If you've decided a card is worth grading (our raw vs. graded checklist covers that part), the next question is who to send it to. The four names you'll see on almost every slab are PSA, Beckett (BGS), SGC and CGC. They all grade on a 1–10 scale and seal the card in a tamper-evident holder, but they are not interchangeable — buyers pay different premiums for each, and the fees and wait times are very different.
PSA was founded in July 1991 by David Hall, who also founded the coin grader PCGS. It started in a hobby where many dealers resisted third-party grading, but counterfeits and low-resolution online photos pushed buyers toward slabbed cards, and PSA grew alongside eBay. Today it is the grader most buyers know by name. Its scale runs 1–10 with no subgrades: Gem Mint 10 is the top grade, then Mint 9, NM-MT 8 and so on. Cards with a problem such as off-centering or marks can receive a qualifier (OC, MK and others) and a lower or flagged grade. PSA publishes a public population report and cert lookup, which is a big reason PSA 10 prices are easy to compare. PSA is owned by Collectors, which also owns Goldin, Card Ladder and PCGS. Its price list in early 2026 ran from Value Bulk at $24.99 through Value ($32.99), Value Plus ($49.99), Value Max ($64.99) and Regular ($79.99), with higher walk-through tiers above that. Since June 2, 2026, however, PSA has suspended its four lowest-cost tiers, so Regular at $79.99 is the practical entry point for most cards right now.
Beckett began in 1984 as a price-guide publisher founded by statistician James Beckett, and its grading arm, Beckett Grading Services, followed in 1999, and the subgrades came in 2000. BGS is the grader known for subgrades: Centering, Corners, Edges and Surface are each scored 1–10 and the overall grade is built from them, in half-point steps. The top tier is split in two: Pristine 10 (gold label, nearly flawless) and the Black Label 10, where all four subgrades are a 10 — a very small share of cards graded. In December 2025 Collectors, the parent company of PSA, acquired Beckett Grading Services, which said it will keep operating as its own brand. A Gem Mint 9.5 is the grade most good modern cards land at. Gold labels go to 9.5 and 10, silver to 8.5 and 9, and white to everything else. Beckett's tiers run from a slow Base tier (45+ business days) through Standard (20–25), Express (7–10) and Priority (2–3 business days), with a small upcharge for subgrades.
SGC launched in 1998 and built its name on vintage cards, packaged in its black “tuxedo” style holder. It moved from a 1–100 scale to the familiar 1–10 scale in 2018. The top grades are Pristine 10 (gold label, centered 50/50 with no visible flaws) and Gem Mint 10, followed by 9.5, 9, 8.5 and down; cards that are altered or trimmed get an “Authentic” label with no number. SGC does not offer subgrades. It is widely seen as the value option, and for years it was the value option at about $15 per card. On September 2, 2026, SGC raised its base fee to $50 per card (40+ business days) because of heavy demand and long turnaround times, and said further changes should be expected between late 2026 and early 2027. In February 2024 Collectors, the parent company of PSA, bought SGC; SGC said it would keep operating as an independent brand under its own management.
CGC was founded in 2000 and built its reputation grading comic books, then expanded into trading cards. It is part of the Certified Collectibles Group and, unlike PSA, SGC and BGS, is not owned by Collectors. It is strongest in Pokémon and other trading card games, and it is still building its resale following on sports cards. CGC uses a 1–10 scale with a Pristine 10 top grade on a gold label, and its fees are tiered by turnaround and declared value. Its January 2026 fee list started at $15 for Bulk, $18 for Economy, $55 for Standard and $100 for Express, with WalkThrough at $300; by September 2026 Bulk had moved to $17 (25-card minimum) and Economy to $20, with bulk turnaround measured in months.
| Grader | Top grade | Subgrades | Label / holder |
|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | Gem Mint 10 | No | Red and white label |
| BGS | Black Label 10 (all four 10s); Pristine 10; Gem Mint 9.5 | Yes (4) | Gold, silver or white by grade; black for the Black Label |
| SGC | Pristine 10, then Gem Mint 10 | No | Black tuxedo holder |
| CGC | Pristine 10 | Not on standard grading | Gold label for Pristine 10 |
A PSA 10 and a BGS 9.5 are often comparable in resale value, while a Black Label 10 can sell for more than either. Always compare sold listings for the exact grade and company before you decide.
Here are three PSA slabs we've actually sold in our store. Graded cards from every company get the same treatment from us: photographed front and back, shipped in a toploader inside a bubble mailer.
Grading fees move constantly, and companies pause and reopen their cheaper tiers without much warning. This is what the published tier lists showed when we checked on November 4, 2026, per card, before shipping and insurance:
| Grader | Entry tier (per card) | Mid tier | Fast tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | Lowest four tiers suspended since June 2, 2026 | Regular $79.99 (about 25 business days) | Walk-through tiers above that |
| BGS | Base about $18 (45+ business days) | Standard about $35 (20–25 business days) | Express about $80 (7–10); Priority 2–3 business days |
| SGC | Base $50 (40+ business days) since Sept 2, 2026 | Priced by declared value | Faster options available |
| CGC | Bulk $17 (25-card minimum, months) | Economy $20; Standard $55 | Express $100; WalkThrough $300 |
Prices are the most recent published lists we could find (PSA, February 2026 with the June suspension; SGC, September 2026; CGC, January and September 2026; Beckett from current guides), checked November 4, 2026. Several of the cheapest tiers get paused when the companies are backlogged, so some of these may be closed today.
Always confirm the current price and which tiers are open on the grader's own site before you submit: psacard.com, beckett.com, sgccard.com and cgccards.com. Declared-value limits, upcharges for high-value cards and membership requirements can change the real cost.
There is no best grader for every card — there's the best grader for the card, the buyer and the budget. For most of the sports cards we see, PSA still brings the strongest resale, BGS shines on the right modern parallels, and SGC is the smart value play. Whichever you pick, grade fewer, better cards instead of everything in the box.
PSA, BGS, SGC and CGC are trademarks of their respective owners and are used here only to identify them. Information is provided as is, with no guarantee of accuracy; see the notice at the top of this page.
We carry graded slabs from all four companies and ship every Monday and Friday. Want to sell cards without dealing with grading at all? We buy and consign too.
Questions about a card, an order or your collection? We reply within a day.
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