Head-to-head
CardSense AI vs CardGrade (2026)
Two AI graders. One charges $0.25 per scan after 3 free credits. The other is free. Here's the full comparison.
- Free vs $0.25 per scan
- Sub-grades on both
- PSA / BGS / CGC cross-grade
- Updated April 2026
Updated April 19, 2026 · Reviewed by the CardSense AI editorial team
Quick answer
The short answer
CardSense AI is the better choice for any active collector — it does the same job as CardGrade without a per-scan fee, and it adds a clear submit/sell-raw recommendation. CardGrade is fine if you scan two or three cards a month and don't mind paying $0.25 each. For everyone else, the economics favor CardSense AI.
CardSense AI vs CardGrade — feature by feature
| Feature | CardSense AI | CardGrade |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | Free, no per-scan fee | 3 free credits |
| After free credits | Still free for everyday scanning; optional premium | $0.25 per scan |
| Sub-grades | Centering, corners, edges, surface + confidence | Centering, corners, edges, surface |
| PSA / BGS / CGC cross-grade | Yes | Yes |
| Decision recommendation | Yes (submit / sell raw / hold) | Limited |
| Sports cards | All major leagues | Yes |
| TCG (Pokémon, MTG, Yu-Gi-Oh, One Piece, Lorcana) | Yes | Yes |
| Free centering calculator | Yes (in app + web) | Yes (web) |
| Native iOS app | Yes | Yes |
| Cloud sync portfolio | Yes | Limited |
| Reported accuracy | Within 1 grade point >90% of the time on modern cards | 92.8% (vendor reported) |
| Best for | Active collectors who scan often | Light users who only scan a few cards a month |
The cost-of-use math
If you scan 30 cards a month — typical for a collector going through a hobby box or a personal break — CardGrade costs roughly $7.50/month after the free credits run out. CardSense AI is $0 at that volume. Over a year, that's the cost of an extra PSA submission.
When CardGrade still makes sense
- You only ever scan one or two cards a month.
- You like the CardGrade web centering tool and want to keep using the same brand on mobile.
Frequently asked questions
Is CardSense AI a good CardGrade alternative?
Why does CardGrade charge per scan?
Which app is more accurate?
Does CardGrade have a free centering calculator?
Should I run both apps to compare results?
Keep reading
Stop paying per scan.
CardSense AI is the free, native iOS AI grader CardGrade users keep switching to. Try it in under a minute.