Card Grading Comparison: TFG vs PSA, CGC, Beckett, and UK Graders

Last updated: 2 July 2026

Professional grading authenticates your card, assigns a condition grade, and seals it in a protective slab. Every company on this page does that - but location, total cost, turnaround, label detail, and resale recognition vary significantly.

Before you submit, ask:

• Will you sell in the UK or internationally?
• Do you need sub-grades on the label?
• Is speed or brand premium more important?
• Are you sending cards overseas (with customs risk) or keeping them domestic?

Tree Frog Grading is the UK's first female-owned TCG grading company, with 17,000+ cards graded and a 4.8/5 rating on Trustpilot. This comparison is designed to help you make an informed choice - including when TFG is the right fit and when another grader may suit your goals better.

UK Graders vs International Graders - What Is the Difference?

*CGC is US-headquartered but also operates a UK office that accepts direct UK submissions, avoiding transatlantic shipping. PSA does not currently accept direct submissions from the UK due to US tariff regulations - a PSA Authorised Dealer (middleman) is required. See the detailed sections below.

For shipping and customs detail, see Card Grading UK.

Card Grading Services Compared

Last verified: July 2026. Prices and turnaround times change frequently - several graders updated pricing during 2026 - so always confirm on each company's official site before submitting.

Tables split by UK and international graders for easier reading on small screens.

*PSA has not accepted direct submissions from the UK since April 2025, when US tariff regulations led it to pause direct international submissions to its US facilities - UK collectors must submit through a PSA Authorised Dealer (middleman) service instead, which adds dealer handling fees. PSA also consolidated its bulk services in February 2026 (Value Bulk is Collectors Club-only) and paused its Value-level services from June 2026 as its global backlog reached roughly 14 million cards. TAG core submissions were closed as of July 2026 on both direct and UK dealer routes; prices shown are the most recent when open. Check their websites for current availability.

PSA, CGC, Beckett (BGS), and TAG

PSA (Professional Sports Authenticator)

• HQ: USA · Currency: USD
• Scale: 1-10 (Gem Mint 10)
• Sub-grades: No (overall grade only)
• Strengths: Strongest global brand; highest premiums on US sports and top Pokémon internationally; grades roughly 90,000 cards per day worldwide
• UK drawbacks: No direct submissions - a middleman is required (see below); international shipping, customs/VAT, long total turnaround, USD pricing. In 2026 PSA raised prices twice and paused its Value-level services amid a backlog of roughly 14 million cards, so entry-level costs and wait times are volatile
• Submitting from the UK: since US tariff regulations introduced in April 2025, PSA has paused direct submissions to its US facilities from all countries outside the US, because tariffs are charged against the declared value of the cards rather than the grading fee. UK collectors can therefore only submit via a PSA Authorised Dealer (middleman) service, which adds the dealer's own handling fees and timelines. While its Value tiers are paused, PSA publishes a bi-weekly Backlog Tracker showing progress towards reopening
• Pricing snapshot (2026): Value Bulk $24.99 per card (Collectors Club members only, minimum 20 cards, roughly 65+ business days); with Value tiers paused mid-2026, the cheapest open tier was Regular at $79.99 (roughly 65-90 business days). PSA is expanding in Europe, including a Frankfurt facility, though it is not yet open to individual UK collectors
• UK dealer pricing (July 2026): Value-level submissions through UK dealer services typically cost around £22-£23 per card plus postage, with PSA's estimated grading time at 140-160+ business days and realistic all-in turnaround of six months or more. Several dealers' cheapest tiers are periodically closed while PSA's backlog clears, so check availability before planning a submission
• Best for: Collectors targeting US auction houses or buyers who specifically want PSA slabs

CGC (Certified Guaranty Company)

• HQ: USA · Currency: USD (GBP pricing via its UK office)
• Scale: 1-10 with half-point grades
• Sub-grades: Optional paid add-on
• Strengths: Well recognised in TCG and comics crossover markets; strict standards mean a CGC 10 carries weight; operates a UK office accepting direct UK submissions with no customs on return
• UK drawbacks: US submissions carry the same shipping/customs considerations as PSA; turnaround on budget tiers stretched significantly during 2026
• Pricing snapshot (2026): via its London office, card grading starts at £27 + VAT per card (Modern Bulk, minimum 25) or £30 + VAT (Modern) after the January 2026 update, with no transatlantic shipping; US pricing starts at $15 per card (Bulk, minimum 25) and $18 (Economy). Check cgccards.uk and cgccards.com for current tiers
• Best for: TCG collectors who want a globally recognised slab with a UK submission route, or the CGC brand at a lower cost than PSA's premium tiers

Beckett (BGS - Beckett Grading Services)

• HQ: USA · Currency: USD
• Scale: 1-10 in half-point increments, with sub-grades (centering, corners, edges, surface)
• Sub-grades: Yes - famous for detailed labels; Black Label 10 for perfect 10 sub-grades across the board
• Strengths: Preferred by some collectors for sub-grade transparency; strong in modern sports; colour-coded labels (Black/Gold/Silver) are instantly recognised
• UK drawbacks: International submission from the UK; entry-tier turnaround around 75+ business days before transit; international return shipping (around $64 per order, July 2026) makes small direct submissions uneconomical
• Submitting from the UK: unlike PSA, Beckett still accepts direct UK submissions, but the economics only work at volume - a single Base-tier card costs roughly $80 direct ($14.95 fee + insurance + $64 international return shipping) before outbound postage and any import VAT. UK dealer services offer Beckett's Base tier at around £20-£22 per card plus delivery and insured return postage - roughly £27-£35 all-in for a single card (July 2026), with sub-grades included and the same 75+ business day estimate
• Pricing snapshot (2026): Base tier from $14.95 per card ($17.95 with sub-grades) direct, rising to roughly $125 for its fastest Priority service; via UK dealers, Base runs around £20-£22 per card plus postage
• Best for: Collectors who value sub-grades with global recognition and may sell to buyers who prefer BGS

TAG Grading

• HQ: USA · Currency: USD
• Scale: 1-10 (plus 10 Pristine), derived from a precise 1,000-point score
• Sub-grades: Provided in its digital report rather than on the label
• Strengths: Technology-led grading using patented photometric stereoscopic imaging; every card gets a Digital Imaging & Grading (DIG) report via QR code showing identified defects, centering measurements, and scoring
• UK drawbacks: International shipping from the UK; resale market still developing; as of July 2026 TAG submissions were closed both directly and via UK dealer services
• Submitting from the UK: as of July 2026, TAG was closed to new submissions on every route from the UK - its own tiers (X Standard £21.99 at ~45 business days; Score £39.99 at ~30 business days) and UK dealer services alike. When open, UK dealers have offered the X service at around £21 per card and the 1,000-point Score service at around £80, both at roughly 30 business days with a $500 maximum insured value, plus postage. Check taggrading.com and dealer sites for reopening
• Pricing snapshot (2026): around £21 per card (X) via UK dealers and from £21.99 direct - both closed to new submissions as of July 2026
• Best for: Collectors who prioritise objective, data-driven grading and detailed digital condition reports

TFG, ACE, Majesty, Get Graded, Pokegrade, and SSINT

Tree Frog Grading (TFG)

• HQ: UK · Currency: GBP
• Scale: 1-9, Bravo 10, Alpha 10; alt grades (OC, MISCUT, AUTO, ERROR, TEST)
• Sub-grades: Yes - centering, corners, edges, surface on every card
• Pricing: Economy £10 · Standard £15 · Express £30 · Report £30 - see grading services
• Turnaround: 7-30 business days by tier
• Strengths: Domestic UK post; no customs; sub-grades on every label; the UK's first female-owned TCG grading company; 17,000+ cards graded; 4.8/5 on Trustpilot
• Best for: UK collectors selling locally who want transparent grading at competitive GBP pricing

ACE Grading

• HQ: UK · Currency: GBP
• Scale: 1-10
• Sub-grades: Condition detail (corners, edges, surface, centering) shown in the customer dashboard; optional paid grading reports
• Strengths: Well-established UK grader with strong domestic recognition; known for its slab presentation and hand-drawn Ace Label art add-ons; wide range of speed tiers with daily submission slots
• Pricing snapshot (2026): Five tiers from Basic £18 (up to 80 working days, minimum 20 cards) to Luxury £120 (2 working days) following its June 2026 price update; a membership scheme offers lower member-only tiers
• Best for: UK collectors who value slab aesthetics and a broad choice of turnaround speeds

Majesty Grading (MGC)

• HQ: UK · Currency: GBP
• Scale: 1-10
• Sub-grades: Not on the label; digital cert lookup included
• Strengths: Simple three-tier pricing; grades TCG, sports, and unusually thick cards (up to 180pt, including patch and memorabilia cards); monthly membership option for regular submitters
• Pricing snapshot (2026): Bronze £12.99 (2-8 weeks) · Silver £22.99 (14 working days) · Gold £39.99 (3 working days)
• Best for: UK collectors with thick or oversized cards, or those wanting a fast Gold-tier turnaround

Get Graded

• HQ: UK · Currency: GBP
• Scale: 1-10
• Sub-grades: Optional - add roughly £3-£4 per card to include them
• Strengths: Competitive entry pricing with no value-based upcharges; UV-protective anti-counterfeit slabs; colour-match label options; also operates a US office
• Pricing snapshot (2026): Standard from £11 per card (15-20 business days, £14 with sub-grades); Express from £18 (2-5 business days)
• Best for: UK collectors wanting low-cost domestic grading with optional sub-grades

Pokegrade (PG Grading)

• HQ: UK · Currency: GBP
• Scale: 1-10
• Sub-grades: Yes - included with every card, plus a grading report and imperfection marker linked from the label QR code
• Strengths: Pokémon-focused UK grader (now branded PG Grading) that also grades other TCG and sports cards; simple flat pricing with no upcharges; population report and art-match label options
• Pricing snapshot (2026): £13 per card for their Standard service, with return speed chosen at submission; booster pack grading from £23
• Best for: Pokémon collectors wanting a UK specialist with sub-grades included as standard

SSINT Grading

• HQ: UK · Currency: GBP
• Scale: 1-10
• Sub-grades: Condition detail provided via digital defect reports
• Strengths: Security-focused presentation - laser-engraved aluminium labels, ultrasonically welded UV-protected cases; AI-assisted defect analysis; Standard, Express, and Elite service levels
• Pricing snapshot (2026): From £9.99 per card on its entry service
• Best for: Collectors drawn to SSINT's distinctive slab and label style at a low entry price

How Much Does Card Grading Really Cost from the UK?

International graders (PSA, Beckett, TAG, and US-bound CGC submissions): the grading fee in USD is only the start. Add currency conversion, tracked and insured international shipping both ways (typically £30-£60 or more per shipment), and potential UK import VAT when your slabs return. For PSA specifically, US tariff rules mean UK collectors cannot submit directly at all - submissions must go through a PSA Authorised Dealer, whose handling fee is added on top of PSA's own charges. Return shipping is the killer on small direct submissions: Beckett's international return shipping, for example, runs around $64 per order (July 2026), so grading a single Base-tier card directly costs roughly $80 before outbound postage - against roughly £27-£35 all-in for the same card through a UK dealer.

UK graders (TFG, ACE, Majesty, Get Graded, Pokegrade, SSINT): GBP pricing plus domestic postage. No customs on return.

Worked example - a 10-card submission: at TFG Economy, 10 cards cost £95 in grading fees once bulk discount has been applied (this is automatic) plus domestic tracked postage - roughly £100-£110 all-in, back within 30 days. The same 10 cards sent to PSA through the cheapest UK dealer route (around £22-£23 per card at Value level, July 2026) cost £220-£230 in grading fees plus postage to the dealer and return delivery - roughly £240-£250 all-in, with a realistic total wait of six months or more, and the cheapest dealer tiers are periodically closed altogether. Other US graders submitted to directly add £30-£60+ in international shipping and insurance plus possible import VAT on return. Exact figures depend on the tier, exchange rate, and courier, so always price up the full journey, not just the headline fee.

TFG starts at £10 per card (Economy, minimum 3 cards). Full tiers on grading services.

Turnaround: UK Graders vs Sending Cards Overseas

TFG tiers:

Other UK graders: entry tiers typically run from around 2-5 business days on express services to 8 weeks or more on budget tiers - for example Get Graded Standard at 15-20 business days, Majesty Bronze at 2-8 weeks, and ACE Basic at up to 80 working days. Faster paid tiers are available at every UK grader.

International graders: PSA via a UK dealer currently quotes around 140-160+ business days before slabs return, with realistic all-in waits of six months or more. CGC via its UK office is typically 4-8 weeks. Beckett entry tiers are often 75+ business days before transit. Direct US submissions also add international transit both ways and customs clearance - often many months in total from the UK.

Shipping and Customs

UK-based graders keep cards domestic. US-based graders require international couriers, customs declarations, and may trigger import VAT when slabs return to the UK.

See Card Grading UK for a full UK-vs-international breakdown.

How Do Grading Scales Compare?

No official cross-company grade conversion exists. For a PSA-to-TFG mapping, see our grading scale guide.

Slabs and Protection

TFG: tamper-evident ultrasonic-welded case · security hologram · Delta Secure Label · QR inventory record · UV protective.

Every grader on this page seals cards in a tamper-evident holder, with differing security features: PSA uses its trademark lighthouse label with anti-counterfeit measures; CGC is known for crystal-clear crack-resistant holders; Beckett uses ultrasonically welded cases with colour-coded metallic labels; TAG engraves the card ID and grade directly into UV-resistant acrylic; ACE is known for its clear slabs and optional hand-drawn label art; Majesty offers custom-fit ultrasonic-sealed cases up to 180pt thickness; Get Graded uses UV-protective, custom-stamped anti-counterfeit slabs; Pokegrade links a full report from its label QR code; and SSINT finishes each slab with a laser-engraved aluminium label. Which presentation you prefer is largely personal - but tamper evidence and a verifiable cert number are the essentials to look for.

Resale: Which Slab Do UK Buyers Want?

Practical guide for UK sellers:

Which Grading Service Is Right for You?

Choose TFG if you:

• Want UK domestic grading in GBP with sub-grades
• Sell primarily to UK buyers
• Need predictable turnaround without customs
• Value a UK-owned service with strong collector reviews

Consider PSA if you:

• Target US buyers or auctions where PSA commands a clear premium - and are comfortable with USD pricing, submitting via a UK authorised dealer (direct submissions from the UK are paused under US tariff rules), and 2026's fluctuating tiers and turnaround

Consider Beckett (BGS) if you:

• Want sub-grades with global recognition, or are chasing a Black Label 10 (and accept international submission cost)

Consider CGC if you:

• Want a globally recognised slab with a UK submission route via CGC's UK office, particularly for TCG cards where CGC's strict standards are well respected

Consider other UK graders (ACE, Majesty, Get Graded, Pokegrade, SSINT) if you:

• Prioritise a specific strength - ACE for slab presentation and label art, Majesty for thick and oversized cards or a 3-day Gold service, Get Graded for low-cost grading with no upcharges, Pokegrade for a Pokémon specialist with sub-grades included, or SSINT for its aluminium-label slab style at a low entry price

Consider TAG if you:

• Value objective, technology-driven grading with a detailed digital condition report - and accept international submission from the UK, a developing resale market, and current availability limits (all non-premium TAG routes were closed to new submissions as of July 2026)

Frequently Asked Questions

Explore More Resources

• Card grading in the UK
• Grading scale comparison
• What cards are worth grading
• Card condition guide
• View TFG pricing