Fiat currency is a policy choice. This industry is also full of markup games and pressure tactics — you need to see both clearly.
We researched five of the best-known Gold IRA companies directly: BBB complaint filings, fee schedules, regulatory history, and founding/tenure — not just their own marketing pages. Where a company has a real complaint pattern or open regulatory inquiry, it's disclosed here explicitly, not hidden behind a star rating.
ⓘAffiliate status: not yet established. The links below go directly to each company's own site — no affiliate relationship exists yet with any company on this page, so nothing here is influenced by a commission that doesn't exist. If/when a partnership is set up, this banner and each link will be updated to say so explicitly.
The three we'd actually recommend first
Based on complaint record, tenure, and regulatory history — not on which pays the highest commission.
Augusta Precious Metals Cleanest record
Founded 2012 · $50,000 minimum investment · ~$180–260/year in fees
The standout finding in our research: essentially zero filed BBB complaints in the last 3 years, which is genuinely unusual for this industry. No lawsuits or regulatory actions found. Requires a free one-on-one education call with an in-house economist before any sales conversation — a lower-pressure model than most competitors.
Watch out: the $50,000 minimum puts it out of reach for smaller investors — this isn't the pick if you're starting with a modest rollover.
Founded 2003 · $10,000 minimum investment · ~$175–250/year in fees
The oldest company on this list by a decade, with a low complaint count relative to its tenure and size. Lowest minimum investment of the well-established names, which makes it more accessible than Augusta.
Watch out: like every company here, uses paid celebrity endorsement marketing (Ben Shapiro/Daily Wire) — treat that as advertising, not due diligence, when deciding.
Founded 2006 · No minimum for rollovers ($3,500 for cash purchases) · ~$200–300/year in fees
The largest and most-reviewed company researched, with a resolved-complaint track record (all closed BBB complaints were addressed) and no minimum investment for IRA rollovers.
Watch out: 78 BBB complaints filed in the last 3 years — the second-highest count researched — with a recurring theme of pricing disputes and pressure toward premium/collectible coins over standard bullion. Push back if a rep steers you away from plain bullion.
American Hartford Gold has the highest complaint count of the five researched, and a Beverly Hills consumer-protection firm (Kiesel Law LLP) announced in October 2023 that it was investigating the company over undisclosed markup practices on proprietary coins. As of this writing, no lawsuit has been filed and no regulator has issued findings — it's an open inquiry, not adjudicated wrongdoing, but worth knowing before a $10,000+ decision.
What to know regardless of which company you pick
The dealer markup is the real cost, not the annual fee. Storage/admin fees are small (~$150–300/year) next to what dealers charge over spot price on the metal itself — markups of 15–30% on standard bullion and 40–200%+ on "collectible" or proprietary coins are reported industry-wide, and this spread usually isn't itemized clearly at point of sale. Ask for the exact markup percentage over spot, in writing, before buying.
"Free silver" promotions are typically funded by inflating the price of your primary purchase, not given away for free. This is the single most common pattern behind complaints in this sector.
Buyback guarantees often don't return what you paid. Several companies are accused of stripping the original premium when quoting a buyback price — the "we'll buy it back" promise can net out well below your purchase price.
Celebrity endorsements are paid advertising, not due diligence. Every major company in this sector pays a spokesperson (Hannity, O'Reilly, Shapiro, and others). It should carry zero weight in your decision.
This is a real enforcement target industry. The FTC obtained judgments exceeding $170 million against deceptive precious-metals dealers in 2023 alone. In 2022, New York's Attorney General secured a $6 million settlement against Lear Capital — a once-prominent name in this space — over undisclosed commissions as high as 33% and misleading pricing toward roughly 1,000 New York customers. None of the five companies above have a comparable adjudicated regulatory finding as of this writing, but it's the right context for how seriously to take due diligence in this sector generally.
High-pressure sales tactics targeting retirement savings are a recurring complaint theme sector-wide, and research on precious-metals fraud broadly has found free-dinner-seminar recruiting behind a large share of cases. Take your time; a legitimate company won't rush you.
Get the vetting notes, not just the verdict
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