Best gold IRA companies, plus expert insights on investment option

Gold has long been regarded as a reliable investment, attracting interest from a wide range of investors due to its lasting value. While its role as a safeguard against inflation is a major factor in its appeal, the benefits of investing in gold go far beyond protecting against rising costs. This precious metal also offers a distinctive blend of security and growth potential, making it a favored choice for both experienced and new investors.

In today's financial environment, there are various ways to include gold in your investment portfolio. Options range from the traditional ownership of physical gold — such as gold coins and bars — to more high-tech methods like gold-focused exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and investments in gold mining companies. For those looking to combine the benefits of gold with potential tax advantages, gold individual retirement accounts (IRAs) offer a compelling solution, integrating gold investments into retirement planning.

While adding a gold IRA to your retirement strategy can be a smart move, choosing a reputable and experienced provider is crucial. To help with this decision, we've thoroughly reviewed a variety of gold IRA providers to identify the top options and gathered expert insight into the best gold options to consider. Here's what you need to know.

Learn more about your gold investing opportunities online here. 

Here are some of the best gold IRA companies currently.

• Best overall: Goldco
• Best for customer service: Lear Capital
• Best for customer reviews: American Hartford Gold
• Best for low fees: Birch Gold Group
• Best for beginners: Augusta Precious Metals
• Best for large investments: Noble Gold

Best overall: Goldco

Goldco is our choice for the best overall gold IRA company due to its outstanding track record and ratings, robust educational content and other factors. The company is rated A+ by the Better Business Bureau (BBB), AAA by Business Consumer Alliance and an excellent 4.7 rating on Trustpilot (as of April 26, 2024). Other accolades include being named an Inc 5000 Award recipient as one of the Fastest Growing Private Companies for the past seven years. The company was also designated the 2022 Company of the Year from the American Business Awards.

Goldco offers both gold and silver IRAs and allows rollovers from 401(k) and 403(b) plans, pensions, thrift savings plans and traditional and Roth IRAs. Your precious metals are stored in an IRS-approved depository. At age 59 ½, you're eligible to take distributions as physical gold or cash.

Goldco's website lists fees for gold IRAs at roughly $225 annually ($125 for the annual maintenance fee and $100 for annual storage, though segregated storage will cost $150 annually). Getting started requires a $25,000 minimum investment, and you can usually roll over funds into your IRA within two weeks.

Learn more about Goldco's gold investing options here now.

Best for customer service: Lear Capital

Customer service involves more than just handling customer complaints. An essential component of customer satisfaction is assisting investors and preventing issues in the first place.

In that regard, Lear Capital proactively helps investors by providing superb investment tools and resources on its website. For example, the company's Smart Suite Tools help investors determine how much inflation-adjusted money they'll need in retirement. You can also utilize the Required Minimum Distribution calculator to discover how much you must withdraw from your gold IRA in retirement per IRS regulations.

Lear Capital also earns a 4.8 Trustpilot rating as of April 26, 2024.

Learn more about gold investing with Lear Capital now.

Best for customer reviews: American Hartford Gold

If you're looking for a gold IRA company with impeccable reviews and ratings, look no further than American Hartford Gold. The company enjoys an A+ rating with the BBB and a 4.7 rating with over 1,200 reviews on Trustpilot (as of April 26, 2024). 

What's interesting about American Hartford Gold's customer reviews is that the company responds to nearly every review across every platform, whether the comment is good or bad. Perhaps it's that intention of customer prioritization that is responsible for so many positive reviews in the first place.

American Hartford Gold also offers valuable resources on its website to assist investors, from pricing charts for precious metals to industry news.

Check your gold investing options with American Hartford Gold now.

Best for low fees: Birch Gold Group

Birch Gold Group transparently lists its setup and annual storage and management fees, a rarity in the marketplace. According to the company, most investors adhere to the following fee schedule:

• Account set up: $50
• Wire transfer: $30
• Storage and Insurance: $100
• Management: $125

Unlike many gold IRA providers, Birch Gold's fees are flat-rate rather than a percentage of your account value. This structure may work in your favor if you have a high account balance. Additionally, Birch Gold will cover your first year's fees if you transfer over $50,000.

Best for beginners: Augusta Precious Metals 

Augusta Precious Metals stands out for its comprehensive educational approach, making it ideal for newcomers to gold IRAs. The company offers extensive one-on-one web conferences with its economic analysts and provides detailed educational resources through its free investor kit. They maintain an A+ BBB rating and a 4.9 rating on Trustpilot (as of January 8, 2025).

The minimum investment with Augusta Precious Metals is $50,000, and they charge a one-time $275 setup fee plus $225 annually for custody and storage. Augusta is particularly known for their transparency in pricing and their lifetime customer support commitment.

Best for large investments: Noble Gold 

Noble Gold distinguishes itself by catering to investors with substantial portfolios, offering premium services and rare coin options. They have a unique "Noble Gold Royal Survival Pack" program for high-net-worth individuals and provide segregated storage options. The company maintains an A+ BBB rating and a 4.9 Trustpilot rating (as of January 8, 2025).

Their minimum investment requirement is $20,000, with a recurring annual fee of $80 and a $150 annual fee if you store in Texas or Delaware. That includes the cost of secure segregated storage, insurance and access to your online account. Noble Gold is particularly notable for its quick processing times, typically completing transfers within a week.

Learn more about investing in gold with Birch Gold Group here.

What is a gold IRA?

A gold IRA is a self-directed individual retirement account that allows investors to hold physical precious metals as part of their retirement portfolio. Unlike traditional IRAs that typically consist of stocks, bonds and mutual funds, gold IRAs enable individuals to diversify their retirement savings with physical gold, silver, platinum and palladium. These specialized retirement accounts maintain the same tax advantages as conventional IRAs but provide a hedge against inflation and economic uncertainty through tangible assets.

The structure of a gold IRA requires a custodian who manages the account and a depository that securely stores the physical metals. Investors don't personally hold the metals; instead, IRS-approved depositories provide secure storage to maintain the tax-advantaged status of the account. Gold IRAs come in traditional, Roth and SEP varieties, each with different tax implications and contribution limits that mirror their conventional counterparts.

What is IRA-eligible gold?

IRA-eligible gold refers to specific precious metal products that meet the Internal Revenue Service's stringent purity and manufacturing standards for inclusion in a precious metals IRA. For gold specifically, the IRS requires a minimum fineness of 99.5% purity (24 karats), with the exception of American Gold Eagles, which are permitted despite being 91.67% pure due to their status as U.S. legal tender. These requirements ensure that retirement funds are invested in investment-grade metals rather than collectibles, which are prohibited in IRAs.

Qualifying gold products typically include certain government-minted coins such as American Gold Eagles, Canadian Gold Maple Leafs and Australian Gold Kangaroos, as well as gold bars and rounds produced by IRS-approved refiners and manufacturers. These refiners must be accredited by major commodity exchanges or national governments. Notably absent from eligibility are rare or collectible coins, whose value derives significantly from their rarity, historical significance or condition rather than their metal content.

Given these restrictions, it's crucial that investors verify the eligibility of specific gold products before purchase, as including non-compliant items in a gold IRA could result in penalties and disqualification of the entire account. Most reputable gold IRA companies keep detailed inventories of IRA-eligible products and can guide investors through the selection process. 

Gold IRA vs. 401k

Gold IRAs and 401(k) plans represent distinctly different approaches to retirement saving, each with unique advantages and limitations. While 401(k) plans are employer-sponsored retirement accounts primarily invested in mutual funds, stocks and bonds, gold IRAs are self-directed accounts containing physical precious metals. 

One key difference lies in accessibility and control. Typically, 401(k) plans limit investment choices to a menu of options selected by the employer or plan administrator. Gold IRAs, on the other hand, provide investors with significant discretion over their precious metals selections. 

Contribution structures also differ significantly between these retirement vehicles. 401(k) plans often include employer matching contributions and have higher annual contribution limits. Gold IRAs follow traditional IRA contribution limits, which are considerably lower However, many investors choose to roll over existing retirement funds into gold IRAs rather than making new contributions, effectively bypassing these limitations.

From a diversification perspective, 401(k) plans and gold IRAs can be complementary rather than competitive. "Gold is an excellent diversifier against traditional equities," Brett Elliott, director of marketing at APMEX, says. "It also tends to outperform during recessions, which is when equities tend to underperform."

While 401(k) plans typically provide exposure to traditional financial markets and benefit from employer matches, gold IRAs offer a hedge against inflation and currency devaluation through tangible assets that often move independently of stock and bond markets. "Gold's performance over the past twenty years clearly demonstrates that it's a very good long-term investment and a great portfolio diversifier," Alex Ebkarian, co-founder of Allegiance Gold, says.

Gold IRA vs. physical gold

Gold IRAs and direct physical gold ownership represent two distinct approaches to precious metals investing, each with specific benefits and considerations. A gold IRA holds IRS-approved precious metals within a tax-advantaged retirement account structure, offering potential tax benefits on growth and, in the case of Roth gold IRAs, tax-free distributions during retirement. By contrast, directly owned physical gold provides immediate possession and control but generates no tax advantages and may trigger capital gains tax obligations upon sale.

Storage requirements create another significant distinction between these investment methods. Gold IRAs require metals to be held by approved depositories, maintaining secure, insured storage but preventing personal access to the physical assets. Directly owned gold can be stored according to the investor's preference, offering immediate accessibility but also creating personal responsibility for security and insurance.

"Physical investments in gold have additional complications," Carla Adams, founder of Ametrine Wealth, says. "You have to find a safe place to store the gold — which, for many, means paying for the storage of the gold. You'll also want to purchase insurance on the gold."

Liquidity considerations also differ between these options. Physical gold in personal possession can be sold quickly through local dealers or online platforms whenever the investor chooses, though potentially at lower prices than market spot rates. Gold IRA assets, while technically liquid, face additional procedural steps for liquidation and may incur early withdrawal penalties if accessed before retirement age. 

The bottom line

These are our picks for the best gold IRA companies. Ultimately, the choice is an individual one. If you're considering opening a gold IRA, your best option will depend on which company best suits your personal financial needs and goals.

Shopping and comparing different gold IRA companies can help you determine which one checks the most boxes for your situation. All of the above companies can answer your questions to arm you with the information you need to make an informed decision. Also, consider consulting your accountant or financial advisor before making any investment to ensure it aligns with your portfolio plan.

Tim Maxwell contributed to this report.