The short answer
Which self directed IRA companies help with gold?
This guide covers two companies that help arrange precious-metal purchases: Goldco first as paid placement, then Augusta Precious Metals. It compares their published records, not a tested customer experience or the whole SDIRA market. The institution holding the IRA is a separate party to verify.[4]
- 01YoudecideChoose and check the investment
- 02Custodianholds the accountAdministers the IRA and its assets
- 03Dealersells metalQuotes the product and price
- 04Depositorystores itHolds metal under the custody arrangement
How was this limited comparison selected?
Both companies have affiliate relationships with the publisher, and those payments influence their inclusion and order.
Goldco pays for qualifying inquiries and purchases. Augusta pays for qualifying inquiries. Goldco’s first position is paid; it is not an award or a conclusion that it suits every reader. We have not opened accounts with either company as customers. The comparison reads published records and retains the date and scope of each field.
This page concerns metals arrangements, not every type of alternative-asset provider. If you first need to distinguish dealer from account institution, read the custody responsibility checks. Neither a paid position nor a familiar custodian name evaluates the investment for you.
Scroll horizontally to read every column →
| What is compared | Basis | What the comparison cannot establish |
|---|---|---|
| Opening thresholds and charges | Dated company pages and the referenced custodian schedule | The final quote or every charge for your chosen arrangement |
| Custody and storage references | Names captured in the verified source fields | An exclusive relationship or every option offered to applicants |
| Buyback and public records | Published terms, complaint snapshots and the identified records | A future resale price, a service score or a clean-record certification |
What minimums, custody arrangements and fees are published?
The table reports the captured inputs with their actual source dates; ask for a new written schedule before committing.
The dealer spread percentage is not published in the verified snapshot. That gap matters: account fees alone do not tell you what it costs to buy and later sell the metal. Ask for the price and same-day resale bid for the same product and quantity. The opening document register helps keep those quotes separate from account charges.
Scroll horizontally to compare both companies →
| Document check | Goldco01 · Paid first placement | Augusta Precious Metals02 · Affiliate partner |
|---|---|---|
| Published opening threshold | $25,000Checked October 29, 2026 · Source for published opening threshold | $50,000Checked October 29, 2026 · Source for published opening threshold |
| Account setup | $50Checked October 29, 2026 · Source for account setupThird-party custodian fee as described by Goldco; cost page last modified 2025-02-28. | $50Checked October 29, 2026 · Source for account setupCharged by Equity Trust (custodian). |
| Annual administration | $125Checked October 29, 2026 · Source for annual administrationGoldco cost page (modified 2025-02-28) says $125/yr, matching Equity Trust's current $125 annual maintenance. The older Goldco FAQ (modified 2024-09-03) says 'around $80' - superseded by the newer page and the custodian schedule. | $125Checked October 29, 2026 · Source for annual administrationEquity Trust custody fee. |
| Standard annual storage | $110Checked October 29, 2026 · Source for standard annual storageNon-segregated storage under the referenced schedule. Goldco page says $100 (older). | $110Checked October 29, 2026 · Source for standard annual storageDelaware Depository storage+insurance; storage type not specified on page. Total $285 year 1, $235/yr after. |
| Segregated annual storage | $160Checked October 29, 2026 · Source for segregated annual storageEquity Trust current schedule $160. Goldco cost page (2025-02-28) says $150 (older). | Not publishedChecked October 29, 2026 |
| Named custodian | Equity Trust Company (one of several; Goldco does not publish a full list)Checked October 29, 2026 · Source for named custodianPartial record: confirm the available arrangement. | Equity Trust CompanyChecked October 29, 2026 · Source for named custodian |
| Named depository | Delaware Depository (featured by Goldco; not stated as exclusive)Checked October 29, 2026 · Source for named depositoryPartial record: confirm the available arrangement. | Delaware DepositoryChecked October 29, 2026 · Source for named depository |
| Dealer spread percentage | Not publishedChecked October 29, 2026 | Not publishedChecked October 29, 2026 |
What do the published account charges add up to?
For the specific inputs in the table, the chart adds setup, annual administration and standard storage for the opening year, then the recurring items for a later year.
The standard-storage labels do not prove identical storage terms. Goldco’s captured storage input follows the current named custodian schedule; Augusta’s source does not specify the storage type in the captured field. Written confirmation is needed for the arrangement actually offered.
The SEC cautions that self-directed accounts can carry opening, annual, transaction and asset-specific fees. This subtotal therefore cannot stand in for a complete cost comparison.[1]
Augusta pays for qualifying inquiries. How payment works.
What do the buyback, BBB and legal records show?
The records supply questions to investigate, not a rating of either company or a promise about future service.
Complaint counts have a reporting window and are not adjusted for customer volume. A registration matter, marketing-text settlement and commercial dispute are different types of record. Preserve that context rather than collapsing them into “good” or “bad” labels.
Goldco: the record and its limits
- Buyback
- A buyback program is advertised; the captured marketing page does not state all conditions. Request the terms and a current bid. A program is not a promise of a future sale price.Checked October 29, 2026 · Buyback source
- BBB complaint count
- 72 in the source’s three-year reporting window.Checked October 29, 2026 · BBB complaint record. These counts are not a service-quality score and can change.
- Regulator record
- No action was recorded in the checked dataset. That search was not exhaustive and is not a clean-record certification.Checked October 29, 2026
- Court / dispute record
Summerton v. Goldco Direct LLC, W.D. Wis. 3:23-cv-00238: a dispute about marketing text messages. The docket snapshot records approval of a settlement, with $2,000,000 for the class, $666,666 for lawyers’ fees and costs, and a service award of $7,500. It records final approval on March 26, 2026 and judgment on April 16, 2026. The claims were dismissed with prejudice.
Checked October 29, 2026 · Court docket mirror. A settlement is not a finding that the underlying allegations were proved.
Augusta Precious Metals: the record and its limits
- Buyback
- The source says repurchase is not obligatory. Ask for the current resale bid and any account-level processing charge before assuming an exit cost.Checked October 29, 2026 · Buyback source
- BBB complaint count
- 1 in the source’s three-year reporting window.Checked October 29, 2026 · BBB complaint record. These counts are not a service-quality score and can change.
- Regulator record
Minnesota Department of Commerce: the order dated 2019-08-21 concerns bullion sales before required registration. The recorded civil penalty is $3,000, with investigative costs of $45. This is a registration matter; the source note describes no misrepresentation or customer loss.
Checked October 29, 2026 · Regulator record source- Court / dispute record
The dataset includes secondary reports of commercial disputes. Their outcomes are not established by the verified primary record here; we do not treat those reports as findings or as evidence of customer loss.
Secondary record checked October 29, 2026. Primary outcome: Not published in the verified snapshot.
Who is this comparison not for?
It is not a shortlist for people seeking a general SDIRA for real estate, crypto or every alternative asset, and it is not a personal suitability recommendation.
A person below a company’s quoted threshold should not stretch a retirement decision to reach it. Someone who needs income or frequent liquidity should first read the asset and administration trade-offs. A gold IRA is not right for everyone.
The broader account explanation distinguishes the legal vehicle from a metal purchase. The Roth account conditions and owner-only plan requirements need separate attention if either is part of your proposal.
- Gold can fall in price and pays no income. Storage and administration make it more costly to hold than most funds; a company comparison cannot resolve that investment trade-off.[3]
What should you ask before requesting a quote?
Ask for enough documents to compare the whole transaction and the exit route, without treating the request as a commitment.
Before any trade, apply the asset and possession boundaries. If a structure introduces personal access or an entity you control, read the LLC cautions and the connected-party examples.
Your document check
- Which legal institution will hold this IRA, and on what terms?
- Which exact products and quantities are quoted, and at what full purchase price?
- What is the current resale bid for the same holding?
- Which custody, storage, transaction and closing charges would apply?
- What does the buyback program require, and can repurchase be refused?
What else do readers ask?
Is there a self-directed Roth IRA?
Yes. A Roth IRA can use a custodian permitting alternative assets, but Roth eligibility and withdrawal rules remain separate from the investment choice. [5]
Is the first company the best self-directed IRA for me?
No personal recommendation is made. Goldco is first because its placement is paid. Compare the actual documents, total costs and your needs before deciding.
Do published account fees include the metal spread?
No. The chart adds only the listed account-fee inputs. The verified records do not publish a dealer spread percentage, so a current trade quote and resale bid are needed.
Sources and checked records
Rule sources checked November 3, 2026. Annual figures keep the year stated by the source; company tables show their original field dates.
- SEC / NASAA / FINRA: account feesAccessed November 3, 2026.
- IRS Publication 590-B: investment in collectiblesAccessed November 3, 2026.
- CFTC: precious metal frauds and investment risksAccessed November 3, 2026.
- SEC / NASAA / FINRA: custodian responsibilitiesAccessed November 3, 2026.
- IRS: Roth IRAsAccessed November 3, 2026.
Changes to this page
— First edition: documented the paid selection, compared immutable field records and calculated scoped account-charge subtotals.