TCGValuerCGC grading cost: every tier, fee and turnaround time
Reference and math only. This site does not appraise cards, does not price them for you and does not authenticate them — every number here is one you enter or one you verify at the source we cite.
Updated Sep 15, 2026
CGC grading costs $20 per card on Economy, the cheapest tier without a card minimum, and $17 on Bulk if you send at least 25 cards. Standard is $55 with a ten-working-day estimate, and the ladder rises to $300 for WalkThrough. On 15 September 2026 none of CGC’s grading tiers were closed to new submissions.
Every figure on this page was read off CGC’s own services and fees page that day. Below are the tiers with their value limits and turnaround, the add-ons that change the bill, how declared value picks the tier, and how the same card compares at PSA.
CGC grading cost by tier#
| CGC tier | Max value per card | Fee per card | Estimated turnaround |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bulk | $500 | $17, 25-card minimum | 150 working days |
| Economy | $1,000 | $20 | 90 working days |
| Standard | $3,000 | $55 | 10 working days |
| Express | $10,000 | $100 | 5 working days |
| WalkThrough | $100,000 | $300 | 2 working days |
| Unlimited Value | Unlimited | $300 + 1% of fair market value | 2 working days |
| Jumbo Card | Unlimited | $20 | 120 working days |
Bulk accepts a mix of card types and games in one submission. Express, WalkThrough and Unlimited Value boxes need the tier code — EX, WK or UV — written in large bold letters on every side.
$55 · 10 working days
CGC Standard on 15 September 2026: faster than every PSA tier below $349, at a lower fee than any of them
What CGC’s turnaround actually counts#
CGC states that its estimates count working days — Monday to Friday, without public holidays — from the day a submission is delivered to its facility, and that they are not guaranteed. National holidays and the Fridays before major conventions are not counted either.
Two conditions stretch the wait. A card that is not yet in CGC’s database takes longer, because CGC has to research and add it first. And a submission cannot be changed or cancelled once it is in transit, so the tier you pick when you pack the box is the tier you get.
Add-ons and other CGC fees#
| Service | Fee | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Pedigree | Tier fee + $5 | Adds a past or present owner to the label |
| CrossOver | According to tier | Grades a card already in a PSA, Beckett or SGC holder |
| Error designation | No extra fee | Required for any card with a printing error |
| Custom label | Tier fee + $8 | A designed label on eligible CGC labels |
| ReHolder | $10, 20 working days | A new CGC holder for a card already in a CGC or CSG holder; the grade does not change |
CrossOver has one trap worth knowing: if CGC believes the card would not match or beat its existing grade, it returns the card in its original holder and the full grading fee still applies — unless you ask CGC to cross it at any grade. Error cards, meanwhile, grade at no premium, which matters for the misprints that are genuine printing errors.
Declared value decides the tier#
Declare the real value
If CGC judges a card's fair market value to be above what you declared, it moves the card to the right tier and bills you the difference.
Membership changes the fee
Associate and Premium members save 10% on grading and Elite members 20%. Free accounts can submit; paid memberships started at $39 a year when we checked in August.
Nothing changes in transit
CGC will not change or cancel an order once it is on its way. Decide the tier and the card list before the box leaves.
CGC vs PSA on price and speed#
Comparable tiers, both read on 15 September 2026:
| Value band | CGC tier | CGC fee and turnaround | PSA tier | PSA fee and turnaround |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Up to $1,000 | Economy | $20 · 90 working days | Standard | $59.99 · 90–100 business days |
| Up to $1,500–$3,000 | Standard | $55 · 10 working days | Priority | $79.99 · 70–80 business days |
| Up to $2,500–$10,000 | Express | $100 · 5 working days | Express | $199.00 · 20–30 business days |
| Up to $10,000–$100,000 | WalkThrough | $300 · 2 working days | Premier | $599 · 7–10 business days |
The value limits do not line up exactly — CGC Standard takes cards up to $3,000 where PSA Priority stops at $1,500 — so match the tier to your card, not only to the fee. Every PSA tier, including the paused Value ladder, is on PSA grading cost, and Beckett’s list is on Beckett grading cost.
On fee and speed alone, CGC wins every comparable tier. The only argument left for paying more is what the holder is worth when you sell.
What a CGC grade gives you#
CGC’s scale splits the top grade in two: a Pristine 10, which requires 50/50 centering and a card flawless under ten-times magnification, and a Gem Mint 10 that allows about 55/45 on the front and 75/25 on the back. It also uses half grades such as Mint+ 9.5 and NM/Mint+ 8.5. How that lines up against PSA and Beckett is in PSA vs BGS vs CGC.
Before you submit#
A cheaper fee does not make a submission worth it. Run the card through is it worth grading Pokémon cards first, measure the one thing you can check at home with the centering calculator, and follow how to get cards graded for packing and paperwork. The raw value that all of this is measured against starts at Pokémon card value.
Sources
Every figure above was read on the page below on the date shown. Grading fees and marketplace rules change without notice — check the source before you send anything.
- CGC Cards — Services and Fees (grading tiers, add-ons, ReHolder, notes) — checked Sep 15, 2026
- CGC Cards — How to Submit (accounts and memberships) — checked Aug 21, 2026
- CGC Cards — Grading Scale — checked Aug 21, 2026
- PSA — Trading Card Grading service levels and fees — checked Sep 15, 2026
Frequently asked questions
How much does CGC grading cost?
CGC grading costs $17 per card on Bulk, which needs 25 cards, $20 on Economy, $55 on Standard, $100 on Express and $300 on WalkThrough. Cards above $100,000 go to Unlimited Value at $300 plus 1% of fair market value. Those were the fees on CGC’s page on 15 September 2026.
How long does CGC grading take?
On 15 September 2026 CGC estimated 150 working days for Bulk, 90 for Economy, 10 for Standard, 5 for Express and 2 for WalkThrough and Unlimited Value. The estimates count from delivery to CGC’s facility, are not guaranteed, and run longer for cards that are not yet in CGC’s database.
What is the cheapest way to grade cards with CGC?
Bulk at $17 per card is the cheapest CGC tier, but it needs at least 25 cards worth up to $500 each and carries the longest estimate. Economy at $20 has no card minimum. Paid memberships take 10% or 20% off grading fees, depending on the membership level.
What happens if CGC decides my card is worth more than I declared?
CGC moves the card to the tier that matches its fair market value and bills the difference to the submitter, under its declared value policy. Declare the honest current value of each card, because the tier’s maximum value per card is what decides which fee you actually pay.
Is CGC cheaper than PSA?
Yes, at every comparable tier on 15 September 2026. CGC Standard is $55 with a ten-working-day estimate, against PSA Standard at $59.99 with 90 to 100 business days and PSA Priority at $79.99 with 70 to 80. Many buyers still pay more for the same card in a PSA holder.
When is CGC not the right choice?
CGC is the wrong choice when the card is headed for buyers who pay a clear premium for another company’s holder, because the lower fee can cost more than it saves. Check completed sales of the same card at the same grade in each holder, and compare that gap with the fees and the wait.
TCGValuer is an independent site and app. Not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Nintendo, Creatures, GAME FREAK, The Pokémon Company, PSA, Beckett, CGC, SGC or TCGplayer. Product names are used descriptively to identify the cards and services being discussed.