18 Best Gold IRA Companies With Lowest Fees

18 Best Gold IRA Companies With Lowest Fees

ByThomas Goldfreburg
18 min read

Investors who want to shield retirement savings from inflation and market swings open a self-directed Individual Retirement Account denominated in physical gold. Choosing the right custodian is decisive. The annual admin, storage and markup charges quietly compound and can erode long-term gains. This survey filters the marketplace for firms that couple transparent, competitive fee schedules with verified record-keeping, insured storage and impartial customer feedback. Below you will find the eighteen gold IRA companies that currently offer the leanest overall cost structure while still meeting full IRS compliance and liquidity standards.

Expert behind this article

  • Thomas Goldfreburg

    Thomas Goldfreburg
    Thomas Goldfreburg is a gold investment advisor, author and founder of Goldfreed. Thomas's expertise is built on an academic foundation of a Bachelor of Science in Economics from Stanford University and complemented by market experience. Thomas specializes in gold IRA, ETF, 401k, and physical gold investments.

1. Goldco Direct, LLC

Article image

Goldco Direct, LLC, is a Los-Angeles-based precious-metals dealer and IRA provider founded in 2006. It helps investors set up self-directed IRAs that hold gold, silver, platinum and palladium and executes direct purchases of physical coins and bars. The firm coordinates with Equity Trust Company and STRATA Trust Company as account custodians and partners with Brink's Global Services and Delaware Depository for IRS-approved, insured storage. A flat-fee schedule keeps costs predictable: a one-time $50 setup, annual administration of $75 on accounts up to $100,000 and $125 above that, plus storage of $100 for non-segregated or $150 for segregated vault space. Goldco waives the $25,000 IRA minimum for 2025 and instead invites new clients with a scale of free-metal bonuses - up to 5% silver on $50,000-$99,999 placements and up to 10% on $100,000 or more. Its buyback program guarantees repurchase at the highest market price, providing same-day liquidity without extra liquidation fees. Customer support is available through phone , live chat, webinars and the free Gold & Silver Kit- the website's Gold IRA 101 library hosts videos - rollover guides and market updates. The company has more than 7,600 five-star ratings, A+ BBB grade and AAA BCA grade. Promotional 2025 offers and fee transparency earn it a top-three finish in Money.com's Best Gold IRA rankings.

2. Augusta Precious Metals

Article image

Augusta Precious Metals is a gold IRA provider headquartered in Casper, Wyoming. Founded in 2012, Augusta Precious Metals specializes solely in gold and silver products, offering IRS-approved gold and silver for retirement accounts. Augusta Precious Metals requires a $50,000 minimum investment and charges a one-time setup fee of $50 plus a $225 annual fee starting the following year, bringing the total fee for opening a gold IRA to $275. Augusta Precious Metals uses Delaware Depository and International Depository Services in Dallas, Texas, to hold customer assets like gold coins and gold bars. Augusta Precious Metals offers physical bullion bars and coins at fair, competitive prices and provides a strong buyback program allowing investors to liquidate metals at competitive prices. The company provides personalized guidance, lifetime support, education via videos and webinars, and a free Gold IRA Guide on its website. Augusta Precious Metals offers a 7-day money-back guarantee for first-time buyers, free shipping and insurance on eligible orders, and a price-protection guarantee with a 7-day re-price if prices reduce. Augusta Precious Metals is ranked #1 among the best gold IRA companies for 2025 and 2026 by Clute Journals and IRAEmpire's Rankings, endorsed by Forbes, Investopedia, and USA Today, and holds an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau and an AAA rating from the Business Consumer Alliance.

3. Birch Gold Group

Article image

Birch Gold Group is a California-based gold IRA specialist that has served over 13,000 customers since it started as a precious-metals dealer in 2003. Headquartered in Burbank, the company works with custodians Equity Trust Company and GoldStar Trust Company and stores metals in secure, insured depositories like Delaware Depository, Brink's Global Services and International Depository Services. Birch Gold Group offers gold, silver, platinum and palladium bars and coins for both retirement accounts and home storage, setting a $10,000 minimum for IRAs and a $5,000 threshold for home purchases.

Each new investor is assigned a dedicated Precious Metals Specialist who guides the complete process from account setup to metal selection, while an education-first approach provides a free gold IRA starter kit, conservative strategy guides and real-time price tools. Fees are displayed upfront: a one-time $50 set-up fee and a flat-rate annual fee of about $225 covering storage and maintenance, a structure that benefits high-balance investors. Accounts above $50,000 receive the first year's fees paid by the company, and qualifying new clients receive free silver coins as a welcome bonus.

Birch Gold Group maintains A+ BBB and AAA BCA ratings and a competitive buyback program that allows liquidation at any time without additional costs, reinforcing its reputation for transparent fees and positive customer experiences.

4. American Hartford Gold

Article image

American Hartford Gold is a family-owned, Los Angeles-based company that has become one of the most visible names in the precious metals IRA field since it was founded in 2015. It functions simultaneously as a leading precious metals dealer and as a gold IRA facilitator, offering customers American Gold Eagles, American Silver Eagles, Buffalo coins, Canadian Maple Leaf coins, and a full line of IRA-eligible 1-ounce gold and silver bars. New accounts can be opened in one day, existing 401(k) or IRA balances can be rolled over into a gold-backed IRA with no transfer fee, and the minimum threshold for an IRA is $10,000, while $5,000 is the entry point for home-delivery purchases.

Storage is handled through vaulting partners like Brink's, Delaware Depository, and International Depository Services, giving investors the choice of segregated or unsegregated custody. Annual storage and custodial costs are clearly tiered: $75 for accounts up to $100,000 and $125-$160 for larger balances, yet frequent promotions allow customers to get these fees waived for two or even three years, and accounts above $50,000 are often exempt from first-year setup or storage charges. A no-fee buyback program and a price-match guarantee that meets or beats any competitor's quote add extra liquidity and transparency, while qualified purchases receive up to $15,000 in free silver through the company's Freedom Package. Endorsed publicly by Bill O'Reilly, Roman Balmakov, and Rick Harrison, American Hartford Gold maintains an A+ BBB rating, an AAA BCA rating, and a five-year streak on the Inc. 5000 list of America's fastest-growing private companies.

5. Noble Gold Investments

Article image

Noble Gold Investments is a top-rated gold investment firm that specializes in gold coin-backed IRAs. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Pasadena, California, the company enables customers to buy a wide array of IRA-approved gold coins like the American Eagle and bars, while offering offshore storage through the International Depository Services Canada facility in Mississauga. It is recognised for its straightforward approach to metal investing: the catalog includes a comprehensive range of investment-grade precious metals and collectible coins and bars. Noble Gold Investments works with key depositories including the Delaware Depository and Brink's Global Services to provide secure storage options.

Noble Gold Investments gives equal weight to IRA investments and home delivery, offering the unique Royal Survival Packs (pre-selected precious metals packages for emergency liquidity, available for $10,000-$500,000) and its Noble Express delivery service, which delivers bullion within 5 days of purchase. The fee structure is clear: most IRA accounts incur a combined annual cost of $190 for custodial administration, storage, and insurance on holdings valued at $500,000 or less. Customers choose segregated storage for $150 per year or unsegregated storage for $100 per year, while opening an IRA requires a $2,000 minimum purchase. A further advantage is Noble Gold Investments' zero-fee buyback program that repurchases metal at prevailing market prices upon request. Clients can request a free Gold & Silver Information Guide, a gold IRA kit, a retirement-planning calculator, and other educational material at no charge.

Security and credibility are guaranteed through A+ Better Business Bureau, AAA Business Consumer Alliance, and 5-star Trustpilot ratings based on more than 2,300 reviews. Noble Gold Investments has helped clients diversify portfolios with more than $1 billion in transactions and provides real-time account information via the IRA custodian. The company's experts bring over 20 years of combined experience and operate customer support Monday through Thursday from 6:30 a.m. Its mix of flexible storage, emergency planning features, and competitive flat fees makes Noble Gold Investments best for investors who want flexibility and emergency preparation.

6. Advantage Gold

Article image

Advantage Gold is a Los-Angeles firm that was founded in 2014 and is geared toward first-time investors. It sells gold, silver, platinum, and palladium, and it requires no account or purchase minimums, yet a given custodian sets a $5,000-$10,000 minimum investment. The dealer's spread on its lowest-cost gold bar product and on Gold American Eagles is higher than the industry norm, and its management fee range runs $250-$375. Annual IRA fees are scaled: $75 for accounts > $100,000 and $125 for accounts > $100,000. Segregated storage costs $100-$150 per year, unsegregated storage $150-$200, and the firm charges flat rates. Advantage Gold holds a AAA rating from Business Consumer Alliance and an A+ from Better Business Bureau. It features 1,780 reviews on TrustPilot, of which 98% are five-star, making it one of the best for customer popularity.

7. American Bullion, Inc.

Article image

American Bullion operates as one of the largest online precious-metal dealers in the U.S. and is geared toward newcomers looking for educational resources about precious-metal investing and pension planning. It provides a free gold guide, a retirement-planning calculator, historical performance charts, videos on how metals hedge against economic risk, and infographics comparing metals. Its gold IRA carries a $50 set-up fee, an $80 annual maintenance fee charged by the custodian (STRATA Trust Company or Equity Trust Company), and a $160 annual account fee. Storage is at Brink's Depository or Delaware Depository. The minimum initial purchase requirement is $10,000, yet the barrier to entry is low because $0 minimum initial investment is accepted. Products are sold in one-ounce increments and smaller and include American Eagle, American Buffalo, Canadian Maple Leaf, Australian Kookaburra, Austrian Philharmonic, Chinese Panda, Mexican Libertad, plus 1-ounce gold and silver bars. All meet IRS purity minimums of 99.5 % for gold, 99.9 % for silver, and 99.95 % for platinum and palladium. A no-fee buyback program with market-based pricing is available, and qualified accounts can receive up to $15,000 in free silver. Concierge phone, email, and live-chat support are provided and the firm holds an A+ BBB rating and AAA BCA rating while receiving 98% five-star customer ratings.

8. Lear Capital

Article image

Lear Capital is a Los-Angeles-based precious metals dealer founded in 1997 and ranked #2 among 2025's best Gold IRA companies for longevity, wide product range, and reliable customer service. Operating for more than two decades, it helps clients add gold, silver, platinum, and palladium to portfolios with no account minimums and through IRA-approved coins and bullion. The account set-up is by phone-only, pairs investors with STRATA Trust and Equity Trust custodians, and ships through Delaware Depository and Brink's Global Services with free insurance and shipping. Promotions offset fees: a $50 set-up paid to the custodian, $75 annual IRA fee for balances > $100,000, $125 for > $100,000, and first-year free storage for accounts over $50,000 with up to $15,000 in bonus silver.

Lear Capital hosts a live price mobile app, portfolio analysis tools, and an online library that publishes market updates and retirement guides. The firm advertises a buyback guarantee, 7-day price-protection refund, seven years of free storage on larger accounts, and offsets that have drawn endorsements like Glenn Beck. Customer reviews give it a 4.9/5 across Trustpilot, ConsumerAffairs, and TrustLink.

9. Patriot Gold Group

Article image

Patriot Gold Group is a veteran-owned enterprise founded in 2016 that provides gold, silver, platinum, palladium bars and coins, plus gold and silver coins and bars for home delivery. Patriot Gold Group offers 24-hour account setup, completes new account funding within 24 hours, and partners with custodians Equity Trust and STRATA Trust Company. The firm covers setup and storage fees for life on portfolios over two hundred fifty thousand dollars, grants a 3% discount for cash payments, and offers a price protection program for approved purchases over the same threshold. Patriot Gold Group provides free shipping - registered and insured - free Gold & Silver Information Guide, free comprehensive evaluation, and 24/7 customer service through phone, email, and live chat for quick, knowledgeable responses. Patriot Gold Group stands out for veteran-owned leadership that emphasizes trust, speed, and efficiency, and works directly underowner Jack Hanney (CEO).

10. MONETARY GOLD

Article image

Monetary Gold offers gold and silver and has been in business since July 2000. The firm keeps a $160 annual account fee and a minimum account balance of $10,000. Secure storage is provided at an insured, IRS-compliant depository, and the metals meet the 99.5% purity required for a gold IRA. Accounts gain 365-day online portal access, 365-day statement and tax-document download, and 365-day investment tracking. Clients receive 24/7 client-concierge services with a chat option, a 24-hour response time, and a seven-day satisfaction guarantee. Monetary Gold earned an A+ rating from the BBB and an A rating from the BCA.

11. Orion Metal Exchange

Article image

Orion Metal Exchange is a low-fee precious metals dealer and gold IRA provider founded in 2017 and headquartered in Los Angeles. It sells gold, silver, platinum, and palladium in the form of bars, coins, and rounds that meet IRS minimum-purity standards and are packaged in original mint packaging, guaranteeing every product is IRA-eligible. Live market pricing is streamed on its online portal, so investors see transparent, up-to-the-second rates before they buy or sell.

The firm charges no setup, transfer, or rollover fees. Annual costs are a flat $80 account fee plus $150 for insurance and segregated storage. Accounts above $100,000 pay $225 total. These fees are among the lowest in the industry, making Orion the pick for small-balance investors who can open an IRA with as little as $10,000. Free shipping, insurance, and storage are provided for up to three years on rollovers above $50,000, and new clients receive free silver bonuses of 5-10% when purchase minimums are met.

Metals are stored in the customer's choice of allocated or unallocated vault space through Brink's Global Services or Delaware Depository, both protected by $1 billion all-risk insurance underwritten by London markets. A commission-free buyback program lets clients liquidate at any time without surprise charges, while 24-hour phone, e-mail, live-chat, and online-form support ensures help is always available. An A+ Better Business Bureau rating and 4.9/5 Trustpilot score confirm consistently high customer satisfaction.

12. Silver Gold Bull Inc.

Article image

Silver Gold Bull is a Canadian company that specializes in both gold and silver investments, adding platinum and palladium to give investors a full IRA-eligible precious-metal slate at competitive prices. Founded in 2006 and now majority-owned by publicly traded A-Mark Precious Metals, Inc., it has grown into a top platform for first-time gold investors because of low barrier to entry, solid customer support and abundant educational resources that include a free Gold & Silver Information Guide, live chat and specialist-assisted walkthrough phone calls.

Account costs stay transparent: a one-time $25 set-up fee, a $50 custodian application fee for IRA establishment, and flat annual IRA fees of $75 on accounts valued at $100,000 or less and $125 on accounts valued at $100,001 or more. Storage and insurance are quoted at flat rates as well. Orders ship free of charge, and liquidity is protected by a highest buy-back price guarantee, while the Royal Survival Pack bundles physical gold and silver for emergency liquidity. Qualifying accounts receive up to $15,000 in free silver, further lowering total cost.

Silver Gold Bull partners with Equity Trust and STRATA Trust Company as custodians, has a Better Business Bureau rating of A+ (not accredited) and receives AAA grade from the Business Consumer Alliance, with 5-star averages on Trustpilot, Google My Business, Facebook and TrustLink. The small size of the company and an outdated website that lacks the deep IRS-approval detail found on larger portals are some of the downsides of the company.

Thomas Goldfreburg
Thomas Goldfreburg
Investor at Goldfreed

13. Priority Gold

Article image

Priority Gold was established in 2016 and offers attractive discounts mainly for those who invest large amounts. Each client is assigned a representative to walk them through the IRA setup and rollover process. The company's website is easy to navigate and provides all information at a glance, making it best for online experience. Priority Gold has an A rating on the BBB and receives a 3.9 Trustpilot score.

14. Rosland Capital

Article image

Rosland Capital is a competitively-priced gold and silver IRA firm with transparent fee structures, rated A+ by the Better Business Bureau and noted for a strong reputation of trustworthiness. It excels in providing high-end bullion and collector-grade products, sourcing a wide array of gold coins from government mints, and serving as the go-to for investors seeking premium tangible assets. The company charges a $50 one-time set-up fee, a $125 annual maintenance fee, and storage fees of $100 for unsegregated or $150 for segregated storage. A $60 paper-statement fee applies if paper statements are chosen. Rosland Capital partners with trusted custodians - STRATA Trust, Equity Trust, and New Direction Trust Company - for IRA services and maintains strong ties with secure storage partners. Educational outreach includes videos from economic experts, a retirement calculator that clarifies IRS rules and required minimum distributions, and a free information gold kit for new investors. A flexible buyback program is offered, and orders above $20,000 qualify for up to $1,000 in free gold or up to $5,000 in free silver on qualified purchases. Storage fees are waived for accounts over $100,000. The minimum investment is $50,000, a threshold that deters smaller investors. Although Money.com lists Rosland Capital as best for premium gold and collector-grade products, it records that the firm earns negative feedback on BBB and Trustpilot and that pricing transparency varies.

15. APMEX

Article image

Founded in 2000, the American Precious Metals Exchange - known as APMEX - is a family-owned e-retailer and precious-metals IRA provider that sells gold, silver, platinum and palladium products in bars, rounds and coins. The firm ships IRA-eligible metals in one-ounce increments or smaller, partners with STRATA Trust Company and Equity Trust Company to store client metals in IRS-approved facilities, and offers a low $10,000 minimum investment with no account-maintenance fees for the first three years.

APMEX hosts 24/7 customer service, provides a free gold guide plus a retirement-planning calculator, gives up to $15,000 in free silver to qualified accounts, and promises free shipping and insurance on every order. A guaranteed fee-free buyback program and a price-match guarantee protect investors, while Texas-based storage through International Depository Services gives an additional secure option.

16. ONEGOLD

Article image

ONEGOLD pairs each customer with a precious metals specialist and stores gold in Delaware Depository, International Depository Services, and Texas Precious Metals Depository, satisfying the rule that a Gold IRA requires an approved depository for storage. Storage fees are $100 per year for unsegregated storage and $150 per year for segregated storage, but companies can waive storage fees for up to three years. Annual storage and insurance fee is $100. Gold IRA minimum investment is $10,000. The company offers a free metal kit for new investors, educational videos and content, an online library with investor resources, and manages accounts on the same platforms used by world's largest financial institutions.

17. Thor Metals Group

Article image

Thor Metals Group sells gold, silver, platinum, palladium and is an authorized dealer for Precious Metals IRA. The firm delivers metals with full insurance and expert care, offers direct delivery and portfolio optimization, and ensures accurately graded, fairly priced metals backed by trusted expertise. New clients earn a cash bonus up to $1,500 on the first investment and receive up to $25,000 of free silver on qualifying orders. Thor Metals Group provides tax-free and penalty-free rollovers, free setup, free shipping and free storage up to three years for qualifying accounts, and a streamlined buy-back program with no fees or charges. A 7-day satisfaction guarantee allows cancellation anytime in the first week, while a 7-day price protection guarantee offers re-pricing if metals values drop.

The company partners with STRATA Trust, Equity Trust, Brink's Global Services, Delaware Depository and Texas Precious Metals Depository for custody and secure storage, and clients can manage accounts on the same platform used by the world's largest financial institutions. Thor Metals Group maintains a 100% buyback success rate since 2012 and has received over 7,000 5-star reviews across Google, TrustPilot, Consumer Affairs, Retirement Living and the Better Business Bureau, with zero complaints filed with the BBB. The firm is endorsed by Sean Hannity, Tom Selleck, Dennis Quaid and Chuck Norris, receives an AAA grade from the Business Consumer Alliance, and offers a free portfolio review, a free wealth-preservation guide and 24-hour expert assistance.

18. Patriot Gold IRA

Article image

Patriot Gold IRA allows investors to hold real gold-bullion or coins in a retirement account that grows tax-deferred. Patriot Gold IRA is funded via rollovers from existing IRAs or 401(k)s. Patriot Gold IRA requires a $175 annual fee for accounts below $100,000 and a $225 annual fee for accounts over $100,000. Patriot Gold IRA requires an annual storage fee of $180 and no account setup fees. Patriot Gold IRA requires that metals meet IRS purity standards of 99.5% or higher which must be stored in an IRS-approved depository.