5 Best Gold IRA Companies 2024: (Ranked & Reviewed)

When it comes to investing in gold, there are a lot of options out there. Which company should you trust with your money? In this article, we will rank and review the best 5 Gold IRA companies on the market. We will evaluate them based on their features, use cases, pros and cons, and pricing. So, we have you covered whether you are just starting or looking for a more established company!

What Are The Best Gold IRA Companies?

1) Augusta Precious Metal 

Augusta Precious Metal is one of the best gold IRA companies on the market and resides in Beverly Hills, California. They are firm in providing transparency, ensuring the process is simple and top-notch service. Joe Montana, a Hall of Fame NFL quarterback, is a client of the company as well. The company boasts a Triple A rating with the Business Consumer Alliance. They offer a wide range of services, including asset protection and retirement planning. Augusta also offers gold and silver as precious metal options. One of the best things about Augusta is that they provide a self-directed IRA, which gives you more control over your investment. 

Process:

• Create your IRA account and use Equity Trust as the backend IRA custodian. Equity Trust is a well-known custodian in the industry and manages over $25B in assets. They cater to customers in all 50 states. You can learn more by visiting www.trustetc.com.
• You will need to work with your existing IRA company and transfer or roll over the funds to your new Augusta Precious Metal account.
• Purchase gold or silver by placing an order with the order desk. The physical gold or silver you purchase is stored in a private depository in the United States. Augusta’s partner is the Delaware Depository. These metals are also insured.

Can I Buy Silver and Gold Outside of an IRA Account at Augusta?

Some customers do not feel comfortable purchasing within an account and want to buy the gold bar or silver bar and have it within their possession. Augusta can help with this as well via cash purchases. They offer free shipping, transit insurance, and delivery to where you would like to store. This is another excellent option and flexibility in making a gold investment.

The following are the various types of products that Augusta offers to their customers. 

• Common Gold Bullion
• Premium Gold
• Common Silver Bullion
• Premium Silver
• IRA Eligible Coins – They offer American Eagles, American Eagle Proofs, Canadian Maple Leaf, Gold Canadian Eagle, American Buffalo, Australian Striped Marlin, Canadian Silver Soaring Eagle, Canadian Silver Eagle with Nest, American Silver Eagle, and Canadian Silver Maple Leaf.

You can find more information can be found on their website. 

Fees:

Due to the account being a self-directed IRA, you do not pay any fees except the custodian account setup and depository storage fees of the asset. 

Signup:

As a whole, Augusta is a great solution and provider for your precious metal needs in a retirement-based vehicle. You can get started here.

2) American Hartford Gold

American Hartford Gold operates from Los Angeles, California, and is family owned and operated firm. Like all the other companies discussed here, they have a top A+ rating on BBB and multiple 5-star ratings on other review sites. They stress the following commitment to their clients:

• Service
• Transparency
• Market Knowledge and Experience
• Buyback Commitment
• Highest Level of Shipping and Handling
• Information At Your Disposal
• Privacy
• Clarity

Can I Buy Silver and Gold Outside an IRA Account at American Hartford Gold?

American Hartford follows suit with their competitors to provide an option for customers to buy outside of the IRA structure for precious metals.

American Hartford offers both gold and silver physical precious metal options with a few of the types of coins available:

• Gold – Saint Helena Sovereign Gold, Australian Wildlife Gold, American Eagle, and Canadian Buffalo 2018
• Silver – Saint Helena Sovereign Silver, Australian Wildlife Silver, Europa, and the Bull, and South African Krugerrand

Process:

Create your Precious Metal IRA account by calling one of their specialists at 1-800-462-0071 to complete the appropriate paperwork. American Hartford Gold works with Equity Trust Company, and their depository relationships are Brinks, Delaware Depository, and International Depository Services Group.

You will need to work with your existing IRA company and transfer or roll over the funds to your new American Hartford Gold account. You can also do an IRA rollover without any tax consequences. The following retirement accounts would be eligible: 401(k), TSP, 403(b), 457, Roth IRA, and a traditional IRA.

Once the other two steps are completed, you can focus on which precious metals you want to purchase.

Fees:

These can vary based on your account size and metal holdings in your depository. This may not be a flat fee structure, so consider this against other best gold IRA companies. 

Signup:

If you are interested in setting up an account with American Hartford Gold, sign up here.

3) Birch Gold Group

Birch Gold Group has served over 14,000 customers since 2003. They are located in Burbank, California, and are available to customers in all 50 states. They have an A+ rating with BBB and a Triple A rating with the Business Consumer, just like their competitors. In addition, they have a 5-star rating on review websites like Consumer Affairs. They stress the importance of their three core values: knowledge of the industry, the utmost level of 1-on-1 care, and trust. This has helped them stay in business for as long as they have.

Can I Buy Silver and Gold Outside an IRA Account at Birch Gold Group?

This option is available here as well. They work with Delaware Depository to store your gold and silver, which provides insurance up to $1 billion. Another option is Brink’s Global Service, so there is flexibility. Again, if you want possession of your precious metals outside the depository, you can request that.

The Birch Gold Group offers the following range of physical precious metal options with a few of the types of coins available:

• Gold – American Gold Eagle (gold bullion), Gold Gyrfalcon, Gold Polar Bear and Cub, and the Gold Twin Maples are a few.
• Silver – American Silver Eagle, Morgan Silver Dollar, Canadian Silver Maple Leaf, and Peace Silver Dollar
• Platinum – American Platinum Eagle, Australian 1/4 oz Platinum Florin and Platinum Bars & Rounds
• Palladium – Canadian Palladium Maple Leaf and Palladium Bars & Rounds

Process:

• Create your Precious Metals IRA account by signing the appropriate agreement and connecting with a company representative. Birch Gold Group works with Equity Trust Company and STRATA Trust Company as their two designated custodians. Unlike their competitors, you will need a minimum account value of $10,000. 
• You will need to work with your existing IRA company and transfer or roll over the funds to your new Birch Gold Group account. You can also do an IRA rollover without any tax consequences. The following retirement accounts would be eligible: 401(k), TSP, 403(b), 457, Roth IRA, SEP IRA, SIMPLE IRA, and a traditional IRA.
• Once the other two steps are completed, you can focus on which precious metals you want to purchase. 

Fees:

The fee structure is a bit more transparent at Birch Gold Group. They are the following: 

One-Time Fees: An account setup fee of $50 and a wire transfer fee of $30.

Annual Fees: There is a storage and insurance fee of $100 and management fees of $100.

Note: If you are transferring more than $50,000, Birch Gold will pay for your first year’s fees, which is a nice bonus.

Signup:

If you are interested in setting up an account with Birch Gold Group, sign up here.

4) Noble Gold

Noble Gold is another gold IRA company with over 20 years of experience in the precious metals investment industry. They have received top ratings in Consumer Affairs. They are located in Pasadena, California. The firm touts itself on the following:

• Educating their clients in a way that makes sense to them
• Trusted advisors
• 5-minute account setup

Can I Buy Silver and Gold Outside of an IRA Account at Noble Gold?

Noble Gold provides an option for customers to buy outside of the IRA structure for precious metals, which is a flat fee structure. 

Noble Gold offers both gold, silver, platinum, and palladium physical precious metal options with a few of the types of coins available:

• Gold – American Gold Eagle Coin, American Gold Eagle Proof Coins, Canadian Gold Maple Leaf Coins, and Australian Gold Kangaroo Coins
• Silver – 5oz America the Beautiful Silver Coins, 1 oz American Silver Eagle Coin, 5oz Highland Mint Silver Bar
• Platinum – American Platinum Eagle Coins, Baird & Co Platinum Bars, and 1oz Canadian Platinum Maple Leaf
• Palladium – 1oz Canadian Palladium Maple Leaf Coin and 1oz Credit Suisse Palladium Bar

Process:

• Create your Precious Metal IRA account by filling out the form here. Noble Gold works with Equity Trust Company as their custodian. Their depository relationship is with International Depository Services.
• You will need to work with your existing IRA company and transfer or roll over the funds to your new Noble Gold account. You can also do an IRA rollover without any tax consequences. The following retirement accounts would be eligible: 401(k), TSP, 403(b), 457b, Roth IRA, SEP, and SIMPLE IRAs.
• Once the other two steps are completed, you can focus on which precious metals you want to purchase.

Fees:

There is a recurring annual fee of $80 and an additional annual fee of $150 if you store any precious metals in Delaware or Texas.

Signup:

If you are interested in setting up an account with Noble Gold, sign up here.

5) Goldco Precious Metals

Goldco Precious Metals is another prominent leader in the precious metals industry and has had a stellar reputation over the years. They are located in Calabasas, California, and they have an A+ rating with the BBB and a Triple A rating with the Business Consumer Alliance. They offer Gold and Silver IRAs under their precious metal offerings. 

Process:

• Create your Precious Metals IRA account by signing the appropriate agreement and connecting with a company representative. Goldco works with all the significant custodians regarding self-directed IRA accounts.
• You will need to work with your existing IRA company and transfer or roll the funds to your new Goldco Precious Metals account. You can also do an IRA rollover without any tax consequences. The following retirement accounts would be eligible: 401(k), TSP, 403(b), and a traditional IRA.
• Once the other two steps are completed, you can focus on which precious metals you want to purchase. 

Can I Buy Silver and Gold Outside of an IRA Account at Goldco?

Like Augusta, you can purchase physical gold and silver outside an IRA account. They also have the Goldco Buyback Guarantee program, where they will repurchase your precious metals at the highest price. You can have precious metals shipped to the depository of your choice, and free storage may also be a consideration. 

Goldco offers both gold and silver physical precious metal options with a few of the types of coins available:

• Gold – American Gold Eagle, American Gold Eagle Proof, Gold Australian Striped Marlin
• Silver – American Silver Eagle, American Silver Eagle Proof, Silver American Bald Eagle, Silver Australian Spotted Eagle Ray, and Silver Australian Striped Marlin.

Fees:

You are charged one flat fee per year rather than a percentage of assets. Goldco may be willing to work with you regarding special promotions to waive the annual fee.

Signup:

If you are interested in setting up an account with Goldco Precious Metals, sign up here.

What Are The Benefits of Gold?

Gold is a precious metal with several benefits that make it an attractive investment. First, gold is a hedge against inflation, which means that as the cost of living goes up, the value of gold also tends to go up. Gold is also a haven asset, which holds its value during economic turmoil. And finally, gold is portable and easy to store, so you can take it with you if you need to. It is abundant enough to create coins but rare enough so that not everyone can produce them, and it doesn’t corrode.

What are The Risks of Gold?

Like any investment, there are some risks associated with gold. One of the most significant risks is that the price of gold is volatile and can go up and down quickly. Another risk is that gold can be challenging to sell, especially in large quantities. And finally, gold storage can be expensive if you don’t have a good storage plan. You also need to ensure that you receive physical delivery of the gold when you purchase it. There have been a lot of discussions lately that gold companies do not have the ability to deliver and are entirely insolvent if everyone asks for the bars at once.

What is an IRA?

IRA stands for Individual Retirement Account. A retirement savings account allows you to invest in various assets, including stocks, bonds, and precious metals. IRAs have a number of benefits, including tax breaks and the ability to grow your money over time. 

What is a Roth IRA?

A Roth IRA is an Individual Retirement Account that allows you to grow your money tax-free. With a Roth IRA, you contribute money that has already been taxed, so you don’t have to pay taxes when you withdraw it in retirement. 

Roth IRAs have several benefits, including the ability to withdraw your money tax-free in retirement. They also offer more flexibility than a traditional IRA regarding withdrawals. 

You can also learn about crypto IRAs here.

What is a Gold IRA?

A gold IRA is a retirement account that allows you to invest in physical gold and other precious metals. This type of account is best for investors looking for a long-term investment strategy, as gold tends to hold its value over time. A gold IRA can also offer diversification benefits, as they are not subject to the same volatility as stocks and other investments.

What Do You Look for in a Gold IRA Company?

Gold IRA companies vary in their offerings, but the best ones will have a few key features. They should offer a wide selection of gold coins and bars, as well as other precious metals like silver and platinum. They should have a storage program that is secure and insured so you know your investment is safe. And finally, they should have competitive pricing to get the best value for your money. 

Who is the Best Gold IRA Company?

There are some great options if you are looking for a solid gold IRA investment or even a gold IRA rollover. Birch Gold may be the best option if you have significant capital to invest because they waive setup fees. They also deal with multiple custodians and have a variety of precious metals to purchase. Augusta Precious is one of our favorites in terms of service, flexibility, and not a huge amount required to get started.