up to $7,500, plus 2.35% on the portion above $7,500, plus a $0.40 per-order fee ($0.30 if the order is $10 or less). The total includes shipping charged to the buyer and sales tax.
What is a grading upcharge?
An upcharge happens when the grader decides your card is worth more than the maximum declared value of the tier you paid for. They move it to a higher tier and bill you the difference. This calculator warns you when any grade value is above the selected tier's limit.
How do I calculate the break-even price for a graded card?
Break-even is the lowest sale price where the money left after selling fees and shipping covers your total cost: what you paid for the card plus grading fee, shipping to the grader and return shipping. With eBay's 13.25% fee and $0.40 per order, break-even = (total cost + shipping to buyer + $0.40) / 0.8675.
What odds of a 10 do I need for grading to pay off?
It depends on the gap between the 10 price and the other grades. The calculator solves for the exact chance of a 10 at which the expected graded profit equals selling raw, keeping your other grades in the same proportions.
Which grading company is cheapest?
For a card worth under $500 in a 25-card order, CGC Bulk at $17 is the cheapest open tier as of October 14, 2026. For single cards, SGC Standard at $50 and PSA Standard at $59.99 are the cheapest open options. The best company also depends on what each slab sells for, so compare expected profit, not just the fee.
Get updates
Grading prices change often (PSA, SGC and Beckett all changed tiers in the last 60 days). Get a short email when fees change.