There are several companies that offer grading services for baseball cards, with PSA, BGS, SGC and HGA being some of the most popular. The cost to grade cards can vary depending on factors like turnaround time, value of the card, and number of cards being submitted.

One of the biggest factors that determines grading costs is which company you choose to use. PSA is generally considered the gold standard for baseball card grading but they also tend to be the most expensive. Their standard service takes around 6 months currently and costs $20 per card. Their Express service which takes about 30 days costs $100 per card. BGS is usually a bit cheaper than PSA with their standard service at $15 per card and their Rush service at $75 per card which takes 1-2 months.

SGC tends to offer some of the most affordable options. Their Bulk submission service which allows you to submit up to 100 cards at once costs just $10 per card but can take 4-6 months to complete. Their Express service is $25 per card and takes 1-2 months. Finally, HGA is one of the newer players but they aim to be very cost efficient. Their base service is only $5 per card and takes around 2 months currently. They also have an Express option for $15 per card that is completed within 3 weeks.

In addition to the per card grading fees, most companies also charge shipping/handling and authentication fees. PSA charges $20 for the first order return shipping plus $10 for each additional card. BGS charges $15 for the first card and $5 for each additional. SGC has a flat $15 returned shipping fee. HGA just charges $9 for return shipping on orders of 10 or less cards.

When submitting larger bulk orders, grading costs per card can be reduced significantly. PSA offers the most substantial volume discounts, reducing costs by as much as 75% if 500 cards or more are submitted at once. BGS and SGC also offer volume discounts but they are not as steep as PSA’s. The tradeoff is bulk submissions from any company will take much longer to be graded since they are done in large batches.

Card value also comes into play for some companies. PSA and BGS have higher “declared value” fees for cards expected to grade as gems worth $500 or more. PSA charges $75 extra declared value fee per card while BGS is $50. SGC and HGA do not have declared value added costs. Special services like cross-over grading (getting the same card graded by multiple companies) will increase costs further.

For a single modern baseball card submitted individually, expect to pay between $15-25 for a standard 2-4 month turnaround depending on the grading company selected. Faster Express services are $50-100 per card usually. Larger bulk submissions offer cost savings per card but much longer wait times. Card value and special services increase costs as well. Proper research into turnaround needs and each company’s policies is important to determine the best option.