CGC Grading Cost 2026: All Tiers, Fees, and Turnaround

Short answer: CGC card grading costs roughly 17 to 300 dollars per card in 2026, depending on the tier. The cheapest is the Bulk tier at about 17 dollars per card with a 25 card minimum, and the fastest is WalkThrough at about 300 dollars with a 2 day turnaround. Most everyday collectors use Bulk or Economy. CGC is among the most affordable of the major graders and has become a strong choice for Pokémon and TCG cards, though PSA still commands higher resale premiums. Here is the full cost breakdown.

CGC grading cost by tier in 2026

CGC (Certified Guaranty Company) built its name grading comic books and expanded into trading cards, where it is now widely used, especially for Pokémon and other TCG cards. It grades on a 1 to 10 scale with half point increments and offers subgrades on some tiers. Pricing is tiered by declared value and turnaround speed, so treat these as approximate and confirm current rates on CGC's site, since tiers shift every few months.

Bulk, about 17 dollars per card. The entry point, with a 25 card minimum and a 500 dollar declared value cap per card. Cards can be a mix of games and sports. Best for large batches of moderate value cards. Turnaround is the longest, around 90 business days.

Economy, about 15 to 20 dollars per card. A higher 1,000 dollar declared value cap with no minimum quantity and a faster turnaround than Bulk. This is the go to for most single card submissions.

Standard, about 30 to 55 dollars per card. A mid tier with a higher value cap and a faster turnaround, commonly around 30 plus business days.

Express, about 100 dollars per card. A faster service for higher value cards, with turnaround around 5 business days.

WalkThrough, about 300 dollars per card. The fastest fixed price service, roughly a 2 day turnaround, for high value cards.

Subgrades, separate scores for centering, corners, edges, and surface, are available on some tiers for roughly 5 dollars extra per card, and CGC is known for being transparent about that add on.

The real all in cost, not just the sticker fee

The tier fee is only part of what you pay. The real cost includes outbound shipping to CGC, return shipping, and insurance, which together commonly add 20 to 50 dollars per submission depending on value and speed.

Here is a realistic example: grading 10 cards at CGC Economy runs about 190 dollars all in, roughly 150 dollars in grading fees plus about 20 dollars outbound and 20 dollars return shipping and insurance, which works out to around 19 dollars per card. At Standard, those same 10 cards run closer to 340 dollars total, about 34 dollars per card. The per card cost drops when you batch, since shipping is shared across the submission.

How CGC cost compares to PSA and BGS

Cost is where CGC shines. Its Bulk and Economy tiers, around 17 to 20 dollars, are among the lowest of the major graders. For comparison, PSA's cheapest widely open tier is now around 79.99 dollars per card in 2026 after PSA paused its Value tiers to handle a large backlog, plus a membership and shipping. BGS sits in between, with a base tier around 18 to 20 dollars and its signature four subgrades.

So on pure cost, CGC is often the cheapest professional option, and it requires no membership. The honest tradeoff is resale: a PSA slab still commands a higher premium on most cards, especially mainstream sports and popular Pokémon, so a PSA 10 typically sells for more than a CGC 10 of the same card. CGC is gaining ground fast in the Pokémon market, but if maximum resale value is your goal, PSA usually wins despite the higher fee. Our guide to sports card grading companies and our PSA vs BGS vs SGC vs CGC comparison break down that decision.

When CGC is the right choice

CGC makes the most sense when cost is your main concern, since its entry tiers are among the lowest available, when you are grading Pokémon or other TCG cards, where CGC has strong market recognition, or when you want detailed subgrade data at a lower price than PSA. For a large batch of moderate value cards, the Bulk tier is hard to beat.

CGC is a weaker pick for high end vintage sports cards aimed at maximum resale, where PSA's premium is strongest, or when you specifically need the resale liquidity that only a PSA slab currently provides.

Only grade cards worth grading

Whatever tier you choose, the biggest hidden cost is grading cards that come back too low to justify the fee. The rule is simple: only submit a card when its likely graded value clearly beats the raw value plus the total cost. That means genuine high grade candidates worth enough to matter.

Pre screening before you submit is the best way to avoid wasting fees. An app like Cards AI estimates a card's grade across centering, corners, edges, and surface and pairs it with the card's real sold value, so you send only the strong candidates. Instead of grading 10 cards at Economy and hoping, you screen first and submit the 3 that will actually earn a high grade. Our guide to the best card grading apps covers the pre screening tools.

Frequently asked questions

How much does CGC grading cost in 2026? Roughly 17 to 300 dollars per card depending on tier. Bulk is about 17 dollars with a 25 card minimum, Economy about 15 to 20 dollars, Standard about 30 to 55 dollars, Express about 100 dollars, and WalkThrough about 300 dollars. Higher value cards must use higher tiers, and shipping and insurance add to the total.

Is CGC cheaper than PSA? Yes, at the entry level. CGC's Bulk and Economy tiers around 17 to 20 dollars are well below PSA's current cheapest widely open tier of about 79.99 dollars, and CGC requires no membership. The tradeoff is that PSA slabs still command higher resale premiums on most cards.

How long does CGC grading take? Turnaround ranges from about 2 business days for WalkThrough to around 90 business days for Bulk in 2026. Standard runs around 30 plus days and Economy falls in between. The clock starts when CGC receives your cards, and estimates are not guaranteed, since they shift with submission volume.

Is CGC good for Pokémon cards? Yes. CGC has strong and growing recognition in the Pokémon and TCG market, with low entry pricing and available subgrades. It is a popular budget friendly choice for Pokémon, though PSA still tends to command higher resale prices on the most sought after cards.

Does CGC offer subgrades? Yes, on some tiers, for roughly 5 dollars extra per card. Subgrades give separate scores for centering, corners, edges, and surface alongside the overall grade, offering more detailed condition information than a single number.