Executive Summary
- •Collectors Holdings now owns PSA, SGC, and Beckett — roughly 79% of all card grading
- •PSA has raised prices three times in 12 months, with Value Bulk jumping from $18.99 to $24.99
- •CGC is the only major independent grader remaining, now the second-largest by volume at 4.7M cards in 2025
- •TAG is the most innovative newcomer — patented computer vision, 1,000-point scoring, and full transparency reports
- •Technology-driven alternatives (TAG, Advanced Grading, Arena Club) are reshaping the market from the bottom up
Choosing the right sports card grading company has never been more important — or more complicated. With PSA's parent company now owning three of the four largest graders, multiple price hikes, and technology-driven newcomers entering the market, the grading landscape in 2026 looks dramatically different than it did even a year ago.
The Elephant in the Room: Collectors Now Owns PSA, SGC, and Beckett
Before diving into each company, collectors need to understand the seismic shift that reshaped the industry in late 2024 and 2025. Collectors Holdings, the parent company behind PSA, acquired SGC in February 2024 and then purchased Beckett Grading Services in December 2025.
That means a single corporate entity now controls roughly 79% of the entire card grading market. PSA alone graded more than 18.3 million cards in 2025. Combined with SGC's 1.4 million and Beckett's approximately 790,000, Collectors dominates the industry at a scale never seen before. The only major independent grading company remaining outside this umbrella is CGC, which graded about 4.7 million cards in 2025.
PSA (Professional Sports Authenticator)
Parent Company: Collectors Holdings · Founded: 1991
Best For: Collectors prioritizing brand recognition and existing market infrastructure
PSA is the largest grading company by volume and the name most collectors associate with graded sports cards. In 2025, collectors spent over $968 million on PSA-graded cards on eBay alone, representing roughly 82% of all graded card spending on the platform. PSA uses a straightforward 1–10 grading scale without subgrades, which means you get a single number with zero transparency into how or why your card received that grade.
PSA's Repeated Price Increases
PSA has raised grading prices multiple times over the past year. In January 2025, Express jumped from $129 to $149, Super Express from $249 to $299, and Walk Through from $499 to $599. In September 2025, Value Bulk increased from $19.99 to $21.99. Then in February 2026, prices went up again — the second increase in just five months.
Current PSA Pricing (February 2026)
| Service Level | Price Per Card | Est. Turnaround |
|---|---|---|
| Value Bulk (Club Only) | $24.99 | 100 business days |
| Value | $32.99 | 80 business days |
| Value Plus | $49.99 | 30 business days |
| Value Max | $64.99 | 25 business days |
| Regular | $79.99 | 20 business days |
| Express | $149 | 10 business days |
| Super Express | $299 | 5 business days |
| Walk Through | $599 | 2 business days |
Pros
- ✓Largest population database for price comparison and research
- ✓Universally recognized slab and label design
- ✓Global infrastructure with facilities in the U.S., Europe, and Japan
Cons
- ✗Prices have increased three times in roughly 12 months
- ✗Turnaround times have lengthened alongside price increases
- ✗Monopoly concerns due to ownership of SGC and Beckett
- ✗No subgrades — you get a single number with no breakdown
- ✗Grade swap controversy in late 2025 further eroded collector trust
BGS / Beckett Grading Services
Parent Company: Collectors Holdings (acquired December 2025) · Founded: 1999
Best For: Collectors who want subgrade breakdowns, TCG collectors
Beckett Grading Services was once PSA's primary rival. BGS is unique among major graders for providing four subgrades on every card: centering, corners, edges, and surface. This gives collectors detailed insight into exactly where a card excels or falls short.
BGS has multiple tiers at the top of its grading scale: a BGS 9.5 Gem Mint, a BGS 10 Pristine (when a card earns a 10 overall but doesn't achieve perfect 10s in all subgrades), and the Black Label 10 (perfect 10s across all four subgrades). This multi-tiered system has arguably devalued the 9.5 in the eyes of many collectors.
Pros
- ✓Four subgrades provide more detail than PSA's single-number approach
- ✓Legacy reputation built over decades
- ✓Beckett price guides and magazine remain hobby staples
Cons
- ✗Now owned by the same parent company as PSA and SGC
- ✗Market share has declined significantly in recent years
- ✗Long-term independence under Collectors is uncertain
- ✗Multiple 10-level tiers create a subjective hierarchy that devalues the 9.5
- ✗Resale premiums generally lower than PSA for most sports cards
CGC (Certified Guaranty Company)
Parent Company: Certified Collectibles Group · Card grading launched: 2020
Best For: TCG and Pokémon collectors, independent alternative, value-conscious submitters
CGC entered the card grading market in 2020 after establishing itself as the dominant force in comic book certification. It has grown rapidly and is now the second-largest card grader by volume, having graded approximately 4.7 million cards in 2025. More importantly, CGC is now the only major grading company that is not owned by Collectors Holdings.
Pros
- ✓The only major grading company independent of Collectors Holdings
- ✓Pristine 10 chase grade adds a tier above Gem Mint 10
- ✓Competitive pricing relative to PSA
- ✓Strong reputation in TCG grading, particularly Pokémon
- ✓Industry-leading holder design with excellent clarity and security
Cons
- ✗Sports card resale values still lag behind PSA in most cases
- ✗Newer to card grading compared to PSA and BGS (since 2020)
- ✗Still building population database depth
- ✗Pristine 10 creates some confusion around grade equivalencies
SGC (Sportscard Guarantee Corporation)
Parent Company: Collectors Holdings (acquired February 2024) · Founded: 1998
Best For: Vintage and pre-war card collectors (though future is uncertain)
SGC built a devoted following among vintage card collectors who appreciated the company's expertise in pre-war tobacco cards, early Bowman and Topps issues, and an attractive tuxedo-style black slab. SGC was known for fast turnaround times, fair pricing, and a strong community.
Pros
- ✓Historical expertise in vintage and pre-war cards
- ✓Slab design that complements older cards
Cons
- ✗Submission volume has dropped sharply since the Collectors acquisition
- ✗Leadership changes and 'boutique' positioning raise long-term questions
- ✗Prices increased after acquisition
- ✗Resale liquidity for SGC-graded modern cards is lower than PSA
TAG (Technical Authentication & Grading)
Founded after 10+ years of development · Fully Independent
Best For: Tech-forward collectors who value transparency, consistency, and data-driven grading
TAG is one of the most exciting newcomers in the grading space. Founded by Steve Kass, a lifelong collector with over 65 years of experience and a personal collection exceeding 400,000 cards, TAG was born from frustration with inconsistency in grading — submitting the same cards to multiple companies and repeatedly receiving different grades.
TAG uses patented computer vision and Photometric Stereoscopic Imaging to evaluate cards with precision that human grading cannot match. Every card receives both a standard 1–10 grade and a precise 1,000-point TAG Score, which differentiates between a "high 10" and a "low 10" and enables card-by-card rankings on the TAG Leaderboard.
Pros
- ✓Patented computer vision technology for objective, consistent grading
- ✓1,000-point TAG Score provides granularity beyond the standard 1–10 scale
- ✓DIG Reports offer unprecedented transparency into every grade
- ✓Beautiful, durable slabs with UV protection and digital security
- ✓Fully independent — not owned by Collectors Holdings
Cons
- ✗Newer company still building market recognition and resale track record
- ✗Currently limited to modern-era cards (1989–present)
- ✗Population reports are still growing
- ✗Resale premiums not yet established at the level of PSA or BGS
Advanced Grading
Website: advancedgrading.io · Fully Independent
Best For: High-volume resellers and bulk submissions seeking the best price-to-value ratio
Advanced Grading represents the wave of AI-powered grading services entering the market. As PSA continues to raise prices and extend turnaround times, Advanced Grading has positioned itself as the go-to option for high-volume resellers who need to move inventory efficiently. If you're grading in bulk, this is where you get the best price-to-value ratio in the industry — making it ideal for resellers who prioritize throughput and cost efficiency over brand-name slabs.
Pros
- ✓Great for bulk submissions — built for volume
- ✓Best price-to-value ratio for high-volume resellers
- ✓AI-powered approach offers speed and consistency
- ✓Lower cost alternative to traditional grading companies
- ✓Independent of Collectors Holdings
Cons
- ✗AI grading acceptance varies among buyers and sellers
- ✗Minimum submission requirement is high — 50 cards per order
- ✗Turnaround times can vary depending on submission volume
Arena Club
Co-Founded By: Derek Jeter & Brian Lee · Launched: 2022
Best For: Digital-first collectors, vault storage, integrated marketplace users
Arena Club takes a fundamentally different approach by combining grading with vault storage and a digital marketplace into a single platform. When you submit cards, they're graded and stored in a fully insured, climate-controlled vault with 24/7 surveillance. Your collection appears in a digital "Showroom" where you can buy, sell, and trade instantly — no shipping required for transactions between vaulted cards.
Arena Club provides subgrades similar to BGS (centering, corners, edges, and surface) and accepts vault storage of slabs from PSA, BGS, SGC, CGC, and CSG in addition to its own graded cards. Jia Li, formerly Head of Research & Development at Google Cloud and Head of Research at Snap, advises the company's AI and imaging technology.
Pros
- ✓Integrated grading, vaulting, and marketplace in one platform
- ✓AI-assisted grading with human expert oversight
- ✓Free vault storage with full insurance — no recurring fees
- ✓Instant transactions for vaulted cards eliminate shipping risk
- ✓Derek Jeter's involvement brings mainstream visibility
Cons
- ✗Limited resale recognition outside the Arena Club ecosystem
- ✗Relatively new — still building trust and buyer familiarity
- ✗Retrieval required (with fees) if you want to sell on external platforms
- ✗Some App Store reviews raise concerns about cash-out and mystery pack experience
Quick Comparison: All Major Grading Companies (2026)
| Company | Owner | Scale | Independence |
|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | Collectors | 1–10 | ❌ Collectors-owned |
| BGS | Collectors | 1–10 + Subgrades | ❌ Collectors-owned |
| CGC | CCG | 1–10 + Pristine | ✅ Independent |
| SGC | Collectors | 1–10 | ❌ Collectors-owned |
| TAG | Independent | 1–10 + 1000pt Score | ✅ Independent |
| Advanced Grading | Independent | 1–10 | ✅ Independent |
| Arena Club | Independent | 1–10 | ✅ Independent |
The Future of Sports Card Grading
The grading industry in 2026 is defined by two competing forces: consolidation at the top and innovation from the bottom. Collectors Holdings' acquisition of PSA, SGC, and Beckett has created a near-monopoly that many in the hobby view with serious concern.
PSA's repeated price increases — three rounds in roughly 12 months — combined with extending turnaround times, are pushing collectors to explore alternatives more seriously than ever before. The question is no longer "which grade sells for more?" but "which grader do I trust, which grader is fairly priced, and which grader will still be independent in five years?"
Technology-driven companies like TAG and Advanced Grading are proving that there are better, more transparent, and more consistent ways to evaluate cards. Arena Club is rethinking what grading even looks like by integrating it into a vault-and-marketplace ecosystem.
This guide is intended for informational purposes. Pricing, turnaround times, and company details are accurate as of February 2026 but may change. Always verify current pricing directly with each grading company before submitting cards.