Augusta Precious Metals
Our featured pick for gold and silver IRAs, with education-first guidance, lifetime account support, and a transparent approach to pricing.
Get a free gold IRA guideA gold IRA company opens your self-directed retirement account, sells you IRA-eligible metal and coordinates storage at an approved depository. This page compares the gold IRA companies we track so you can judge them on the things that actually affect your account rather than on advertising.
How to read this list
Companies we have a commercial relationship with appear first and are labelled where they appear. The rest follow alphabetically. That ordering reflects those relationships, not a scored quality ranking, and it is disclosed here so you can weigh it yourself.
What to compare
Start with pricing you can see in writing. A strong provider explains the dealer premium on each coin or bar, the custodian account fee and the annual storage fee before you fund anything. A provider who will not put those three numbers in front of you before you commit is telling you something.
Ask how the buyback process works and what the firm pays relative to spot when you sell. Check whether it focuses on IRA-eligible bullion rather than steering you toward high-margin collectibles, which carry wider spreads and are harder to value. Ask how you reach a real person after the sale, because the account you open today is one you may hold for decades.
Red flags
Vague pricing, pressure to act today and any promise of a guaranteed return are the three to walk away from. No honest firm can guarantee a return on a metal whose price it does not control. Be equally wary of a free silver offer used to move you toward a larger purchase, and of anyone who cannot tell you which depository will hold your metal.
Compare these companies
Augusta Precious Metals
Our featured pick for gold and silver IRAs, with education-first guidance, lifetime account support, and transparent pricing.
View profileAdvantage Gold
IRA-rollover-focused dealer offering gold, silver, platinum, and palladium IRAs plus direct sales. Uses STRATA and Equity Trust custodians and Delawar
View profileAmerican Bullion
Education-first IRA rollover specialist offering gold IRAs and 401(k) rollovers plus direct sales. Uses Delaware Depository for storage.
View profileAmerican Hartford Gold
Large phone-based retail dealer offering gold and silver IRAs with direct delivery. Known for conservative-media endorsements including Bill O'Reilly.
View profileBirch Gold Group
Precious-metals IRA specialist of 20-plus years offering gold, silver, platinum, and palladium IRAs plus direct sales. Endorsements from Ron Paul and
View profileGoldco
One of the largest gold IRA specialists, focused on gold and silver IRAs using coins, with direct sales and a buyback program. Partners with STRATA an
View profileGoldenCrest Metals
Newer education-focused dealer offering gold and silver IRAs and direct sales. Uses Entrust as custodian and Delaware Depository for storage. Endorsed
View profileNoble Gold Investments
Beginner-friendly dealer offering gold, silver, platinum, and palladium IRAs, direct sales, and Survival Packs. Uses Delaware Depository, Brink's, and
View profileAllegiance Gold
Transparent-pricing dealer offering gold, silver, platinum, and palladium IRAs plus direct sales. Scored highest overall in Money's review. Uses STRAT
View profileLear Capital
One of the longest-operating dealers, offering gold, silver, platinum, and palladium IRAs plus direct sales, and publishing a fee schedule. Operating
View profileMonetary Gold
Long-operating dealer offering gold, silver, platinum, and palladium IRAs plus direct sales. Uses GoldStar, Sterling, and Entrust custodians and Delaw
View profileOrion Metal Exchange
Low-minimum dealer offering gold and silver IRAs and direct sales with transparent online pricing. Flat combined fees of about $190 per year for accou
View profileOxford Gold Group
Precious-metals IRA dealer offering gold, silver, platinum, and palladium IRAs plus direct sales. Limited independent verification available.
View profilePatriot Gold Group
Direct-to-investor dealer offering gold and silver IRAs plus direct sales, with fast 24 to 48 hour account setup and a No Fee for Life offer for accou
View profilePreserve Gold
Newer dealer offering gold, silver, platinum, and palladium IRAs plus direct sales. Uses Equity Trust as custodian and Texas Precious Metals Depositor
View profilePriority Gold
Dallas-based IRA specialist offering gold and silver IRAs and direct bullion. Covers the first-year admin fee. Uses Equity Trust and STRATA custodians
View profileSilver Gold Bull
Dealer with no account or purchase minimum, offering coins, rounds, bars, and IRA-eligible metals across a broad product range.
View profileFrequently asked questions
What does a gold IRA company actually do?
It helps you open a self-directed IRA, sells you IRA-eligible gold or silver, and arranges insured storage at an approved depository through a qualified custodian.
What questions should I ask before opening an account?
Ask for all fees in writing, how buyback pricing works, which products qualify for an IRA, and how to reach support once your account is funded.
What are the biggest red flags to watch for?
Be cautious of vague or shifting pricing, high-pressure sales tactics, heavy pushes toward collectible coins, and anyone promising guaranteed profits, since no firm can promise a return.
Is the top-listed company always the best choice?
No. The right firm depends on your priorities, whether that is low costs, a specific product focus, hands-on guidance, or a smooth rollover, so compare several before deciding.
What the rules say
A gold IRA follows the IRS rules for individual retirement arrangements. Funding one through a rollover or transfer is governed by the IRS, whose Publication 590-A explains contribution and rollover rules, and the metal itself must be held by an approved trustee, never at home. Confirm any fee or account minimum with the company directly.
