This is a break-even estimate from the numbers you enter, not a prediction of what grade the card will receive. It does not include the months of capital tied up during grading, or the risk the card grades below your target.
Where to get an honest graded value
Pull recent sold comps at your exact target grade from GoCollect or PriceCharting, or filter eBay's sold listings to that grade specifically. Do not use an active "asking price" listing, and do not default to a gem mint estimate unless you have genuinely checked centering, edges, corners and surface under good light first.
Run the calculator twice: once at your realistic target grade, and once at one grade lower. If the lower-grade result still clears break-even, the submission is safe even if the card doesn't grade as high as hoped. If it doesn't, you're betting the submission cost on hitting the higher grade.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I get the estimated graded value?
Use recent sold comps for your card at the specific grade you expect, from GoCollect, PriceCharting or eBay sold listings. Do not use an active listing price, and do not assume a gem mint grade unless the card's centering, edges, corners and surface support it.
Does this include the risk that the card grades lower than expected?
No. This calculates the outcome at the graded value you enter. Run it again with a lower grade's typical value to see how much the result depends on getting your target grade.