PSA, BGS, CGC or SGC: which one to choose?
The same card does not get the same grade everywhere, and above all does not resell at the same price depending on the slab. Here is how the main companies differ.
In short
Choose PSA to resell: it has the best liquidity and dominates Pokémon and sports cards. Choose BGS when subgrades matter: four printed subgrades and the Black Label (all four at 10) on high-value cards. Choose CGC for TCG and Japanese cards, SGC for vintage sports, and PCA, a French company, for cheaper shipping within Europe — one month at its Fast tier, six months at its cheapest, Classic. All five grade on a 1-to-10 scale. Since 15 September 2026, collectors in the European Union can submit directly to PSA's Frankfurt facility, with no dealer and no customs.
01 — Data
Comparison table
| Company | Scale | Subgrades | Strength | Main market |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 1 to 10 | No | Maximum resale liquidity | International |
| BGS | 1 to 10 (0.5 steps) | Yes — 4 subgrades | Black Label 10, high-value vintage | International |
| CGC | 1 to 10 | None listed on the official fee grid | TCG and Japanese cards | International |
| SGC | 1 to 10 | No | Vintage sports, short turnaround | United States |
| PCA | 1 to 10 | No | French company, no customs from within the EU | France / Europe |
| TAG | 1 to 10 (1000-point score) | Yes — measured | Computer-vision grading, auditable report | United States |
| HGA | 1 to 10 | Yes | Customisable slabs | International |
02 — Key points
How to choose in practice
You want to resell quickly
PSA. At equal grade a PSA slab sells faster and often higher, simply because it is the reference buyers know.
You are chasing the top
BGS. Subgrades reassure buyers on high-value cards, and the Black Label is a collecting goal in itself.
You are in Europe
PCA, CGC Munich or PSA Frankfurt. All three grade inside the EU, with no transatlantic shipping and no customs: PCA is French, CGC has graded trading card games in Munich since 12 January 2026, and PSA has taken direct submissions in Frankfurt since 15 September 2026.
You grade Japanese cards
CGC. Its handling of Japanese TCG and its turnaround are strong arguments in this segment.
You grade vintage sports
SGC. Established reputation on older cards, with a black slab collectors like for display.
You want a distinctive slab
HGA. Customisable labels and slabs — better suited to cards you keep than to cards you flip.
03 — Guides
Company profiles and head-to-head comparisons
Scale, pricing, turnaround and process company by company — then the head-to-head decisions, the ones that come up right before paying for a submission.
- 01PSA gradingThe market reference: scale, current pricing and how submissions actually work.
- 02BGS gradingFour printed subgrades and the Black Label: the most legible label on the market.
- 03CGC gradingThe best turnaround-to-price ratio on TCG, and the rising reference on Japanese cards.
- 04SGC gradingThe black slab of vintage sports: one grade, no subgrades, a long authentication record.
- 05PCA gradingThe European option: no customs, a one-month tier, and a scale that goes past 10.
- 06TAG gradingComputer-vision grading: a score measured out of 1000 points, with an auditable report.
- 07Card grading costListed fees, the costs nobody prints, and the calculation that decides the submission.
- 08PSA or BGSOne liquid grade against four legible subgrades: it depends what the card is for.
- 09PSA or CGCPSA's resale premium against CGC's price and turnaround — the core Pokémon decision.
- 10BGS or CGCBeckett's subgrades against CGC's prices, two markets: high-value modern against TCG and Japanese.
- 11PSA or PCAGlobal liquidity against a domestic shipment: the trade-off specific to Europe.
- 12PSA or TAGThe slab the market pays for against the report that proves condition: two philosophies of grading.
- 13PSA or SGCOn modern sports the question settles itself. On vintage, it deserves a real calculation.
- 14CGC or PCAWhen PSA is too expensive or too slow, the real European choice comes down to these two.
04 — Questions
Frequently asked questions
Did PSA really open a facility in Europe?
Yes. PSA opened its first European grading centre in Frankfurt in summer 2026, and since 15 September 2026 individuals in the European Union can submit to it directly, without a dealer, on a euro price grid (from €49.99 per card at the launch price). No transatlantic leg and no customs; what remains is PSA's own processing time — 80 to 90 business days stated at the Standard level — which is still the longest part.
Which company is cheapest?
It depends on the declared value and on how long you can wait. Among the US companies, CGC has the cheapest entry: $20 per card at its Economy tier (90 working days; $17 in Bulk, from 25 cards), or €22.61 incl. VAT in Munich for trading card games. SGC starts at $50, PSA at $59.99 at its Standard level (€49.99 introductory in the EU) — its Value tiers are paused — and BGS only has Express open, at $79.95. In the European Union, PCA's Classic tier is cheaper still — €12.90 per card up to €249 of declared value, €10.90 from 10 cards — but takes six months; its Fast tier costs €19.90 for one month. Grids checked in September 2026 (PCA: its grid as archived on 25 July 2026); the companies' own grids are authoritative.
Is a PSA 9 worth more than a BGS 9?
Generally yes on a per-unit basis, because PSA is more liquid. But a BGS 9.5 Gem Mint compares to a PSA 10 rather than a PSA 9, and a BGS 10 Black Label far exceeds a PSA 10 on sought-after cards. The slab matters as much as the number.
Can a card be regraded elsewhere?
Yes — that is a crossover: the card is submitted in its original slab with a minimum accepted grade. If the company cannot meet that grade, it returns the card without cracking it. It is a common way to convert a less liquid slab into PSA.
Are grades equivalent across companies?
No. Centering tolerances, surface strictness and the handling of Japanese cards all differ. The same card can get a 9 at one company and an 8.5 at another — which is precisely why the GradeMate report gives the estimate for your target company and compares it with the others.
05 — Read next
The most common decisions
See the estimate for each company
One analysis, and the report compares expected grades across the main companies.