We maintain this table because nobody in the industry publishes one honestly. Last verified: July 2026. (For the aggregate numbers — industry averages, minimums distribution, enforcement data, and our 10-year cost model — see the gold IRA statistics page.) A note on sourcing: of the six companies below, only Augusta publishes a complete fee sheet. Figures marked † come from the company’s own published materials; everything else is reported by third-party sources and disclosed by the companies only during the sales process. Treat those as close estimates and confirm directly before funding.
The published fees
| Company | Minimum | Setup | Annual admin | Annual storage | Typical total/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Augusta Precious Metals | $50,000 † | $50 † | $125 † | $225–$325 | |
| Goldco | $25,000 † | ~$50 | ~$100 | $100 ($150 segregated) | ~$225 |
| Birch Gold Group | $10,000 | ~$50 | ~$125 | ~$100–$110 incl. insurance | ~$235 † |
| American Hartford Gold | $10,000 IRA / $5,000 cash | $0–$50 | $75 (≤$100k) / $125 (>$100k) | ~$100 (+$50–$100 segregated) | ~$180–$225 |
| Noble Gold | $20,000 † | ~$80 | included | included (segregated only) | $275 flat |
| Advantage Gold | $5,000 | $0 first year (qualifying) | ~$180 combined | varies by depository | ~$180+ |
Two corrections to numbers you’ll see elsewhere: Noble Gold’s minimum is $20,000 per their own site — the $2,000 and $10,000 figures circulating on review sites are outdated. Birch’s own legacy pages still say $5,000, but $10,000 is the consistently reported current figure. Goldco confirms its ~$225 total on its own site, noting it works out to about 0.90% per year at the $25,000 minimum.
Structural things to notice:
- All six charge flat dollar fees, not percentages. That favors large accounts: $235/year is 2.4% of a $10,000 account but 0.2% of $100,000. Small accounts bleed proportionally more; the full math is in our Birch review, whose customers feel it most.
- Fee-waiver promotions are real but conditional. As of this writing: Augusta waives fees up to 10 years on qualifying larger accounts (~$100k+), Goldco up to 3 years plus bonus silver on qualifying purchases, Birch pays year one on rollovers of $50,000+, and American Hartford waives year one at $50k+ and up to 3 years at $100k+. Promotions change quarterly; confirm terms in writing.
- A waived fee is financed somewhere — usually in the spread. $250 waived means little next to an extra 2% spread on a $100,000 purchase ($2,000).
The spread: the fee that isn’t called a fee
When you buy metal for your IRA, the dealer’s compensation is built into the price, and no company publishes it. It exists only on a live quote. The scale of the problem is documented: the CFTC and FINRA jointly warn investors about metals overcharging, and CFTC enforcement actions have charged dealers with over $500 million in fraudulent sales, including cases where markups averaged 51–70% and even 100–300% over market price. Those are the outliers that got prosecuted; the everyday version is a “premium” coin at 25–35% over melt.
The two reputable-market reference points: standard 1 oz sovereign coins (Eagles, Maples) typically carry 3–8% premiums, and buybacks typically run 2–5% under the dealer’s sell price. Augusta, unusually, discusses this openly: expect roughly 5% less than their current sell price when they buy back the same product.
Ask any dealer these two questions, in writing:
- “What is your buy price and sell price today for a standard 1 oz American Gold Eagle?” The gap is the round-trip spread.
- “If I invested $50,000 today and sold everything back to you tomorrow, what would I receive?” This single question collapses all pricing games into one number. A good answer is in the low 90s of cents per dollar. If a dealer won’t answer it, you’ve learned what you needed to.
The spread is also why the product mix matters more than the company: ordinary bullion carries the tightest spreads; proof and “exclusive” coins carry the widest. The most expensive mistake in this industry isn’t choosing the wrong company — it’s letting any company upsell you into high-premium products.
Buyback policies, compared
All six offer to repurchase metals, but the commitments differ. Augusta and American Hartford both state they have never declined a buyback (while legally unable to guarantee one) and charge no liquidation fee. Goldco advertises a highest-price buyback guarantee. Noble commits to no-questions-asked repurchase with no holding period. Birch offers buybacks but publishes no formal written guarantee, worth knowing before you buy, not when you sell. Whoever you choose: get the buyback terms in writing at purchase.
A 10-year cost example
Take a $100,000 rollover into standard bullion, held ten years:
- Published fees: ~$250/year × 10 = $2,500
- Spread at purchase (5%): $5,000
- Spread at sale (roughly 2–5% under sell price): $2,000–$5,000
Total: roughly $9,500–$12,500, or about 1% per year before the metal moves a cent. That’s the honest baseline to weigh against your reasons for wanting gold. It’s not disqualifying; it’s simply the real number, and you deserve to see it before a salesperson does their work.
How to keep costs down
- Buy standard bullion only. Eagles, Maples, accredited bars. Decline every proof, commemorative, and “limited” offer.
- Choose commingled storage unless you have a specific reason for segregated.
- Get the buyback policy in writing before purchase, not at sale.
- Ask for the round-trip number (the $50,000 question above) from two companies and compare.
Frequently asked questions
What does a gold IRA cost per year? Typically $180–$300 in combined admin and storage on top of a one-time setup fee, plus the dealer spread at purchase and sale, which is usually the larger cost.
Are fees negotiable? Waivers and promotions are common, particularly on larger accounts. The spread is where negotiation actually matters.
Is there a percentage-based fee? Not at these six — all charge flat dollar amounts. Percentage-based storage exists elsewhere in the industry, which is one more line item to check if you shop beyond this list.
Which company is cheapest? On published fees they cluster tightly, with American Hartford’s tiered admin cheapest for accounts under $100k and Noble’s $275 flat all-in the simplest. On total cost, the cheapest company is whichever one sells you standard bullion at a tight spread, which is why we push the round-trip question harder than any brand name. See Augusta vs. Goldco for how the two biggest differ in practice.