Planning your retirement using the best gold IRA companies can be one of the soundest investments you can make.
With the opportunity to live comfortably through your elder years, you won’t have to worry about the horrors of currency devaluation.
Undoubtedly, a reputable gold IRA is one of the best options to protect your retirement portfolio so you can finally live a life of financial freedom after retirement.
Best Gold IRA Companies: A Review
This guide will explore three top gold IRA companies to consider when starting your retirement strategy.
These companies are a great option to preserve your capital, even through massive world economic events.
Even if you’re looking to diversify your existing portfolio, these precious metals IRAs bring plenty to the table.
1. American Hartford Gold
American Hartford Gold is an excellent gold IRA company to consider if you need a plan with a low minimum investment.
It’s also helpful for people looking to start their retirement plan anytime with competitive precious metal prices.
The family-owned company was founded in 2015 and has many tools to buy silver coins, gold bullion, palladium coins, and platinum products.
America Hartford Gold’s Highlights
Let’s get into the best details American Hartford Gold can bring to your investments.
- All-Age Investing
Gold IRA companies often find that they’re targeting a specific audience, usually seniors.
American Hartford Gold understands that anyone, young or old, can begin an investment strategy.
That said, they have plenty of fantastic tips, tricks, and options for investors of any age.
- No Minimum Investment
Another common feature you’ll find with many investment companies is the need to provide a minimum investment before opening an account.
This feature is another primary reason American Hartford Gold is great for younger investors, as there’s no minimum investment.
You can open an account at any time with any amount deposited within it to begin your financial journey.
- Price-Match Guarantee
It can always be helpful to ensure you’re getting the most for your money, which is where the price-match benefit comes into play.
At this company, clients will have guaranteed price matching on IRA-eligible bars and gold IRA-approved coins.
- 24/7 Assistance
When you’re delving into a new investment strategy, there’s no doubt it can be a daunting task.
With American Hartford Gold, you can benefit from 24/7 customer service, allowing you to get guidance when creating an account at any time.
This is one of the few gold IRA companies that can have your account registered and ready to use within one to five days.
- Trusted Storage Solutions
After you’ve purchased your gold, where will it be kept?
This is a major factor to consider when choosing a gold IRA company, as you’ll need the best and most comfortable storage solutions.
With American Hartford Gold, you can select from IDS, Brinks Global Services, or Delaware Depository for storage.
What to Like About It
American Hartford Gold is an excellent company with a competitive price of gold if you want to start investing without an established portfolio.
They have a unique no minimum deposit paired with a low one-time setup fee of $50.00 for gold investing.
Additionally, you’ll have peace of mind knowing your investment is safe, as the company works alongside Equity Trust for storage solutions.
What Not to Like About It
One of the larger issues with American Hartford Gold is their custodial fees can span into the thousands, deferring your financial goals.
This amount will depend on your required storage and the custodian you choose.
Also, it would be helpful if the company’s site had more transparent pricing.
Pros:
- Works alongside Equity Trust
- No minimum deposit requirements for gold purchases
- Low one-time fees
- Price-matching guarantee for your nest egg
Cons:
- Some custodial fees are expensive
- Lacks transparent pricing for high-quality coins
2. Augusta Precious Metals

Once you’re ready to dive into serious investing, Augusta Precious Metals is the top solution.
Not only is the company the highest-rated gold IRA company for customer service, but its investment platform is remarkable.
High-earners, professionals, and experienced investors will love the vehicles available through Augusta Precious Metals.
Augusta Precious Metals’ Highlights
Let’s look at some of the most notable highlights of Augusta Precious Metals.
- Illustrious Clientele
Serious investors will be interested in working with the top gold IRA companies to protect their investments.
That said, Augusta Precious Metals’ illustrious clientele is sure to impress, especially with their ambassador, former NFL player Joe Montana.
This platform is for you if you’re searching for an investment platform that works with those with high-income potential.
- Minimum Investment
This gold IRA company has a high minimum investment, which helps them work only with serious investors.
When you open an account, you must deposit $50,000, which is perfect for broadening your diversification options.
With a larger opt-in, you can guarantee this is the type of company experienced with handling serious retirement accounts.
- Top-Rated Customer Service
The high-end services investors can benefit from when working with Augusta Precious Metals are remarkable.
One of the top-rated features of the company is its customer service team.
Within ten years, they have had little to no complaints from portfolio owners about the quality of their services.
- Nationwide Gold Storage
All investors must have complete control over where their gold is stored.
Instead of choosing between one or two custodians, Augusta Precious Metals has nationwide options.
Like many platforms, their top preferred location is the Delaware Depository.
However, you can choose from plenty of other locations in areas like New York, Salt Lake City, and Los Angeles.
In total, there are six different storage locations to consider.
- Impressive Leadership
When it comes to a gold IRA company, the business’ success is a result of its leadership.
Augusta Precious Metals was founded by Isaac Nuriani, a master of ethics and financial transparency.
Other professionals in the leadership team include Howard Smith (local and federal government experience) and Devlyn Steele (Director of Education).
What to Like About It
Augusta Precious Metals is your best choice if you’re looking for a straightforward way to begin investing in gold.
With their effortless account opening and top-tier customer service, you can create an account in less time than expected.
Also, members get the added benefit of a one-on-one introductory web conference with Delvyn Steele upon signup.
What Not to Like About It
The most considerable issue with Augusta Precious Metals is their high minimum investment of $50,000.
These starting amounts can be far too rich if you’re a beginner investor.
Also, the onboarding process is known to be quite lengthy, although you can have comfort in knowing the company is being thorough.
Pros:
- One-on-one introductory meeting with the investment firm
- Straightforward account opening process
- Zero customer complaints
- Impressive customer service with extensive experience
Cons:
- Lengthy onboarding process for investment advice
- High minimum investment totals
3. Goldco

The third gold IRA company we want to review is Goldco, a name known well amongst retirees and pre-retirees.
This company’s business model has been in operation since 2006, and they’re one of the most experienced investment companies.
Whether you want to roll over investments or set up your first self-directed IRA, they have many vehicles to consider.
Based in Woodland Hills, California, Goldco has quite a few different investment solutions.
Clients can decide on an assortment of bars and precious metal coins in palladium, gold, silver options, and platinum.
Also, they offer a unique free Gold IRA Kit that you can use to learn more about how gold IRAs work.
Goldco’s Highlights
Let’s get into some of the best highlights of Goldco.
- Designed for Retirees
Goldco is the type of Gold IRA company to consider if you’re getting ready or have already retired.
The high-quality customer service they offer assists people of all ages in setting up their retirement funds to prepare for their future.
It is one of the main features that makes this company unique, as the term “retiree” spans several ages.
The easy-to-follow account setup steps paired with top-tier customer service are ideal for senior investors.
The intuitively designed investment guides available from the company are helpful for 30-40-year-old retirees.
Overall, it’s one of the best companies to consider regardless of age when it comes time to retire.
- Celebrity Endorsements
Celebrity endorsements can often sell the legitimacy of an investment company to prospective clients.
Like Augusta Precious Metals and Joe Montana, Goldco works alongside Chuck Norriss and Sean Hannity.
On the company’s site, you can read through greetings from both celebs and why they love using Goldco’s investment vehicles.
- Knowledgeable Associates
If it’s your first time getting into gold IRAs for your retirement goals, having an experienced professional with the setup process is beneficial.
One of the main areas where Goldco is highly rated is in the experience and knowledge of their consultants.
When setting up an account, you can rely on these professionals to help pick which accounts are best for your future goals.
Like working with a bank with five-star reviews, Goldco ensures you’re set up with the right items to boost and protect your investments.
There has been plenty of praise for their consultants’ patience and helpfulness during this time.
- End-to-End Custodial Services
After you’ve picked the items you want to invest in, and it’s time for storage, Goldco has plenty of options.
They offer end-to-end custodial services, ensuring a point of contact for clients at every step.
Currently, Goldco works with seven U.S.-based depositories.
Their unique promotion makes the custodial services so competitive with this company.
When you open a new account, you get up to 10% in free IRS-approved coins.
This can help to offset some of the custodial costs for your beautiful coins.
What to Like About It
Goldco has plenty of reasonable prices regarding their custodial and storage fees.
With its positive reviews from previous and current satisfied customers, it’s one of the best reputable companies to choose for retirees new to gold IRAs.
Also, a massive benefit is they provide free IRA and 401(k) rollovers.
What Not to Like About It
A major concern with Goldco is they have a high minimum IRA deposit like many other companies dealing with traditional assets.
You will need $20,000 to start an account, which isn’t attainable for most first-time investors.
Also, they currently don’t have an online account setup, which can be time-consuming.
Pros:
- Reasonable custodial and storage fees
- Trusted and reliable gold investment company
- Excellent customer service for retirees new to gold IRAs
- Free IRA and 401(k) rollovers for precious metal investing
Cons:
- High minimum IRA deposit
- No online account setup
How We Reviewed Our Top 3 Companies for Gold IRA Services
There’s a myth that all gold IRA services and companies are designed similarly. However, each company has an assortment of differences that are important to note.
To help you find the right investment platform, here are the most important criteria we used during our review process:
Security and Trust
Before you even begin putting your money into a gold IRA, you must choose a company with an excellent reputation.
When selecting our three competitors, we considered those with A+ customer ratings in trust and security.
We also considered the custodial and depository services that each company uses.
With these factors in mind, you can be guaranteed that your precious metals, such as physical gold, will be handled with the utmost care.
Also, you can guarantee your investments will be protected while stored at the most secure depository nationwide.
Experienced Leadership
As mentioned earlier, one of the essential things for any investment company is to have knowledgeable leadership.
That said, we want to ensure every client signs with a gold IRA company with experience and ethics.
We also considered any other influential personalities that represent the brands or have a say in how they operate.
We considered multiple tenets for determining quality, including experience in the financial industry, interpersonal records, financial values, and general professional credentials.
Fees and Added Costs
It’s well known that most gold IRA companies will have fees and a few added costs to consider.
Whether these are account opening fees or custodial fees, it’s important to be prepared for added costs.
When choosing our top three gold IRA companies, we considered any extra fees you could be responsible for.
The three companies we chose have the most competitive pricing structure for comprehensive services.
For example, you’ll have competitive insurance, shipping, storage, and account ownership fees.
Customer Service Reviews
Customer reviews are your best bet when deciding on the type of gold IRA company to work with.
They give you an inside look at how current and past customers enjoy the company’s services.
Reviews are also invaluable to see the truth behind marketing regarding gold IRAs.
For this guide, we explored hundreds of reviews to help us better understand how these companies work.
We considered how thorough and guided the signup process was through each company’s long-term investment plans.
These three were the most impressive of the dozens of gold IRA companies we looked at.
Demand
Demand was more of a feature we considered for ourselves to find the best three companies we could recommend to a broad audience.
By focusing on the type of people demanding precious metal IRAs, we were able to find companies that matched the investment values of investors.
From there, we could dive deeper into the fundamental values of each company, finding the three best options for diverse investment opportunities.
Best Gold IRA Companies FAQs
1. Is gold IRA a good investment?
Precious metal IRAs are often the best investment solution to protect your money against inflation.
However, they are also known to have higher fees than a Roth IRA (mutual funds, bonds, and stocks).
This single asset class is recommended if you want a more inflation-proof strategy.
2. Are gold IRAs safe?
When you choose to invest in gold bars and coins, you’re not only diversifying your investment portfolio; you’re choosing a solid investment option.
Gold has an extensive history of being a good investment option when protecting your accounts against inflation.
Also, you’ll have many of the same perks as a traditional IRA with a gold IRA.
3. What gold coins are IRA eligible?
When determining the eligibility of gold IRA coins, they must be of 99.9% fineness.
Typically, you’ll need coins produced by a COMEX or NYMEX-approved refinery.
Alternatively, national government-minted coins are another option.
4. Can I store my gold IRA at home?
Unfortunately, there’s no way for an independent investor to store their gold IRA in their home.
Even if you were to register an LLC for investing, you would still be required to keep your gold in a secure, off-site depository.
It’s best to simply find the storage options you’re most comfortable with and pay the fees as needed.
5. Can I transfer my IRA to gold?
If you’re interested in transferring your IRA to gold, you will first require a self-directed IRA.
This vessel allows you to choose from a wide range of investment products outside a standard IRA.
It’s also important to note you’ll require a broker to buy your cold and a custodian to create the account.
Our Final Recommendation
Augusta Precious Metals is undoubtedly ranked as the best of the best gold IRA companies you’ll find nationwide.
With plenty of investment solutions for high-earning professionals, you’ll get the white-glove customer service you’ve always desired.
You’ll find competitive gold IRA vessels if you save for early or standard retirement age.