📘 Galar Alerts guide · Updated 31 October 2026
How to grade Pokémon cards for free: a UK guide
You can check the grade of a Pokémon card for free at home. Grading companies look at the same four things on every card: centering, corners, edges and surface. Here is how to check each one yourself, and how to get a free estimate from your phone.
Quick answer: To grade a Pokémon card for free, check four things: centering (are the borders even?), corners (sharp or white?), edges (any white specks or chips?) and surface (scratches, dents, creases). Or use a free grader: tap 📸 Grade my card free on this page and your phone gives you an estimate for PSA, Beckett, CGC and ACE.
At a glance
| Status | Galar Alerts guide |
|---|---|
| Reported | Saturday, 31 October 2026 |
1. Centering: are the borders even?
Compare the border on the left with the right, and the top with the bottom. A PSA 10 allows up to 55/45 on the front and 75/25 on the back. Full arts have no plain border, so they’re harder to judge by eye. More in centering explained.
2. Corners: sharp or soft?
Look at all eight corners (four on each side) under a bright light. Any white showing at the tip, or a corner that isn’t a sharp point, costs grades. One tiny speck can be the difference between a 10 and a 9.
3. Edges: white specks and chips
Run your eye along all four edges on the front and back. White specks, chips or a rough cut along the edge are the most common reason a card misses a 10. The blue back shows edge wear the most.
4. Surface: tilt it under the light
Hold the card at an angle under a lamp and slowly tilt it: scratches, scuffs, dents and print lines show up as the reflection moves across. A crease, even a small one, takes the grade down a long way.
5. The quick way: a free grading app
Want to know before you pay? Our free grader gives you an estimate for PSA, Beckett, CGC and ACE from your phone, with the centering in millimetres and every flaw marked on your photos.
🔔 Tap 📸 Grade my card free: the camera opens on your phone, no account needed.
📸 Grade my card freeThen decide if it’s worth paying for
Grading costs money: in the UK from £12 at AGS, £18 at ACE and £35 for PSA through a submission service. Read how much grading costs in the UK and should I grade my Pokémon card? before you send.
Reported by Galar Alerts. Photos: Galar Alerts.
Questions
How do I grade Pokémon cards myself?
Check the centering, the corners, the edges and the surface under a bright light. Or use our free grader on galaralerts.com, which does the measuring for you from your phone.
How do you grade Pokémon cards at home?
With a bright lamp, a plain dark surface and your phone. Look at each corner and edge, tilt the card to see the surface, and compare the borders. Our free grader measures it all from photos.
Can you grade Pokémon cards for free?
You can get a free estimate. An official grade, the kind in a slab, needs a grading company and costs a fee.
What do graders look for?
Centering, corners, edges and surface. Each company scores them with its own rules.
How do I grade Pokémon cards in the UK?
Send them to ACE, which is UK-based, or use a UK submission service for PSA, CGC or Beckett.
What is the most common reason a card misses PSA 10?
Small white specks on the edges or corners, especially on the back, and off-centre borders.
How do I get Pokémon TCG news first?
Join the free Galar Alerts Discord. We post UK pre-orders, restocks and Pokémon TCG news the moment we find them.
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