Pokémon

Pokémon Card Grading: $12–$15 a Card, 14-Day Turnaround

White Whale grades Pokémon cards with machine vision: every card is scanned, measured and given four subgrades plus a 1–10 grade, with the scan evidence in a digital report. It costs $12–$15 a card, takes 14 days from arrival, and you pay only after grading.

Updated October 22, 2026

What you get with every Pokémon card

Four subgrades: centering, corners, edges and surface
A 1–10 composite grade
A digital report with front and back scans, corner close-ups, centering measurements and a surface heatmap
A tamper-evident slab with a unique cert ID
Permanent online cert verification buyers can check without an account

Why the surface heatmap matters for Pokémon

Holo and full-art Pokémon cards often lose grade points to surface wear that is hard to see by eye. Your White Whale report includes a surface heatmap that shows where the scan found wear and marks, so you can see exactly why a card got its surface subgrade.

Pricing

Grading is $15 a card for 1–5 cards, $14 for 6–19, $13 for 20–49 and $12 for 50–99, with custom dealer pricing from 100 cards. Subgrades and the digital report are included, not add-ons. Return shipping is $12 for 1–8 cards, $18 for 9–22 and $22 for 23–40.

How to submit Pokémon cards

Create your submission online in about 3 minutes; no payment upfront.
Sleeve each card in a penny sleeve and a semi-rigid holder, and pack them snugly in a box.
Ship to White Whale Grading, P.O. Box 109, Cedarburg, WI 53012 with tracking and insurance.
Track grading in your portal. Once graded, pay the secure link and we ship your slabs back.

Common questions

How much does it cost to grade a Pokémon card?

At White Whale, $15 a card for 1–5 cards, $14 for 6–19, $13 for 20–49 and $12 for 50–99, with custom dealer pricing from 100 cards. Four subgrades and a digital report are included on every card.

How long does Pokémon card grading take?

14 days from the time your cards arrive at our facility until grading and encapsulation are complete.

Do you grade other trading card games?

We grade Pokémon and other trading card games as well as sports cards. Email support@whitewhalegrading.ai if you are unsure about a specific card.

Do I pay before you grade my cards?

No. We email a secure payment link after your cards are graded; grades unlock and cards ship once it is paid.

Submit cards · Pricing · Compare graders

More guides: Sports cards · PSA alternative · Cost guide · Should you grade? · AI grading · Grading scale · CGC alternative · Beckett alternative · SGC alternative · Turnaround · TCG