Where to Get Cards Graded
There are three ways to get a card graded in 2026 — submit online, go through a shop or group submitter near you, or drop off at a card show. Here's how each works, what it costs, and which to pick.
1. Submit online (the standard route)
Send your cards directly to a grading company. The majors are PSA, CGC and BGS, plus SGC (popular for vintage sports). You create an account, declare each card's value, choose a service tier, pack the cards and ship them insured. Best control and standard pricing; you handle the packing and postage. Full walkthrough: how to get cards graded.
2. A local card shop or group submitter near you
Many local card shops (LGS) and community submitters run group submissions — you drop the cards off locally, they batch everyone's cards into one bulk order and split the shipping. This is usually the cheapest per-card way to grade and saves you the packing and postage. To find one near you, search for card shops that advertise grading submissions, or ask in local collector groups.
3. At a card show
The big grading companies run on-site intake booths at major card shows, sometimes with express or same-event turnaround. Handy if you want to hand cards over in person and skip shipping them yourself.
Where to get Pokémon cards graded
For Pokémon specifically, PSA and CGC dominate and both produce liquid, well-recognised slabs. Any of the three routes above works — pick based on cost, turnaround and which slab sells best for your cards. Step-by-step: how to get Pokémon cards graded.
Which should you choose?
- Cheapest: a group submission through a shop or community submitter.
- Most control: submit online yourself.
- Fastest / in person: a grading booth at a card show.
Before you send anything, make sure the card is worth it (grading calculator) and budget the full cost (how much grading costs).
Browse: graded cards, PSA slabs, buy graded cards.