Best Gold Investment Companies

If you are looking to invest in gold and other precious metals through an IRA you need to do so through a specialized company. These companies have specific knowledge and specialization in the transportation, storage, and administration of precious metals accounts.

We are going to go through the 15 best gold investment companies so you can make a comparison of their main features. The information we provide will help you make a better-informed choice on the company you choose for your precious metals investing.

However, we recommend you make a shortlist of viable companies that suit your needs. It makes sense to contact a few gold investment companies before you make a final decision. This will allow you to:

• Compare their overall service
• Evaluate the products on offer
• Asses their fee schedule, especially storage and transportation
• Experience their approach to customer care

In the end, you are the best judge of which company may work best for you, always when you have done your homework. The process finalizes with approaching a few companies to find out more about them and establish a clearer picture of how they operate.

2. Augusta Precious Metals

• URL: https://www.ausgustapreciousmetals.com
• Phone: 844-615-4484
• Location: Beverly Hills, California

Augusta Precious Metals opened its doors in 2012 and has since become an industry leader in gold IRAs. The company maintains it is committed to full transparency and has a waiver for the first year of IRA fees.

This gold IRA company has a rating of A+ from the Better Business Bureau and a rating of AAA from the Business Consumer Alliance. They also have zero complaints filed with both intuitions and 5-star customer ratings.

However, Augusta only offers gold and silver, no platinum or palladium for its investors. They do use highly trusted custodians such as Equity Trust, Goldstar Trust, and Kingdom Trust. Storage is provided through the renowned Delaware Depository which is fully insured through Lloyd’s of London.

The company is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California, and was founded by its CEO Isaac Nuriani. Nuriani graduated from the University of California with a major in Economics. He is a member of the National Coin & Bullion Association (ICTA) and an advocate for retirement savers. 

You can read our full review of Augusta Precious Metals here.  

Pros

👍

• Selection of popular gold and silver IRS-approved coins & bullion
• Selection of esteemed custodians
• Storage provided by an industry leader – Delaware Depository
• Online chat
• Fully insured shipping – Through USPS, FedEx, or Brinks Armored 

Cons

👎

• Only gold and silver items
• No gold and silver pricing or quotes on their website, you must call for a quote
• No fee schedule available on their website

3. Noble Gold

• URL: https://www.noblegoldinvestments.com
• Phone: 877-646-5347
• Location: Encino, California

Noble Gold was founded in 2017 by a group of industry experts with over 20 years of experience in the field of finance. The team has led Noble Gold to the pinnacle of the industry, they claim to have secured $1 billion in precious metals for their clients so far.

The company maintains a high-ranking customer review profile, The rating at the Better Business Bureau is A+ and AA with the Business Consumer Alliance.  Customer reviews on both sites are five stars, although the company has had 3 complaints with the Better Business Bureau over the past three years.

The gold IRA company offers a free investment kit and prides itself in being able to get you up and running your IRA in 5 minutes. The founding team is made up of Collin Plume and Charles Thorngren, both have decades of experience in alternative investments such as real estate as well as stocks, bonds, and precious metals.

You can read our full review of Noble Gold here

Pros

👍

• Quick account setup 
• Solid buyback program
• Free investor guide
• Extensive information from their website

Cons

👎

• Lack of international storage options
• No online pricing or quotes for items

4. American Hartford Gold

• URL: https://www.americanhartforgold.com
• Phone: 800-462-0071
• Location: Los Angeles, California

American Hartford Gold was established in 2015 and has grown rapidly to become one of the industry leaders. They offer a very wide range of IRS-approved gold, silver, and platinum, with no palladium products available.

The company has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau with a 5-star rating from 344 customer reviews. They also have a AA rating from the Business Consumer Alliance and a 5-star customer rating from 8 reviews. However, they have also picked up 22 complaints through the Better Business Bureau over the past 3 years.

This gold IRA company uses the renowned custodian Equity Trust Company and provides various options when it comes to storage. They do not provide an option for 401(k)s but they do have a very wide choice when it comes to bullion items for gold, silver, and platinum.

American Hartford Gold was founded and is run by Sanford Mann, who attended Eastern Connecticut University and graduated in Economics. He then went on to hold various management positions in the financial field in New York City.

You can read our full review on American Hartford Gold here.

Pros

👍

• Extremely wide selection of IRS-approved gold, silver, and platinum items
• Choice of three depository companies
• Fully insured shipping
• Renowned custodian 

Cons 

👎

• Lack of palladium products for further diversification in precious metals
• No online prices or quotes for their items

5. Gold Alliance

• URL: https://www.goldaliance.com
• Phone: 888-642-3314
• Location: Woodland Hills, California

Gold Alliance was founded in 2017 and has since risen to position itself among the top gold companies in the country. The company is ranked the No.1 gold company in the Inc.500 and is also ranked as the fastest-growing gold company.

The company has a 5-star customer rating with the Better Business Bureau from 179 reviews and is rated A+ by the bureau. They also have a top-tier rating from the Business Consumer Alliance with a AAA rating.

The company was founded by a team of three: Joseph Sherman (CEO), Kevin Troy (Senior Portfolio Manager), and Fred Abadi (Senior Portfolio Manager). Sherman and Troy have previous experience in the financial services industry and Abadi has a decade of experience in the precious metals industry.

You can read our full review of Gold Alliance here

Pros

👍

• Wide selection of IRS-approved gold and silver items
• Insured shipping
• Choice of renowned IRA custodians
• Two international storage options 

Cons

👎

• Only offer gold and silver
• No prices or quotes for their items online

6. American Bullion

• URL: https://www.americanbullion.com
• Phone: 800-GOLD-IRA
• Location: Los Angeles, California

American Bullion was founded in 2009 and has worked its way to become one of the leaders in the precious metals industry. The company is a member of the National Coin & Bullion Association and a member of the national ethics association.

They are also recognized dealers of both the United States Mint and the Royal Mint of Canada. The company has a single A rating on the Better Business Bureau with zero complaints over the past 12 months. While the Business Consumer Alliance gives the company a AAA rating with no complaints.

Advantage Gold prides itself in having been the pioneer of streamlined gold IRA account processing. They have seasoned professionals that work in harmony with brokers and clients to create a hassle-free experience.

Their minimum investment is on the high side at $50,000 compared to many other companies asking for $10,000. However, their fee schedule is simple and on the lower end of the industry average. The annual fee 1s $75 for accounts under $100,000 and $150 for accounts over that. While storage fees are $290 for all accounts.

You can read our full review of American Bullion here.

Pros

👍

• Listed as a dealer of the United States Mint
• Wide selection of precious metals and items
• Also offers European coins
• Free account and storage fees for 1^st year

Cons

👎

• Large minimum investment to open an account 
• Slower delivery times

7. GoldCo

• URL: https://www.goldcopreciousmetals.com
• Phone: 855-465-3472
• Location: Calabasas, California

GoldCo was founded in 2006 and successfully navigated the stormy waters of the 2008 financial crisis. The company has continued to expand and presents itself as a leader in the precious metals industry. 

This gold company states that it focuses on delivering on clients’ needs to understand and educate themselves in precious metals investing through an IRA. They claim that their business success relies on the trust and relationship between their clients and their IRA experts.

The company has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau with five-star ratings from 436 customer reviews, and 12 complaints in the last 12 months. While the Business Consumer Alliance gives GoldCo a AAA rating, with one complaint filed.

GoldCo was founded by Trevor Gerszt, who came to the United States at the age of six. After obtaining his real estate license he ventured into the San Fernando Valley property market. However, he soon realized that precious metals heal even greater potential and set up GoldCo.

Gerszt wanted to offer unmatched service and product quality. From his experience with the less ethical precious metals providers, he decided to run his company according to the strictest ethical practices. GoldCo offers a Self-Storage IRA where clients achieve the highest possible degree of control over their precious metals. 

You can read our full review on GoldCo here.

Pros

👍

• Offers a wide choice of IRS-approved gold and silver coins including less common Mexican Libertad, and Vienna Philharmonics
• Focuses on educating and putting their client’s goals and needs first
• 18-year history of commitment to client satisfaction as demonstrated by many five-star reviews

Cons

👎

• Does not offer platinum or palladium or gold and silver bars
• Does not have a preferred custodian partner
• Does not appear to have a partnered vault storage company

8. Birch Gold

• URL: https://www.birchgold.com
• Phone: 800-355-2116
• Location: Burbank, California

Birch Gold first opened its doors in 2003, and it has grown consistently over time to become one of the top gold companies in the United States. The company does not publish any information about its management, something that most companies make sure their investors know.

The company has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau and a AAA rating from the Business Consumer Alliance. Birch Gold has 71 customer reviews on the Better Business Bureau with a five-star rating, and three customer complaints over the past 12 months.

Birch gold has a wide range of gold, silver, platinum, and palladium coins and bars. Unlike some companies that focus only on coins. You also get a choice of top custodians to choose from; Equity Trust, Goldstar Trust, and STRATA Trust.

They have also partnered with esteemed Brink’s Global Service for storage. Customers can also choose the Delaware Depository, in this case, there is a choice of two locations: Wilmington, Delaware, or Seal Beach, California.

You can read our full review of Birch Gold here.

Pros

👍

• Complete and extensive selection of IRS-approved coins and bars in gold, silver, platinum, and palladium
• Good choice of custodians – Equity Trust, STRATA Trust, and Goldstar Trust
• Top-tier vault storage from Brink’s and the Delaware Depository

Cons

👎

• The company does not provide any information about its management team

9. Rosland Capital

• URL: https://www.roslandcapital.com
• Phone: 844-754-1349
• Location: Santa Monica, California

Rosland Capital has been in the precious metals business since 2005 and offers a no-gimmicks approach to investing. The company specializes in converting traditional IRAs into gold IRAs for the protection offered by precious metals.

This gold company was founded by Martin Aleksov and as the CEO is still involved in the expansion of the company and making sure all clients get more than they expect. Aleksov opened the company’s first international branch in the United Kingdom.  He has since then also opened branches in Germany and France.

Rosland Capital has a AAA rating from the Business Consumer Alliance and an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. On both organizations, the company has five-star customer reviews, with 10 complaints over the past 12 months with the Better Business Bureau.

The company covers all the main precious metals which allows investors to diversify their holdings. Their top economist considers that all investors should hold between 10 and 15 percent of their savings in precious metals.

However, there is no information on their website as to which custodians or storage services they may use. Neither do they publish any fee schedule; you will have to contact them to get this information.

You can read our full review of Rosland Capital here. 

Pros

👍

• Offers a highly recognized and reputable brand
• Has been selling precious metals since 2008
• Quality educational material from their website

Cons

👎

• Only gold and silver coins, no other precious metals or bars
• Not transparent about the fee schedule
• No open information about custodians and storage partners

Best Gold Investment Companies: Offshore

The next part of our list of the best gold companies will now focus on offshore companies. Some investors may want to use offshore gold companies to access a higher level of security from confiscation.

Surprisingly, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia are the only developed nations in history with a track record of confiscating gold. So, if your precious metals holdings are not part of a retirement investing account you may want to take advantage of storage in highly secure locations.

When considering offshore storage for your precious metals there are a few factors that should be considered:

Stability: Economic and political stability are important when choosing a country to store your precious metals. Countries that are struggling economically and have a poor political system increase the chances of confiscation 

Security: This relates to both the security of the facility and the general security of the nation. 

Infrastructure: In this case, elements like international airports and secure and safe roads for transportation and ease of access.

Legal Issues: This is a less tangible issue but requires consideration. There should be sound legal systems in place that mean the local government or employees won’t confiscate your precious metals when subject to pressure.

Privacy: The local government should have laws in place that guarantee they are not obligated in any way to share information on what you have stashed away offshore.

Risk of Confiscation: Incredibly, the United States has a history of confiscating all of its citizens’ gold. While countries like Switzerland, Singapore, or the Cayman Islands have never done so, neither do they seem propense to it. 

10. SWP Cayman

• URL: https://www.swpcayman.com
• Phone: +1 345 640 2111
• Location: Cayman Islands

Strategic Wealth Preservation started offering its services in 2015. It has since then grown to be a leading provider of precious metals and offshore storage. Their clients are individuals, companies, trusts, and wealth management professionals.

Even though this precious metals dealer is offshore, it is an IRS-approved storage facility for all US citizens and residents holding an IRA. They are also fully approved distributors for the Royal Mint of England, and the Perth Mint of Australia. As well approved vendor of the LBMA and COMEX refineries.

The company has partnered with some of the top bullion dealers and can provide its clients a full service when it comes to buying and selling precious metals. They also have a vast catalog of coins and bars across the full spectrum of precious metals.

SWP can count on an advisory team made up of three experts from the precious metals investing field. For example, Jeff Clark spent ten years at the renowned publication Big Gold as their senior editor. 

And Jeff Thomas has studied under the likes of Sir John Templeton and Harry Schultz of the Austrian School of Economics. While he has written a column for ten years concerning limiting government interference.

You can read our full review of SWP Cayman here.

Pros 

👍

• SWP is based in the fifth-largest offshore financial services center in the world
• Cayman Island offers one of the world’s most secure jurisdictions
• Storage is easily accessible and close to US investors
• Multiple choice of secure locations

Buyback program

Cons

👎

• Sliding scale storage fees can prove to be expensive

11. Gold Switzerland

• URL: https://www.goldswitzerland.com
• Phone: +41 44 213 62 45
• Location: Zurich, Switzerland

Gold Switzerland was set up by the management team at Matterhorn Investment Management in 2012. Matterhorn Investment Management had already been advising its clients as early as 2002 to invest a high percentage of their wealth in gold. At the time gold was trading for around $300 per ounce.

This company has set its focus on providing the highest level of security for its clients. The choice of locations, Switzerland and Singapore both offer a very high degree of jurisdictional safety. Then you have the Swiss Alps vault set in rock and with military-grade security.

This facility can withstand seismic, atomic, biological, chemical, and cyber attacks. The facility even has its own private airstrip and high-end lodgings if you wish to visit your physical holdings. However, entry into this facility requires a rather high minimum investment.

In fact, you will need a $5 million minimum investment for the Swiss Alps location and a minimum $400,000 investment for the facilities in Zurich and Singapore. While the storage fees are higher than average we feel that given the highest level of security we have found it may be justifiable.

You can read our full review of Gold Switzerland here.

Pros

👍

• Gold Switzerland has backing from parent company Matterhorn Investment Management
• Choice of military-grade vault in the Swiss Alps in an undisclosed location
• Founding principal, Egon Von Greyerz is a legend in wealth preservation 

Cons

👎

• Higher than average sliding scale fees
• A high minimum investment required

12. GoldBroker

• URL: https://www.goldbroker.com
• Phone: +1 800-780-0350
• Location: Zurich, Switzerland

GoldBroker was set up in 2011 and has Egon Von Greyertz who is the founding principal at Matterhorn Investment Management. Contrary to Gold Switzerland which focuses on High Net Wealth Individuals, GoldBroker Caters to a wider public with minimum investments starting at £10,000.

The company prides itself in creating a service that provides for the purchase, storage, and sale of precious metals outside of the banking system. They have storage facilities in two of the most jurisdictionally sound countries, Switzerland and Singapore. 

Storage locations are also available in the United States and Canada to cater to citizens and residents of these countries. This offer complies with the rules these countries have for investors wishing to hold precious metals in retirement savings accounts.

You can access your precious metals at any time. However, GoldBroker requires a fee for this, and they also require a fee for taking delivery of your precious metals. The fee for either of these activities is $200.

You can read our full review on GoldBroker here.

Pros

👍

• 4 Locations: Switzerland, Singapore, the United States, and Canada
• Easy delivery of your precious metals
• Low minimum investment at £10,000

Cons

👎

• Lack of information on exact features of storage vaults
• High transaction fees

13. Kitco

• URL: https://www.kitco.com.hk
• Phone: +1 852 2827 7800
• Location, Hong Kong

Kitco was founded in 1977 and has since grown to become a worldwide organization. The company is headquartered in Montreal, Canada, with branches in New York, United States, and Hong Kong, China. 

They have the widest choice of precious metals as they also sell both palladium and rhodium. Two precious metals which are not often found at many dealers, especially rhodium. They pride themselves in having set up storage facilities that lie outside of the banking system.

However, we find that their choice of Hong Kong as their main storage hub lacks country-specific jurisdiction safety. Their pricing for the precious metals they have on offer is transparent and easily available on their website.

They are also leaders in maintaining accurate and dependable news relating to precious metals. Altogether their service has helped them garner thousands of clients with their purchases and storage of precious metals.

You can read our full review on Kitco here

Pros

👍

• The 40-year-old company is a household name in precious metals
• Kitco offers various bullion storage location around the globe
• More choice in precious metals than most dealers

Cons

👎

• Monthly storage fees add up quickly

14. GoldCore

• URL: https://www.goldcore.ie
• Phone: +353 1 632 5010
• Location: Dublin, Ireland

GoldCore is based in Ireland and was founded in 2003. They have various locations for storage worldwide and rely on two renowned storage and transportation operators: Brink’s and Via Mat international.

Storage locations include:

• Salt Lake City
• New York
• Delaware
• London
• Frankfurt
• Zurich
• Singapore
• Hong Kong

The company is very transparent about its pricing as quotes for its products are available directly from its website. They also have a savings account where GoldCore makes monthly purchases for its clients that commit to holding these savings for 12 months.

The bullion is purchased through LBMA-approved refineries with a competitive 5% markup. You can choose to save from as little as $100 a month with no maximum. The management team has previous experience in finance and has managed to make GoldCore a go-to shop not only for precious metals buyers but also for media outlets.

GoldCore management has frequently contributed to financial media outlets such as the Wall Street Journal, CNBC, CNN, Reuters, Bloomberg, and the Associated Press. They also participate in the polls and surveys run by Reuters and Bloomberg. 

You can read our full review on GoldCore here

Pros

👍

• A trusted reputation built over time
• Choice of storage options worldwide
• In-person pick up at no extra charge

Cons

👎

• Only gold and silver items
• Slightly high storage fees for smaller investments

15. Swiss Gold Safe

• URL: https://www.swissgoldsafe.com
• Phone: +41 (0)41 884 04 04
• Location: Switzerland and Lichtenstein

Swiss Gold Safe was founded in 2006 and focuses on the safe storage of precious metals and other valuables. The company can also cater to investors looking for the safe storage of gems, artwork, collectibles, and more. 

The company does not directly sell precious metals and operates through an affiliate company. Or you can buy your precious metals from a third party and make delivery to one of their storage facilities.

They have two locations, Zurich Switzerland and Liechtenstein. The storage facilities are fully insured and do not require investors to declare the beneficial owner, nor do they require you to hold a Swiss bank account.

 You can read our full review of Swiss Gold Safe here.

Pros

👍

• High jurisdiction safety at storage locations in Switzerland and Lichtenstein
• Reasonable premium over spot prices
• Storage of precious metals, artwork, gems, collectibles, and more 

Cons 

👎

• Limited choice of precious metals items from their affiliate

Best Gold Investment Companies FAQs

Here are some of thxe most common questions retirement investors having when considering a precious metals IRA company.

What Is a Gold IRA?

A gold IRA is an Individual Retirement Account that is geared to invest in precious metals. Investing in physical assets such as gold and silver creates the need for a variety of different details that must be taken care of when compared to a traditional IRA.

A gold IRA is organized to allow you to focus on investing in precious metals with ease. From purchase and transportation to storage. And all the while making sure you don’t break any IRS rules.

How Do You Add Physical Gold to an IRA?

You can add physical gold through your IRA company. They will take care of transportation to the storage facility. All of the companies reviewed insure all their products for shipping and insurance is usually provided for your precious metals once they are stored.

Can I Own More Than One Gold IRA?

The IRS does not limit how many IRAs you can own. However, you will only be able to contribute to all IRAs for the maximum contribution limit. In 2024, that limit is set at $7,000, while the IRS has granted another $1,000 in contributions to those over the age of 50.

So, let’s say you have two IRAs, one for traditional assets and one for precious metals. In 2024, if you contribute $2,000 to your traditional IRA, then you can contribute up to $5,000 to your gold IRA if you are under 50, or up to $6,000 if you are over 50.

What Types of Precious Metals Can I Hold in a Gold IRA?

You can hold the following precious metals in a gold IRA:

• Gold
• Silver
• Platinum
• Palladium

All of the above must meet certain IRS specifications for purity and be considered as bullion. Also, note that not all coins are approved for IRAs as they may hold numismatic value and are considered as collectibles. Your gold IRA company will be able to guide you as to which precious metals items are approved for a gold IRA.

Do Gold IRAs Have Early Withdrawal Rules?

Yes, the IRS maintains a penalty of 10% for early withdrawals under the age of 59 1/2. Although there are some exceptions in the case of hardships.

Can I Store Precious Metals in My IRA at Home?

Although some gold IRA companies cater to this possibility, storing your precious metals at home is generally not a viable option for most people. The IRA has to be set up as an LLC and the owner of the LLC must follow a host of rules and bureaucratic demands. 

Failure to comply with any of the rules from the IRS regarding home storage can incur fines and penalties. In general, it’s easier and safer for your pocket to use a storage facility that is approved by the IRS.

Are Gold IRAs Expensive?

Gold IRA fees vary somewhat between IRA companies and it’s always best to ask before you get committed for their full fee schedule. As precious metals do not pay any dividends or coupons you may find that there is no offset from these expenses.

However, holding gold should be looked at from a different point of view. One of money preservation and a hedge against rampant money printing, a ballooning federal debt, and high inflationary periods. So, it’s more of a cost of doing business. 

Why Invest in a Gold IRA?

Holding gold and other precious metals allows you to diversify your investment portfolio and reduce its overall risk. Gold has been known to defend against traditional market shocks and financial crises. Doing so in a gold IRA allows you to benefit from the tax-enhanced status of these accounts.

We have created a list of the best gold IRA companies in the industry. You can read our full reviews on them here.