Card grading and scanning guides
Answers to what collectors ask before grading, buying or selling a card, for Pokémon, other TCGs and sports cards. Each guide pairs the decision with the quickest way to check your own card: a Binder AI scan.
Grading decisions
Should You Grade Your Card? How to Tell if Grading Is Worth It
Should you grade your card? Learn when grading is worth it: the fee math, condition gates, which cards pay off, pop reports, a worked example and a checklist.
Read the guide →PSA 10 vs PSA 9: What Separates Them and What the Gap Is Worth
PSA 10 vs PSA 9: what separates the grades under PSA standards, why a 10 can sell for several times more, and when a PSA 9 is the smarter buy.
Read the guide →How Much Does PSA Grading Cost in 2026?
PSA grading costs $59.99 per card on Standard as of October 2026. See every PSA price, return shipping, upcharges, total cost examples and cheaper options.
Read the guide →PSA Turnaround Times and Backlog, October 2026
PSA turnaround by service level, the latest backlog count and what PSA has said about Value tiers reopening. Checked October 18, 2026 on PSA's own pages.
Read the guide →How to Submit Cards to PSA, Step by Step
Submit cards to PSA in 2026. Pick a tier by value, fill out the online form, pack in semi-rigid holders, ship and track your order. Current prices.
Read the guide →PSA vs BGS vs CGC vs SGC vs TAG: Choosing a Grading Company in 2026
Compare PSA, BGS, CGC, SGC and TAG as of October 2026 on price, turnaround, grading scale, subgrades and slab verification to pick the right grader.
Read the guide →PSA vs CGC for Pokémon Cards in 2026
PSA vs CGC for Pokémon in October 2026. Current prices, turnaround, the PSA 10 vs CGC 10 resale question and when the cheaper CGC slab is the smarter call.
Read the guide →The Cheapest Way to Grade Cards in 2026
The cheapest open grading tiers in 2026 for Pokémon and sports cards. Per-card cost, minimums, turnaround and when a cheap slab costs you more at resale.
Read the guide →PSA Pop Report Explained: How to Read Trading Card Populations
How to read the PSA pop report for cards. Grade counts, Pop Higher, what population says about value and PSA 10 odds, and what it cannot tell you.
Read the guide →Is TAG Grading Legit? An Honest TAG Grading Review
Is TAG grading legit? How TAG grades with imaging and human review, its 1000-point scale, Pristine vs Gem Mint, October 2026 pricing and how it compares to PSA.
Read the guide →How to Store and Protect Cards Before Grading
How to store and protect cards before grading: handling, penny sleeves, Card Saver vs toploader, humidity, binders and how to pack a PSA or TAG submission.
Read the guide →How to Clean Pokémon Cards Before Grading Without Damaging Them
The safe way to clean cards before grading. Dust and light prints only, using an air blower and microfiber. No liquids, and what graders call alteration.
Read the guide →Pre-grading, AI grading and centering
How to Pre-Grade Cards at Home (Step by Step)
How to pre-grade cards at home: the tools you need, a step-by-step routine for centering, corners, edges and surface, and how to estimate a PSA grade range.
Read the guide →Card Grading Criteria: What Affects a Card's Grade
The card grading criteria PSA, BGS and TAG use: centering, corners, edges and surface, plus print defects, eye appeal, qualifiers and how each grade is set.
Read the guide →How to Check Card Centering (and What PSA, BGS and TAG Allow)
How to check card centering with a ruler or a photo, how to work out a centering ratio, and the published PSA, BGS and TAG centering standards for every grade.
Read the guide →PSA 10 Centering Requirements, Grade by Grade
A PSA 10 needs about 55/45 centering on the front and 75/25 on the back. See every PSA grade’s centering limits, the leeway rules and how to check your card.
Read the guide →BGS Centering Requirements for Every Subgrade
Beckett centering for a BGS 9.5 is 50/50 one way and 55/45 the other on the front, 60/40 on the back. See every BGS centering subgrade and how to check yours.
Read the guide →TAG Centering Standards for TCG and Sports Cards
TAG Pristine 10 needs about 51/49 front centering. Gem Mint 10 allows 55/45, with a 65/35 back for TCG cards and 70/30 for sports. Full TAG centering tables.
Read the guide →AI Card Grading, Explained: How It Works and When to Trust It
How AI card grading estimates centering, corners, edges and surface from photos, what an AI card grader can miss, and how to use estimates before PSA or TAG.
Read the guide →Can ChatGPT Grade Pokémon Cards? An Honest Look at Chatbot Card Grading
Can ChatGPT grade Pokémon cards? What chatbots see in a card photo, why their grades drift, a better prompt to use, and when a real pre-grading tool helps.
Read the guide →Pokémon
Pokémon Card Grading: What Graders Look For and How to Pre-Grade First
Pokémon card grading in 2026: what graders flag on Pokémon cards, which cards are worth grading, where to send them, and how to pre-grade first with AI.
Read the guide →How to Tell if a Pokémon Card Is Fake: 12 Checks That Work
How to tell if a Pokémon card is fake: 12 checks for text, energy symbols, holo, back colour and card stock, plus how to spot a fake graded slab.
Read the guide →Pokémon Card Scanner: Identify, Grade and Value Any Card From a Photo
Scan any Pokémon card with your phone to identify it, estimate its grade and track its value, from vintage WOTC holos to modern special illustration rares.
Read the guide →How to Check Your Pokémon Card's Value (the Condition-Honest Way)
Check any Pokémon card's value by scanning it. eBay sold prices plus an AI condition grade, because what your copy is worth depends on its condition.
Read the guide →The Best Binder App for Pokémon and Trading Cards: What to Look For
What the best binder app for Pokémon and trading cards should do: auto-sorted binders, sold-price values, grade estimates, sharing and wishlists.
Read the guide →Other TCGs
MTG Card Scanner: Identify Printings, Check Value, Grade Condition
Scan Magic: The Gathering cards to identify printings, check value and get an AI condition grade, from old-border classics to the newest sets.
Read the guide →Yu-Gi-Oh Card Scanner: Rarity, Edition, Value and Grade in One Scan
Scan Yu-Gi-Oh! cards to identify sets and editions, check sold prices and get an AI condition grade, from LOB 1st Editions to Quarter Century Secret Rares.
Read the guide →One Piece Card Scanner: Identify, Price and Grade OPTCG Cards
Scan One Piece TCG cards to ID the set and number, check sold prices and get a PSA, BGS or TAG grade estimate. Covers alt arts, manga rares and SP cards.
Read the guide →Trading Card Value Scanner: Every Game, One Scan
One scanner for Pokémon, MTG, Yu-Gi-Oh!, One Piece, Digimon, Lorcana and sports cards. Identify, value and grade every card in one scan with Binder AI.
Read the guide →Card Identifier: What Card Is This? Answered From One Photo
Identify a trading or sports card from a photo: name, set, number and value. Then get an AI condition grade from the same scan with Binder AI.
Read the guide →Sports cards
Sports Card Scanner That Grades Condition, Not Just Price
Scan baseball, basketball, football, hockey and soccer cards for card ID, sold prices and an AI grade estimate, so you know which cards are worth grading.
Read the guide →Baseball Card Value: How to Find What Your Cards Are Really Worth
Find your baseball cards' value by scanning them: condition-aware pricing for vintage and modern cards with eBay sold data, before you sell or grade.
Read the guide →Football Card Scanner: Value and Condition in One Scan
Scan football cards to identify them, check eBay sold prices and get an AI condition grade. Built for rookies, Prizm parallels and grading decisions.
Read the guide →Basketball Card Scanner: Know Your NBA Cards' Grade and Value
Scan basketball cards for card ID, value and an AI grade estimate. See whether your Prizm rookies look like PSA 10 candidates before you pay to submit.
Read the guide →The Sports Card Price Guide, Rebuilt: Values From a Scan
Skip the paper price guide. Scan any sports card for eBay sold prices, price history and a condition grade that tells you which price applies to your copy.
Read the guide →Pre-grade your cards before you pay to grade them
Binder AI estimates centering, corners, edges and surface from two photos, identifies the card and shows recent sold prices. Free to download; grading is included with a subscription from $1.99/week.
Prefer the web? Start grading in your browser. AI grades are estimates, not official grades.