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Gold is a source of steady and stable growth compared to the more volatile stock market, so a growing number of retirement investors are turning to gold IRAs. Traditional IRA accounts can easily be opened and maintained through a custodian, but setting up and managing a gold IRA involves a few more moving parts. The gold must be purchased and transferred to the depository in a way that the custodian can look after it, so investors must work with a reliable and reputable gold IRA company to facilitate the process.
We researched 18 legitimate companies offering gold IRA services, screening them for the highest consumer ratings from the Business Consumer Alliance (BCA). We considered factors like fees and price transparency, educational resources, customer support, and the ease of setting up an account and acquiring precious metals. Here are our picks for the best gold IRA companies.
Best Gold IRA Companies of 2023
- Best Overall: Patriot Gold Group
- Best for Transparent Pricing: Augusta Precious Metals
- Best for Smaller Investors: Noble Gold
- Best for Customer Support: Goldco Precious Metals
- Best for First-Time Buyers: Advantage Gold
Best Overall : Patriot Gold Group
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Patriot Gold Group
- BCA Rating: AA
- Other Metals: Palladium, Platinum, Silver
- Website Features: Must complete form for information
Patriot Gold Group is our top choice because its competitive, investor-direct pricing allows customers to avoid the fee typically charged for gold, silver, platinum, and palladium bullion or coin purchases.
Investor-direct pricing
High marks from key consumer groups
Long history in the gold IRA business
Need to complete form on website to get sufficient information
Minimum investment required
Patriot Gold Group has forged a long track record of helping investors secure their financial future through gold IRAs, earning high marks from consumer groups along the way. The business has done so by delivering superior customer service while keeping its pricing competitive, making it our choice as the best overall gold IRA company.
Patriot Gold has built a stellar reputation with top marks from key consumer rating agencies, including an AA rating with the Business Consumer Alliance and a five-star rating with Consumer Affairs.
Patriot Gold is a dealer-direct company, which means customers avoid the fee typically charged for gold, silver, platinum, and palladium bullion or coin purchases with investor-direct pricing. Not much information about fees, account minimums, and other details is offered on Patriot's website. You will have to contact them before signing up to learn this important information.
Patriot Gold prides itself on its long track record of delivering superior customer service. Account managers closely tend to customers' needs from account setup, which you can complete online or over the phone, through each transaction. The account reps seek to understand their customers' financial objectives to offer recommendations.
Best for Transparent Pricing : Augusta Precious Metals
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Augusta Precious Metals
- BCA Rating: AAA
- Other Metals: Silver
- Website Features: No online purchases
Augusta Precious Metals' customers benefit from low costs and know exactly how much they are paying and for what. For that, Augusta makes our list as the best gold IRA company for transparent pricing.
Low-cost, transparent fee structure
Money-back guarantee
Guaranteed fair-pricing on purchases
Doesn't offer platinum or palladium
No minimum investment specified
No online purchases
Pricing is critical when reviewing gold IRA companies. Many companies say they have a low-cost fee structure, but few actually reveal all their costs. The fee structure and pricing scheme for Augusta Precious Metals is completely transparent and straightforward, making it our choice for the best gold IRA for transparent pricing.
Augusta has built its reputation for transparency and integrity since opening in 2012. It has earned the highest ratings from BCA. Augusta further reinforces its customers' confidence by offering a 100% money-back guarantee for new customers and guaranteed fair pricing along with seven-day price protection. For details on setup, annual, storage, and other fees, you must contact the company. Augusta also has an excellent buy-back program.
Augusta works with highly reputable Delaware Depository for its customers' storage needs, with vault locations throughout the U.S. Since the account is self-directed, there are no management fees.
Overall, Augusta's customer service is top-notch, as its high consumer ratings indicate. Augusta's onboarding and transaction processes are turnkey, with specialists assisting customers with all the necessary paperwork. However, customers are not able to make purchases online.
Augusta's two significant drawbacks are its limited choice of metals and its high minimum investment requirement for establishing a gold IRA. Customers who want to invest in platinum or palladium will have to go elsewhere as Augusta focuses on gold and silver bullion and coins. It is attractive for easy IRA rollovers with its transparent pricing scheme.
Best for Smaller Investors : Noble Gold
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Noble Gold
- BCA Rating: AA
- Other Metals: Palladium, Platinum, Silver
- Website Features: Educational resources
With a low minimum investment requirement and extensive educational resources, Noble Gold is our choice as the best gold IRA company for smaller investors.
Low minimum investment
Extensive educational resources
Flat service and storage fees
Annual fees can be proportionately high for low account balances
Established in 2016, Noble Gold is a relative newcomer to the gold IRA space. Still, with its low minimum investment requirement and extensive educational resource, it has quickly become a favorite as the best gold IRA company for new investors.
In its short history, Noble Gold has also gained traction with the consumer rating agencies, garnering a five-star rating with Consumer Affairs and a AA rating with BCA (one complaint in three years preceding March 2023, which was satisfactorily handled by the company).
In addition to its comprehensive offering of educational resources, Noble Gold provides each potential customer with an initial consultation for a mutual understanding of the customer's needs, preferences, and objectives. After that, customers are assigned a trusted advisor who guides and educates them the rest of the way without resorting to high-pressure sales tactics.
Noble Gold's fees aren't the lowest, but they are competitive. New customers aren't charged a setup fee, but all accounts are charged an $80 annual service fee. In addition, all customers pay a $150 annual storage fee. The good news is those are flat fees charged to all accounts regardless of size, and the storage fee covers the cost of segregated storage. (Noble Gold doesn't offer commingled storage.)
Because of Noble Gold's extensive network of partners and suppliers, customers are afforded competitive pricing on gold purchases. Noble also offers a "no-questions-asked" buy-back service.
Noble Gold's custodian is Equity International. You can see your account information at any time on its site. Noble uses International Depository Services (IDS) for storage. It has two locations in the U.S. and one in Canada. Storage at the high-tech IDS facility comes with a Lloyd's of London insurance policy.
Potential customers can spend all the time they need on Noble Gold's website, browsing educational materials and gathering the information they need before contacting a representative to open an account. You can complete a part of the account registration process online, but you will need the assistance of a representative to complete the process.
Best for Customer Support : Goldco Precious Metals
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Goldco Precious Metals
- BCA Rating: AAA
- Other Metals: Silver
- Website Features: Educational Resources
Goldco Precious Metals and its account reps go the extra mile to ensure potential and existing customers receive all the information they need to make an informed decision, which is why it's our choice as the gold IRA company with the best customer support.
Extensive educational resources
Competitive pricing
10% back in free silver coins for new accounts
Minimum investment applies
No other gold IRA company takes such great pains to present investment information in an organized and objective way to gain customers' full confidence. Founded in 2006, Goldco Precious Metals stands out in many ways, but it has built a reputation for providing superior customer support.
From account setup through their most recent transaction, customers are treated to Goldco Precious Metal's "white-glove service," which includes direct access to a specialist to guide them every step of the way. Goldco Precious Metals encourages its customers to take full advantage of the extensive education center on its website. In addition to several e-books and a comprehensive list of videos, Goldco Precious Metals maintains an in-depth blog covering a range of investing topics.
It's that customer-centric focus that has earned Goldco Precious Metals excellent reviews from online sites.
For more information about fees, account minimums, custodians, and storage, you'll need to contact Goldco Precious Metals. It also offers a free guide if you are willing to provide your name, email, and phone number. Account setup is quick and easy, completed primarily online. Goldco Precious Metals also offers IRA and 401(k) rollovers to transfer your existing retirement funds.
Best for First-Time Buyers : Advantage Gold
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Advantage Gold
- BCA Rating: AAA
- Other Metals: Palladium, Platinum, Silver
- Website Features: Educational Resources
Advantage Gold's low minimum investment requirement, low-cost fee structure, and vast educational resources make our list as the best gold IRA company for first-time buyers.
Extensive educational resources
Low annual fees
Relatively short operating history
Online purchase not available
In business since 2014, Advantage Gold operates well beyond its age. Advantage Gold has made its mark as the best gold IRA company for first-time buyers with its low minimum investment requirement, hands-on customer support, and comprehensive educational platform,
Since its founding in 2014, Advantage Gold has strived to build a top-notch reputation by providing superior customer service. Having garnered top ratings from the BCA (AAA) with no complaints filed over the last three years, the young company has exceeded expectations. What the company lacks in terms of time in the business, it makes up with the collective experience of its management team and its highly trained staff.
While Advantage Gold appeals to gold IRA investors of all types, it has a particular appeal to first-time buyers. It offers extensive resources and educational materials that can help new investors get off the ground with gold and other precious metals. At no time are investors exposed to high-pressure sales tactics.
Advantage Gold's fees and account minimums are said to be welcoming to new investors. It also has a liberal buy-back program, offering repurchases at the going market rate, which is higher than the spot price offered by some competitors.
The preferred custodian for Advantage Gold is STRATA Trust Company. For its customers' storage needs, the company works with Brink's Global Services USA, Inc., and Delaware Depository, both highly reputable vault companies.
Final Verdict
Gold IRAs are a bit more complicated than your traditional IRA. But finding a company that works well for you and your retirement goals is critical to diversifying your portfolio and including the precious metal.
Patriot Gold Group tops our list of gold IRA companies because it earns high marks from consumer groups, has a solid history of helping investors access gold for their IRAs, and it is a dealer-direct company, which eliminates a fee typically charged for access to certain precious metals.
Your needs and your retirement goals are unique, so it's important to check out our full list and pick a gold IRA company that suits your plans.
Compare the Best Gold IRA Companies
Company | BCA Rating | Other Metals | Website Features |
---|---|---|---|
Patriot Gold Group Best Overall | AA | Palladium, Platinum, Silver | Must complete form for information |
Augusta Precious Metals Best for Transparent Pricing | AAA | Silver | No online purchases |
Noble Gold Best for Smaller Investors | AA | Palladium, Platinum, Silver | Educational Resources |
Goldco Precious Metals Best for Customer Support | AAA | Silver | Educational Resources |
Advantage Gold Best for First-Time Buyers | AAA | Palladium, Platinum, Silver | Educational Resources |
Frequently Asked Questions
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What is a Gold IRA?
A gold IRA is a specialized, self-directed individual retirement account designed to hold precious metals. As with a traditional IRA, a gold IRA allows pre-tax contributions, and the investment earnings can then accumulate tax-deferred, and the contribution and income limits are the same. You don't hold the gold yourself; you must store it in a secure depository. The IRS has established guidelines for metal "fineness" standards to determine whether gold or silver in the form of bullion or coins is acceptable for a gold IRA.
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What Does a Gold IRA Cost?
Generally, there are three sets of fees charged with a gold IRA. A one-time account setup fee can range from $50 to $150. There's also an annual administrative or custodial fee, ranging from $50 to $150 depending on the account's size. Storage fees are charged by the depository ranging from $50 to $300 annually, depending on the amount of gold being stored.
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Should I Buy Gold Bullion or Gold Coins?
While bullion and coins are essentially valued in the same way—per ounce based on the spot price of gold—sovereign coins may be the safer choice. Generally, well-known sovereign coins, such as the American Eagle and Canadian Maple Leaf, are easily recognizable and easier to trade, and they tend to sell at higher premiums than bullion bars. Small bullion bars (1 oz) are harder to sell back, and the markups are higher.
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Where Should I Store My Gold?
You must store the gold in a gold IRA in an IRS-approved depository; you can’t keep it in a safety deposit box, home safe, or under your mattress. A gold IRA company's role is to facilitate setting up the IRA and purchasing the gold coins or bullion. The investor must still find a custodian and a secure depository for their gold. Many gold IRA companies partner with a custodian, and either the custodian or the gold IRA company might select a depository.
Methodology
There are many factors to consider when choosing a gold IRA company. With your future financial security at stake, the most crucial consideration is the reputation and integrity of the company you entrust to facilitate your gold purchase. We reviewed 18 companies based on their consumer ratings, using the Business Consumer Alliance, Consumer Affairs, and selected companies with the highest ratings from each (AAA with BCA and five stars with CA).
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