How much does PSA grading cost per card?

PSA's economy Value tier is around $19–$25 per card with typical 45–65 business day turnaround. Regular tier is around $50, Express is around $150, and higher-value tiers scale up based on declared value. Always check PSA's site for current pricing.

What's the break-even raw-to-PSA-10 spread?

At $25 grading and 13% eBay fees, you need the PSA 10 price to be roughly 1.6× the raw price to break even after all costs — and higher if PSA 10 rates are below 100%. Most profitable flips target a 3–5× spread.

Are PSA bulk submissions cheaper?

Yes. PSA runs periodic bulk specials (20-card minimums) that drop per-card grading well below the standard Value rate. If you have a stack of low-to-mid-value cards, bulk is the play.

PSA Grading Cost in 2026 (and Your Break-Even Point)

What PSA actually charges, how long it takes, and the exact number your raw-to-graded spread has to clear to make money.

Updated 2026 · Gem Gains

PSA is the most recognized grader in the hobby, and their prices reflect it. Before you send in a stack, run the numbers — grading a card that barely covers its own fee is the fastest way to lose money in the hobby.

Current PSA grading tiers

PSA tiers are gated by declared value and turnaround. These change periodically, so always confirm on PSA's site before submitting, but the 2026 shape is:

Value / Economy — ~$19–$25 per card. 45–65 business day turnaround. Declared value cap around $499.
Regular — ~$50 per card. ~20 business day turnaround. Declared value up to ~$1,499.
Express — ~$150 per card. ~10 business days. Declared value up to ~$4,999.
Super Express / Walk-Through — $300+. Scales with declared value.
Bulk specials — periodic, 20-card minimums, per-card price well below Value tier.

Don't forget shipping both ways and insurance. Most people budget an extra $2–$5 per card for logistics.

The break-even math

The formula every grader should memorize:

Net profit = (PSA 10 price × 0.87) − raw price − grading fee − shipping

The 0.87 accounts for eBay's ~13% fee. If you use a different marketplace, adjust.

Quick rule: at $25 grading and 13% fees, your PSA 10 price needs to be at least ~1.6× the raw price just to break even — assuming the card actually grades a 10. Since PSA 10 rates on modern cards commonly land in the 20–40% range, your realistic target spread is closer to 3–5×.

When grading is worth it

Raw card is gem-mint (sharp corners, no print lines, centered).
PSA 10 comp is at least 3× the raw price after fees.
The player/set has active demand — don't grade fading names.
The parallel isn't so scarce that comps are unreliable (a card that hasn't sold in 6 months is a guess, not a comp).

Skip the spreadsheet

Gem Gains bakes grading fees, marketplace fees, and PSA 10 rates into every ranking. Every card on the Best Cards to Grade page has already cleared the break-even math — you just pick the ones you want to source.

See today's break-even winners → or run a custom ROI search →