Quick answer: PSA, CGC and BGS are the three main third-party grading companies for Pokémon cards. All three grade the same four things — centering, corners, edges and surface — and seal the card in a numbered slab. The practical difference is the buyer pool: PSA slabs generally have the deepest and most liquid Pokémon market, BGS adds subgrades that appeal to high-end and vintage buyers, and CGC has a strict reputation with strong demand in modern sets. The gap between them is not a fixed percentage — it changes by card, era and grade.
Which grader should you choose?
- Grading to sell quickly: PSA is usually the safest exit because comparable sales are easiest to find at almost every grade.
- Grading a high-value or vintage card: BGS subgrades let buyers see exactly why a card earned its overall number, which matters most when the price is large.
- Grading modern cards, or you personally prefer strict review: CGC is a legitimate option with real demand — check the specific card rather than assuming a discount.
Whatever you decide, verify the graded market for the exact print first. In TCGApp you scan the card with your iPhone, confirm the set and card number, then read graded context across PSA, CGC and BGS tiers next to the live raw price. That comparison — not a general rule — should decide the submission. TCGApp is an unofficial tool and is not affiliated with PSA, CGC, BGS, Nintendo or The Pokémon Company.
What all three graders actually assess
Every major grading company evaluates the same four attributes and then issues one overall number on a 1–10 scale:
- Centering — how evenly the borders frame the artwork, front and back.
- Corners — sharpness, fraying, or whitening at the tips.
- Edges — nicks and whitening along the border, brutal on black-bordered cards.
- Surface — print lines, holo scratches, dents, dimples and cloudiness.
Because the criteria overlap, differences between companies come down to strictness, how top tiers are structured, and — most importantly for resale — who is shopping for that label. Our guide to graded Pokémon card values shows how to read a grade ladder without cherry-picking the one sale that flatters your card.
PSA: the default exit for most Pokémon cards
- Label style: a single overall grade, topping out at PSA 10 Gem Mint.
- Subgrades: not shown on standard labels.
- Buyer pool: the largest in Pokémon, which produces frequent comparable sales.
- Best for: cards you intend to sell, where predictable pricing matters more than label detail.
Volume creates its own gravity. More PSA slabs in circulation means more recent sales at the grade you care about, so buyers already know roughly what a number should cost. On chase modern cards and vintage holos, the step from a 9 to a 10 is often the single biggest swing in the entire decision — read how PSA 10 Pokémon card values behave before you assume your card is a 10. The trade-off: PSA receives enormous submission volume, so turnaround depends on service tier, and a 9 on a heavily graded modern card can sit in a crowded pool.
BGS: subgrades, half grades and the vintage lane
- Label style: four subgrades plus an overall, with half grades such as 9.5.
- Top tiers: BGS 10 Pristine and the rare Black Label (four perfect 10 subgrades).
- Buyer pool: smaller than PSA overall, but concentrated at the high end.
- Best for: expensive cards, vintage, and thick modern cards where buyers want the breakdown.
Subgrades change buyer behaviour. A BGS 9.5 with strong centering and surface reads very differently from one that barely qualified, and that transparency supports confident bidding on high-ticket cards. Black Label sits almost in its own market, largely disconnected from ordinary grade-to-grade spreads. The catch is speed: on mid-grade modern holos, the pool actively searching for BGS is narrower than the PSA pool. That does not make the slab worse — it can make the sale slower, which matters if you need to exit within a month.
CGC: strict review and a growing modern following
- Label style: overall grade, with subgrades available on many submissions.
- Top tiers: CGC 10 Pristine and Perfect 10 sit above the standard 10.
- Buyer pool: established and growing, strongest in modern-era Pokémon.
- Best for: collectors who value accuracy and tight surface/edge review over label prestige.
CGC arrived in Pokémon from comics and collectibles with a reputation for strict surface and edge assessment. Spreads versus PSA vary more by card type than average: on some modern chase cards the gap is narrow, while on vintage it can widen noticeably. Treating CGC as automatically worth less is inaccurate — but so is assuming parity. Check the card in front of you.
Liquidity vs label preference
Every grading decision splits into two questions, and mixing them is where collectors lose money.
- Liquidity: how fast the slab sells, to how many buyers, at a predictable price. High liquidity behaves like cash — you list it, it moves, and the price band is tight enough to plan around.
- Label preference: which slab you want to own. Some collectors love subgrades, some love a particular case design, some want the strictest grader because a high grade then feels earned.
Both are valid. If you are grading to sell, follow liquidity. If you are grading to keep, follow preference and ignore spread arguments entirely. The expensive mistake is choosing a label emotionally, then being surprised the resale spread is thinner than the comps you read about.
How to check graded values before you submit
- Identify the exact print. Not "Charizard" — set, card number, rarity, and whether it is a reverse holo, promo stamp or alternate art. A Pokémon card scanner app pulls set and number so you are not guessing at a set symbol.
- Read the raw price first. That is your baseline. If raw value is thin, fees can swallow the entire upside. Our Pokémon card price checker guide covers reading raw numbers honestly.
- Compare the graded ladder. TCGApp shows graded market context across PSA, CGC and BGS tiers beside the raw price, so you can see where the spread actually sits.
- Sanity-check with sold data. Asking prices are opinions; sold results are decisions. Here is how to read eBay sold Pokémon card prices without being fooled by outliers.
- Estimate your likely grade conservatively. The optional AI Pre-Grade in TCGApp flags centering, edge, corner and surface concerns from your photos as a second pair of eyes before you pay fees. It is a helper, not a lab grade — see the AI Pokémon card grading explainer.
The cost math most submissions skip
Grading is not just the grading fee. Total your all-in cost:
- Grading fee per card at your chosen service tier
- Insured shipping to the grader
- Return shipping
- Supplies: sleeves, semi-rigids, card savers, box
- Selling fees plus shipping when you eventually list
Then compare that total to the realistic gap between the raw price and the graded price at the grade you will probably get — not your best case. The raw vs graded Pokémon values breakdown shows how to run both sides properly. Useful rule of thumb: if the math only works at a 10, you are gambling; if it works at a 9, you are investing. None of this is financial advice.
Pre-submission checklist
- Print confirmed — set, number, rarity and variant locked in by scan, not memory
- Recent raw comp — not a six-month-old screenshot
- Graded comps at two grades — your realistic grade and one below it
- Centering checked front and back under good light
- Surface checked by tilting the card; holo scratches hide at flat angles
- Edges and corners inspected for whitening
- All-in cost written down, including sell-side fees
- Exit plan chosen — flip fast, hold long, or keep forever
Log each card in a TCGApp folder (many collectors label theirs "submission queue") before shipping. Your portfolio total keeps tracking the market while the cards are out, and you can compare expectations against results when the slabs return.
When a single comp shouldn't decide anything
One graded sale is a data point, not a price. Be sceptical when the sale is old and the set has since been reprinted, when there is exactly one comp at that grade, when the listing bundled several cards, when the card is new and population reports are still filling in, or when a hype cycle spiked the set and the tail has not settled. Refresh prices in TCGApp and check whether the ladder looks like a trend or a coin flip. Nothing about grading requires urgency.
Different cards, different answers
Vintage base-set holos, modern alternate arts and Japanese promos do not behave alike. Browsing the most valuable Pokémon cards makes that obvious: the cards with the widest graded spreads usually have the deepest buyer pools, which is exactly where liquidity matters most. Explore more grading and pricing guides in the Pokémon hub.
The same scan-then-compare logic applies to other games — start with a value check using the One Piece card worth checker or the Lorcana card worth checker. If you are grading with the long game in mind, our Pokémon card investment tracker guide covers folder structure without turning the hobby into spreadsheet work.
Scan first, submit second
Most poor grading decisions trace back to one missing step: nobody checked the graded market for that exact card, print and grade before paying fees. TCGApp closes that gap in about a minute — point your iPhone at the card, confirm the identification, read live raw prices, compare graded context across PSA, CGC and BGS tiers, run an optional AI Pre-Grade on your photos, then file the card into a collection or wishlist.
Download TCGApp on the App Store and let the graded ladder decide which label makes sense — before the submission form does.
More worth & scan guides
FAQ
What is the difference between PSA, CGC and BGS for Pokémon cards?
All three grade the same four attributes — centering, corners, edges and surface — on a 1–10 scale and seal the card in a slab. PSA issues a single overall grade and has the deepest Pokémon buyer pool. BGS adds four subgrades plus half grades, with Pristine and Black Label at the top. CGC offers subgrades on many submissions and Pristine/Perfect 10 tiers above a standard 10.
Which grader gets the highest resale for Pokémon cards?
For most Pokémon cards, PSA has the deepest buyer pool, which typically means faster sales and tighter price bands. However, the size of the gap varies widely by card, era and grade, and BGS and CGC can be competitive on high-end and modern chase cards. Scan the exact card in TCGApp and read the graded ladder next to the live raw price instead of applying a blanket rule.
Do BGS subgrades help a Pokémon card sell?
Subgrades help most on higher-value and vintage cards, where buyers want to see exactly why a card earned its overall grade. On mid-grade modern cards, the extra detail may not translate into a premium because fewer buyers are searching specifically for BGS. Check graded context for your specific print before assuming subgrades add value.
Is CGC worth using for Pokémon cards?
Yes — CGC has genuine demand, particularly in modern Pokémon, and collectors who value strict surface and edge review often prefer it. The spread versus PSA narrows on some cards and widens on others, especially vintage. TCGApp displays PSA, CGC and BGS tiers side by side so you can see where your card actually lands.
Can an app tell me what grade my Pokémon card will get?
No app can predict an official grade, and TCGApp does not claim to. The optional AI Pre-Grade reviews your photos for centering, edge, corner and surface concerns as a helper before you pay submission fees. It is not a lab grade, and TCGApp is not affiliated with PSA, CGC or BGS.
How do I know if grading is worth the fees?
Add up grading, shipping both ways, insurance, supplies and eventual selling fees, then compare that total to the realistic gap between the raw price and the graded price at the grade you will probably receive — not your best case. Use live raw prices plus graded context in TCGApp to build both sides of that comparison. If the math only works at a perfect 10, it is a gamble rather than a plan.