PSA grading cost and wait times in 2026
By Owlex · · 8 min read
PSA grading costs $59.99 per card at its cheapest open tier, Standard, as of October 2026, with an estimated wait of 90 to 100 business days. Faster tiers cost $79.99 to $599 for cards worth up to $10,000. With PSA's US return shipping, a 10-card order works out to about $63 a card, and a single card to about $80.
PSA's cheaper Value tiers, which started at $24.99 a card for bulk orders through the Collectors Club, have been paused since June 2, 2026 because the company could not keep up with demand. Its backlog peaked at 12.4 million cards in late July and was down to 8.2 million on October 6, but PSA says the Value tiers stay closed until the queue is much smaller.
That fee decides which cards are worth sending at all. If you are still deciding whether to grade, start with our price-by-price breakdown of when grading is worth it.
How much does PSA grading cost in 2026?
PSA's cheapest open tier is Standard at $59.99 per card for cards worth up to $1,000, and prices rise with the card's value and the speed you want. These are PSA's trading card tiers from its pricing page, checked October 19, 2026. "Max value" is the most a card can be worth to qualify for that tier, which PSA calls the maximum insured value.
| Tier | Price per card (USD) | Max value per card (USD) | Est. turnaround (business days) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Value Bulk / Value | Paused | $500 | Unavailable |
| Standard | $59.99 | $1,000 | 90 to 100 |
| Priority | $79.99 | $1,500 | 70 to 80 |
| Express | $199 | $2,500 | 20 to 30 |
| Super Express | $349 | $5,000 | 10 to 15 |
| Premier | $599 | $10,000 | 7 to 10 |
| Premium 1 | $999 | $25,000 | 5 to 7 |
| Premium 2 / 3 / 5 | $1,999 / $2,999 / $4,999 | $50,000 / $100,000 / $250,000 | 5 to 7 |
Premium 10 starts at $9,999 for cards worth more than $250,000. The pricing page lists no minimum order size and no membership requirement for these tiers, and states that turnaround times "are estimates only and not guaranteed."
The tier is set by what the card is worth, not only by how fast you want it back. A raw Charizard worth $1,200 cannot go in Standard even if you are happy to wait. Our Charizard price guide shows how quickly the major prints climb past these caps.
What changed in PSA's prices this year?
Two announcements reset the price list in 2026. On May 28, PSA said it would pause new submissions to Value Bulk, Value, Value Plus and Value Max from June 2, after a 20% spike in submissions added 1.6 million cards to its backlog.
On September 9, PSA opened the new Standard tier at $59.99 from September 14, renamed Regular to Priority (still $79.99) and Walk-Through to Premier ($599), and set Express at $199. PSA says "Standard is not a replacement for our Value tiers," and that Standard orders are processed after existing Value and Bulk orders.
PSA's Collectors Club costs $149 or $199 a year, the higher tier adding a Card Ladder Pro subscription. Its bulk access and member-only grading specials are both marked as paused, so for most collectors it adds little right now.
How long does PSA grading take right now?
At the cheapest open tier, expect about four to five months. Standard's 90 to 100 business days is 18 to 20 working weeks, and the clock starts when PSA receives and logs your order, not when you mail it. Shipping time in both directions comes on top.
Priority saves about four weeks for $20 more per card. Express, at 20 to 30 business days, is the first tier with an estimate of four to six weeks of PSA time, but at $199 a card it only makes sense for cards worth several hundred dollars or more.
Why are PSA's Value tiers paused, and when will they come back?
PSA paused them because demand outran its grading capacity, and it has not given a reopening date. Its backlog tracker says the pause is "tied strictly to operational milestones, not arbitrary dates," and the stated goal is a backlog of 5 million cards.
| Date (2026) | PSA active backlog (cards) |
|---|---|
| June 2 | Approaching 10 million |
| July 28 | 12.4 million (peak) |
| August 25 | About 10.9 million |
| September 8 | 9.9 million |
| September 22 | About 9 million |
| October 6 | 8.2 million |
At 8.2 million, about 3.2 million cards still need to clear. The last two updates each showed a drop of roughly 0.8 to 0.9 million cards in two weeks. If that pace held, the queue would reach 5 million in about eight weeks, but that is our arithmetic, not a PSA forecast. PSA's October 6 update only says it is on a path to "assess reopening additional service tiers in the coming months."
The volume behind the backlog is a record. The major graders handled 3.5 million cards in June 2026 and PSA alone graded 2.5 million, with trading card games such as Pokémon making up slightly over 71% of PSA's volume, according to GemRate data reported by Sports Illustrated. PSA says production is up 40% on last year, and it now runs six grading facilities, including a new one in Plano, Texas.
What does PSA grading really cost per card once shipping is added?
Expect about $63 a card for a 10-card Standard order and about $80 for a single card, before your own postage to PSA. Work it out in four parts:
- Grading fee. The tier price multiplied by your card count.
- Return shipping and insurance. PSA charges this once per order. Its postage page lists US domestic returns at $19.99 for 1 to 4 cards, $24.99 for 5 to 9 and $29.99 for 10 to 19, when the order's total insured value is $2,000 or less. Above $2,000 and up to $12,500, those rise to $34.99, $39.99 and $44.99.
- Your outbound shipping. PSA's terms say you carry the risk of loss until each card is unpacked and confirmed received, so use tracked, insured shipping.
- Membership, if you buy one. Optional for the open tiers, but count it if you join to submit.
| Order (Standard tier, US return) | Grading fees (USD) | Return shipping (USD) | Total (USD) | Per card (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 card, insured value up to $2,000 | $59.99 | $19.99 | $79.98 | $79.98 |
| 5 cards, up to $2,000 | $299.95 | $24.99 | $324.94 | $64.99 |
| 10 cards, up to $2,000 | $599.90 | $29.99 | $629.89 | $62.99 |
| 10 cards, $2,001 to $12,500 | $599.90 | $44.99 | $644.89 | $64.49 |
Batching helps, but only up to a point. Going from one card to five cuts about $15 a card. Going from five to ten saves only about $2 more.
What happens if my card is worth more than the tier's max value?
PSA can move it to a higher tier and bill you the difference, which collectors call an upcharge. Under section 2 of PSA's submission terms, the benchmark is "fair market value as determined by PSA," and PSA can charge adjustments of up to $500 without further authorization. If you refuse to pay, PSA returns the card ungraded at your cost and still charges the tier you submitted at.
Because PSA sets the value, a card that grades better than expected can outgrow its tier. PSA 10 is PSA's top grade, Gem Mint, and a card worth $600 raw that comes back a PSA 10 worth $2,000 is over Standard's $1,000 cap. Before you pick a tier, check what the card sells for in a PSA 10, not just raw.
How does PSA compare with CGC, TAG, SGC and Beckett?
PSA's entry tier costs more than most rivals: CGC's Bulk tier is $17 a card and Beckett's Base tier is $14.95, though Beckett's is sold out. PSA held about 65% of graded volume in August 2026 and CGC about 28%, per GemRate figures compiled by Pregrade. Prices below were checked October 19, 2026.
| Grader | Cheapest tier | Price per card (USD) | Est. turnaround | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | Standard | $59.99 | 90 to 100 business days | Value tiers paused (source) |
| CGC | Bulk | $17 | 150 working days | 25-card minimum, max value $500; Economy $20 for cards to $1,000 (source) |
| TAG | Standard | $59.95 | About 45 business days | Max $1,000 (source); does not currently accept Yu-Gi-Oh! (source) |
| SGC | Standard | $50 | 40+ business days | Raised from $18 on September 2, 2026 (source) |
| Beckett | Base | $14.95 | 75+ business days | Sold out; Express $79.95 in 15 business days is open (source) |
CGC's fees above are for Collector-level members. Collectors, PSA's parent company, also owns SGC and agreed to acquire Beckett in December 2025. PSA still grades most cards in the market, and many sellers accept its prices and wait for that reason. For cards you plan to keep, CGC at $17 to $20 a card often makes more sense.
Which cards are worth sending to PSA at these prices?
Grade with PSA only when the card's likely graded price beats its raw price by more than your all-in cost, with room for a lower grade than you hoped. At about $63 a card, that usually rules out cards worth under $100 raw unless a PSA 10 is very likely.
A simple rule: take the price the card sells for in PSA 9, one step below the top grade. Subtract the raw price and about $63. If the result is below zero, the card only pays off if it gets a 10, and you should treat it as a gamble. For example, with illustrative numbers, a card that sells for $150 raw, $200 in PSA 9 and $400 in PSA 10 loses about $13 at a 9 and gains about $187 at a 10, before selling fees.
Whatever the grade, it comes down to condition: centering, corners, edges and surface. Read our card condition guide and check each card under good light before you pay anyone.
Owlex is a card scanner app for iPhone and Android that identifies Pokémon, Magic: The Gathering, Yu-Gi-Oh!, One Piece and Disney Lorcana cards, several in one photo, and shows each card's market value. Scanning and pricing are free, so it is a quick way to find which cards in a stack are worth enough raw to justify a $63-plus PSA bill.
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Frequently asked
What is the cheapest way to get a card graded by PSA right now?
PSA's Standard tier at $59.99 per card, for cards worth up to $1,000, with an estimated 90 to 100 business days. The cheaper Value tiers have been paused since June 2, 2026. A 10-card Standard order with US return shipping works out to about $63 a card.
Do I need a PSA membership to submit cards?
PSA's pricing page lists no membership requirement for its open tiers, from Standard upward. The Collectors Club costs $149 or $199 a year, but its bulk access and member-only grading specials are currently paused, so it adds little for most submitters.
How much does PSA charge to ship graded cards back?
PSA charges US return shipping and insurance once per order. For an order insured up to $2,000 in total, it is $19.99 for 1 to 4 cards, $24.99 for 5 to 9 and $29.99 for 10 to 19, as of October 2026. Higher insured values cost more.
When will PSA bring back the Value tiers?
PSA has not given a date. It says the pause is tied to operational milestones and its goal is a backlog of 5 million cards. The backlog was 8.2 million on October 6, 2026, down from a 12.4 million peak in late July.
Does a faster PSA tier get a better grade?
No link between tier and grade appears on PSA's pricing page. The tiers differ in price, estimated turnaround and the maximum card value they cover. You pay for speed and for coverage of higher-value cards.