Best gold IRA companies

Gold has long been regarded as a reliable investment, attracting interest from a wide range of investors due to its lasting value. While its role as a safeguard against inflation is a major factor in its appeal, the benefits of investing in gold go far beyond protecting against rising costs. This precious metal also offers a distinctive blend of security and growth potential, making it a favored choice for both experienced and new investors.

In today's financial environment, there are various ways to include gold in your investment portfolio, each with unique advantages in terms of diversification and protection. Options range from the traditional ownership of physical gold — such as gold coins and bars — to more high-tech methods like gold-focused exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and investments in gold mining companies. For those looking to combine the benefits of gold with potential tax advantages, gold individual retirement accounts (IRAs) offer a compelling solution, integrating gold investments into retirement planning.

While adding a gold IRA to your retirement strategy can be a smart move, choosing a reputable and experienced provider is crucial. The success of your gold IRA will largely depend on the reliability and expertise of the company that manages your assets. To help with this decision, we've thoroughly reviewed a variety of gold IRA providers to identify the top options. Here's what you need to know.

Learn more about your gold investing opportunities online here. 

Best gold IRA companies

Here are some of the best gold IRA companies currently.

• Best overall: Goldco
• Best for customer service: Lear Capital
• Best for customer reviews: American Hartford Gold
• Best for low fees: Birch Gold Group

Best overall: Goldco

Goldco is our choice for the best overall gold IRA company due to its outstanding track record and ratings, robust educational content and other factors. The company is rated A+ by the Better Business Bureau (BBB), AAA by Business Consumer Alliance and an excellent 4.7 rating on Trustpilot (as of April 26, 2024). Other accolades include being named an Inc 5000 Award recipient as one of the Fastest Growing Private Companies for the past seven years. The company was also designated the 2022 Company of the Year from the American Business Awards.

Goldco offers both gold and silver IRAs and allows rollovers from 401(k) and 403(b) plans, pensions, thrift savings plans and traditional and Roth IRAs. Your precious metals are stored in an IRS-approved depository. At age 59 ½, you're eligible to take distributions as physical gold or cash.

Goldco's website lists fees for gold IRAs at roughly $225 annually ($125 for the annual maintenance fee and $100 for annual storage, though segregated storage will cost $150 annually). Getting started requires a $25,000 minimum investment, and you can usually roll over funds into your IRA within two weeks.

Learn more about Goldco's gold investing options here now.

Best for customer service: Lear Capital

Customer service involves more than just handling customer complaints. An essential component of customer satisfaction is assisting investors and preventing issues in the first place.

In that regard, Lear Capital proactively helps investors by providing superb investment tools and resources on its website. For example, the company's Smart Suite Tools help investors determine how much inflation-adjusted money they'll need in retirement. You can also utilize the Required Minimum Distribution calculator to discover how much you must withdraw from your gold IRA in retirement per IRS regulations.

Lear Capital also earns a 4.8 Trustpilot rating as of April 26, 2024.

Learn more about gold investing with Lear Capital now.

Best for customer reviews: American Hartford Gold

If you're looking for a gold IRA company with impeccable reviews and ratings, look no further than American Hartford Gold. The company enjoys an A+ rating with the BBB and a 4.7 rating with over 1,200 reviews on Trustpilot (as of April 26, 2024). 

What's interesting about American Hartford Gold's customer reviews is that the company responds to nearly every review across every platform, whether the comment is good or bad. Perhaps it's that intention of customer prioritization that is responsible for so many positive reviews in the first place.

American Hartford Gold also offers valuable resources on its website to assist investors, from pricing charts for precious metals to industry news.

Check your gold investing options with American Hartford Gold now.

Best for low fees: Birch Gold Group

Birch Gold Group transparently lists its setup and annual storage and management fees, a rarity in the marketplace. According to the company, most investors adhere to the following fee schedule:

• Account set up: $50
• Wire transfer: $30
• Storage and Insurance: $100
• Management: $125

Unlike many gold IRA providers, Birch Gold's fees are flat-rate rather than a percentage of your account value. This structure may work in your favor if you have a high account balance. Additionally, Birch Gold will cover your first year's fees if you transfer over $50,000.

Learn more about investing in gold with Birch Gold Group here.

The bottom line

These are our picks for the best gold IRA companies. Ultimately, the choice is an individual one. If you're considering opening a gold IRA, your best option will depend on which company best suits your personal financial needs and goals.

Shopping and comparing different gold IRA companies can help you determine which one checks the most boxes for your situation. All of the above companies can answer your questions to arm you with the information you need to make an informed decision. Also, consider consulting your accountant or financial advisor before making any investment to ensure it aligns with your portfolio plan.