Best Gold IRA Companies, Scored
Scored the way a skeptic would score them.
We run Augusta, Goldco, Birch and American Hartford through the same six-axis rubric. We cite every claim to a primary source and name the sales tactics out loud.
We score 5 companies on six axes. Augusta Precious Metals leads at 4.1 out of 5.
Fees on paper before any sales call
The current top three
All five, side by side →Augusta Precious Metals
Larger rollovers ($50K+)
- Minimum
- $50,000
- Annual cost
- ~$235/yr (custodian schedule)
Goldco
Mid-range starts ($25K–$50K)
- Minimum
- $25,000
- Annual cost
- ~$225/yr
Birch Gold Group
Smallest balances ($5K+)
- Minimum
- $5,000
- Annual cost
- $235/yr
Featured review
Augusta Precious Metals Review (2026)
Independent Augusta Precious Metals review: verified fees, the $50,000 minimum, buyback terms, BBB and TrustPilot records, and who should not use them.
Read the full reviewHow we score: six axes, same rubric for every company
- Account minimum. Does it fit a typical rollover?
- Phone-first service. A dedicated agent, or a call queue?
- Buyback program. What haircut when you sell back?
- Fee transparency. Published, or 'call for pricing'?
- RMD handling. Cash or in-kind, who does the paperwork?
- Sales pressure. How many calls after the kit request?
Start with your rollover size
Or start with what worries you
- Lowest fees → Every published schedule, line by line
- Best buyback terms → Who commits to a buyback in writing
- Least sales pressure → Complaint records across the majors
- RMDs and retirement age → Scored for seniors who already take RMDs
- Rollover rules → Direct vs indirect, the 60-day clock
- Which metal qualifies → The IRS purity rules, coin by coin
Latest research
21 published · reviews hub →-
Comparison
Augusta Precious Metals vs Birch Gold: The $50,000 Line That Decides It
Augusta vs Birch Gold run near-identical $235 fees, so the $50,000 vs $10,000 minimums and a 1-vs-10 BBB complaint file decide it. Verified September 2026.
The Gold IRA Desk Editorial Team · August 27, 2026
-
Guide
Regal Assets Complaints: How a Top-Ranked Gold IRA Dealer Ended in a $49 Million Judgment
Regal Assets complaints ended in a $49M default judgment: over $21M taken from 120+ retirement savers, per the CFTC. The full record, and what to do now.
The Gold IRA Desk Editorial Team · August 27, 2026
-
Rules
IRA-Eligible Gold: Which Coins and Bars Actually Qualify
What makes gold IRA-eligible under IRC 408(m)(3): the fineness thresholds, the coins named in statute, and the popular coins that do not qualify.
The Gold IRA Desk Editorial Team · July 28, 2026
-
Guide
Free Gold IRA Kit: What Is Inside, Who Sends One, and the Gold-Bar Catch
What a free gold IRA kit contains, how to request one, which companies send them, and why the advertised free gold bar is almost always silver.
The Gold IRA Desk Editorial Team · July 27, 2026
-
Review
Fidelity Precious Metals IRA Review: The Un-Dealer Option
Fidelity lets IRAs hold physical gold, silver, and platinum with published percentage fees — 0.99% to 2.90% by size. How it compares with gold IRA dealers.
The Gold IRA Desk Editorial Team · July 21, 2026
-
Guide
Augusta Precious Metals Lawsuit: What the Records Actually Show
No court case or regulator action names Augusta Precious Metals as of July 2026. Here is what public records show — and why the lawsuit rumor will not die.
The Gold IRA Desk Editorial Team · July 15, 2026
Who writes this
The Gold IRA Desk Editorial Team, reading the fine print so retirement savers don't have to.
Independent research on Gold IRA companies, custodians, and IRS rules. Not a licensed advisor, not paid for rankings. Commissions are disclosed on every page, and the rubric never changes.
