Best Gold Investment Companies: Top 10 Ranked for 2024

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Last Updated on: 19th January 2024, 12:29 am

Gold is one of the oldest investment types in history. Before the invention of paper money, gold and other precious metals were the dominant media of exchange. In fact, the first gold coins were minted in antiquity, in the 6th century BC in present-day Turkey. By the 1500s, gold had become the global standard for international trade and commerce.

Today, investors the world over diversify their portfolios with gold assets in order to hedge against the volatility of equity markets and the inflation risks inherent to cash. As of September 2020, over 10% of American adults—or over 20 million people—hold some type of physical gold in their investment portfolios. 

There are a host of benefits unique to gold investing. For conservative investors, especially those nearing retirement age, gold bar investments provide peace of mind that few, if any, non-fixed income assets can provide. Later on, we’ll touch on the numerous other financial benefits that gold investing can offer risk-conscious investors.

For now, however, let's assume you want to join the tens of millions of Americans who invest in gold assets. Before making any financial decision, it's important that you do your due diligence and speak to your financial advisor. To give you a head start on your research, let's take a look at the best gold investment companies in America for protecting your portfolio. 

Our Top 10 Best Gold Investment Companies in the USA

At Gold IRA Guide, we provide independent, neutral reviews of investment companies in the precious metals and alternative asset space. Although we’ll detail our specific ratings criteria later on, readers should note that we evaluate companies as fairly as possible on the following grounds:

• Company security and longevity in the industry
• Quality and fineness of bullion and coinage
• Volume of metals stored and transacted per year
• Aggregated customer reviews and ratings
• Third-party accreditation (e.g., BBB, Consumer Affairs, etc.)
• Transparency of management team and founders

With that said, let's jump right into our list of the best gold investment companies. From top to bottom, these companies have been thoroughly vetted by our staff and have been tested and verified with real transactions. 

1. Noble Gold

First on our list of best gold investment companies is none other than Noble Gold. Founded in 2016 by industry veterans Collin Plume and Charles Thorngren, the company now consists of 30 employees based in Los Angeles County, California. Known for their “never hard sell” approach to sales, Noble Gold boasts stellar reviews across the board, including perfect 5-star ratings from the BBB, BCA, and Consumer Affairs. 

Transparency is perhaps the most distinguishing feature of Noble Gold. Collin and Charles are the face of the brand and are considered thought leaders within the field. For instance, Collin's LinkedIn profile has amassed 13,000 followers and counting for his educational and incisive takes on the alternative asset industry that he shares on his account. 

Speed and efficiency are also defining characteristics of this company. Whereas other firms may take a week or longer to get you up and running, Noble partners with dedicated account custodians to get IRA applications approved within just 24 hours. From there, Noble's proprietary “Noble Gold Fortress” program lets you choose your preferred gold storage facility. 

While Noble Gold has slightly higher-than-average premiums on exclusive coins, their bullion rates are among the best in the business. If you want a low-cost, no-fuss approach to precious metals investing, Noble Gold is hands-down one of the best gold investment companies on the market. 

Noble Gold Quick Facts 👍

• Global Rating (GR) Score: (5 / 5) (Perfect 5/5)
• IRA set up fee: Free
• Annual fee: $80
• Vaulting fee: $150 per annum
• Minimum investment: $2,000
• Year founded: 2016
• Headquarters: Pasadena, FL
• No questions asked buyback policy

No setup fees and a “no quibble” buyback policy are what makes Noble Gold stand out from the rest. To get started today, request a free gold and silver investment kit. 

2. Advantage Gold

There aren't many companies on the market that do it like Advantage Gold. For nearly a decade, Advantage Gold has helped thousands of Americans diversify their investment portfolio with gold and other precious metals. Plus, seeing a near-perfect score on Trustpilot and TrustLink means that they are one of the most respected companies in the industry. 

As an official U.S. Mint-listed precious metals dealer, Advantage Gold is one of the top-ranked gold vendors by volume in all of the United States. If you buy from Advantage Gold, you can rest assured that you're getting a genuine article and not a fabricated coin or alloy from an overseas manufacturer. In other words, Advantage provides some of the highest quality and trustworthy gold and silver items you can find anywhere. 

What I like most about Advantage Gold is that their management team is proudly displated on the company's website. Whereas several of their competitors are a bit more camera shy, the Advantage Gold team, headed by Kirill Zagalsky and Adam Baratta, aren't afraid to put a face to the brand. In our books, this is a major confidence boost. 

Although account fees vary depending on the custodian you select, they're all well within the industry standard (i.e., between $150 and $250 for all annual fees). 

Advantage Gold Quick Facts 👍

• GR Score: (4.9 / 5) (4.9/5)
• Annual Fee: $250
• Year Founded: 2014
• 1st year fees waived for all new sign-ups
• Storage Services Provided By: Brinks Global Services
• Preferred Storage Vaulting Location: Wilmington, Delaware
• Assets Available: Gold, Silver, Palladium, and Platinum

Feeling ready to take the next step with Advantage Gold? Get started today by inquiring about opening a self-directed IRA investing in gold and other precious metals. 

3. Augusta Precious Metals

If an endorsement from Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana wasn't enough, Augusta Precious Metals also boasts the highest overall customer ratings out of any gold investment company on the planet. Awarded 4.96 out of 5 stars from the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and 4.97 out of 5 stars from both the Business Consumer Alliance (BCA) and Consumer Affairs, Augusta is the hands-down industry leader for retail gold investing. 

Led in part by Director of Education Devlyn Steele, a Harvard-trained economist, Augusta Precious Metals offers a diverse range of precious metals products—all of which are backed by up to $1 billion in insurance coverage by London underwriters. Longevity is another major selling point for this company, as they were founded in 2012 and have over a decade of industry experience, with a dedicated onshore team in Caspar, Wyoming. 

Although minimum investments are higher than some of their competitors’ ($50,000), this has a cost-saving effect in the long-term as it encourages larger and less frequent transactions. Over time, this reduces transaction and handling costs and leaves you with more money in your pocket. 

Augusta Precious Metals Quick Facts 👍

• GR Score: (5 / 5) (5/5)
• One-off IRA set up fee: $50
• Annual fee: $100
• Minimum investment: $50,000
• Year founded: 2012
• Headquarters: Caspar, WY
• Most common products: Gold American Eagles, America the Beautiful silver

Want to invest with Augusta Precious Metals? Click here to sign up today and receive a free, no-obligation informational kit to get started. 

4. Silver Gold Bull

Coming in at number four is Silver Gold Bull, one of North America’s leading brands in the world of precious metals investing. Silver Gold Bull has among the most five-star verified customer reviews of any financial investment company in America, totalling nearly 300,000 and counting. 

Based in Las Vegas and with a satellite office in Calgary, Silver Gold Bull has premium offerings for inclusion in IRAs and Canadian TFSAs (Tax-Free Savings Accounts). They also have retail storefronts in both cities in case you prefer to do your shopping in-person.

Whether you want home storage, segregated storage, or even copper collectible items (yes, copper), Silver Gold Bull has something in store for you. They’ve got the largest collection of items in their catalog out of any of the best gold investment companies, so you’re pretty much guaranteed to find the perfect precious metal for your needs. 

Our only gripe about this company is that, despite being in business for nearly a decade and a half, they still haven’t gotten accreditation from the Business Consumer Alliance (BCA). Given that so many competing firms have BCA ratings, it’s become sort of a de facto standard within the industry—so hopefully we’ll see them add a BCA star sometime soon. 

They also have slightly higher-than-average markups, at about 5% on many items.

Silver Gold Bull Quick Facts 👍

• GR Score: (4.7 / 5) (4.7/5)
• Year Founded: 2009
• Assets Available: Gold, Silver, Platinum, Palladium, Copper
• Office Location: Las Vegas and Calgary
• Preferred Storage Vault: Brink’s Global Service
• Annual Fees: Variable

Read enough? To get started now, apply to roll over your retirement account into a brand new self-directed IRA with Silver Gold Bull. 

5. American Hartford Gold

American Hartford Gold is a tricky one. On one hand, they have some of the best reviews on the market and we've personally transacted many thousands of dollars’ worth of precious metals with them without a hitch. However, they don't quite rise to the level of excellence that Augusta and Noble are known for simply for transparency reasons. 

For example, American Hartford doesn't publicly list the prices of their gold assets. Instead, you have to call a company representative to inquire about their offering, specials, and prices. While this is a bit of a pain, the good news is that the prices are often pretty appealing. In fact, one of their 1-ounce bullion bars had a premium 5% less than Augusta's! 

Plus, they have a price match guarantee. If you happen to find a better price for the same product from Augusta, Noble, or any of its other competitors, you can bring this to American Hartford's attention and get the same price offered to you—even retroactively. In other words, you can get the difference refunded to your account.

Another small disappointment is that they don't carry platinum or palladium products. Therefore, investors looking for deep diversification into other precious metals might be better off looking elsewhere. However, for gold investors, you can't really go wrong with American Hartford.

American Hartford Gold Quick Facts 👍

• GR Score: (5 / 5) (5/5)
• Metals available: Gold, silver, and platinum-group
• Annual fee: Variable
• Vaulting company: Brinks, IDS, Delaware Depository
• Year founded: 2015
• Headquarters: Los Angeles, CA

If you're interested in learning more about American Hartford Gold, check out our full review here, or navigate directly to their website to view their product catalog.

6. Gold Alliance

Sixth on our list is none other than Gold Alliance, one of the top California-based precious metals dealers and investment companies. Founded in 2002, Gold Alliance uses a variety of military-grade vaults and custodians, such as Equity Trust, STRATA Trust, and Goldstar Trust, to provide best-in-class security and peace of mind to customers. 

Known for its rare selection of premium coins and bullion, such as Platinum Canadian Maple Leafs and Gold American Eagles, Gold Alliance boasts some of the most diverse holdings in the biz. When Joseph Sherman originally founded the company in Reno, Nevada, he set the gears in motion for a world class venture now over 20 years in the making. 

If you want a vast selection of precious metals and gold products for your IRA, gold 401(k), or any other retirement plan, you can't go wrong with Gold Alliance. 

Gold Alliance Gold Quick Facts 👍

• GR Score: (5 / 5) (5/5)
• Annual fee: $75+$225
• Setup fee: $50
• Storage fee: $100-150 annually
• Vaulting company: Equity Trust, STRATA, Goldstar Trust
• Year founded: 2002
• Headquarters: Woodland Hills, CA

Ready to invest with Gold Alliance? I suggest getting started by viewing their website and requesting a free, no-obligation startup kit. 

7. American Bullion

American Bullion is one of the top-rated firms in the country for a variety of reasons. They’ve been around since 2009, offer fees as low as $75, and partner with Strata Trust and Delaware Depository, two of the top-rated players in the gold vaulting industry. 

With their current promotion, you can open an account with American Bullion with all fees waived for your first year. American Bullion has an “A” rating from the Better Business Bureau and a coveted “Triple A” rating from the BCA. 

Some of American Bullion’s top-selling products are, ironically, not bullion at all. For instance, they’re known for their American Eagle gold coins and Austrian Philharmonics, but they also sell physical bullion from the Union Bank of Switzerland, among many others.  

American Bullion Quick Facts 👍

• GR Score: (4 / 5) (4/5)
• Year Founded: 2009
• Office Location: Los Angeles, CA
• Custodian: Delaware Depository and Strata Trust
• Currently offering $0 fees on first year sign-ups
• Annual Fees start at $75

Sold already? Open an IRA with American Bullion today and start investing in precious metals within a tax-advantaged investment account. 

8. Goldco

A longtime leader in the precious metals investment space, Goldco is one of the few companies with a perfect 5-star rating according to our proprietary Global Rating system. With fees as low as $175 annually, Goldco ranks among the most affordable providers of gold IRAs too. 

Goldco partners with the Internaitonal Depository Services of Delaware (IDS) to offer state-of-the-art vaulting for their customers. They have a perfect security track record, and they support a wide variety of physical gold and silver bullion and coinage in their accounts.

With that said, they aren’t the perfect solution for budget-minded investors. They maintain $25,000 minimum investments for account holders, which is higher than some of the lower-end providers that start at $10,000. Nonetheless, they’re considerably cheaper than companies like Augusta that start in the mid-50s. 

Goldco Quick Facts 👍

• GR Score: (5 / 5) (5/5)
• Office Location: Woodland Hills, CA
• Annual Fees: Up to $275
• Preferred Vaulting Service: IDS
• Fee Structure: Flat (Unscaled)
• Chuck Norris is a verified customer

If you’re considering investing in gold or silver with Goldco, continue on to our full-length Goldco review to see if the service is right for you.

9. Birch Gold

Next up is Birch Gold, a veteran in the gold retirement investing industry with 20 years of experience in business. What we like most about Birch Gold is that they partner with a variety of IRA custodians, including Strata, Equity Trust, and Goldstar—all of which are top-rated with flawless security track records. 

Located in Burbank, California, Birch Gold is known for its notable clientele, including conservative pundit Ben Shapiro. They’re also known, however, for their unique pricing, which includes no fees on all transfers over $50,000 during an account holder’s first year. 

With Birch, you get the peace of mind of straight A+ or Triple-A grades from the BBB, BCA, TrustLink, and Trustpilot. For a California-based precious metals vendor, you can hardly go wrong with Birch Gold.

Birch Gold Quick Facts 👍

• GR Score: (4.9 / 5) (4.9/5)
• Office Location: Burbank, CA
• Year Founded: 2003
• Preferred Vault: Brink’s or Delaware Depository
• Segregated Storage Offerings: Yes
• Transparent Management Team: Yes

10. Rosland Capital

For a limited time, Rosland Capital is offering $15,000 in free gold bullion or coins for new registrants of funded accounts. However, there are likely strict stipulations on account longevity and funding thresholds in order to redeem the promotion, so make sure you carefully read the terms and conditions before getting started with Rosland.

Like many of its competitors, Rosland partners with Equity Trust, the top-rated self-directed IRA custodian in the USA. They also make use of the military-grade security infrastructure at Delaware Depository’s Wilmington location, which segregates all depositors’ assets. 

Among Rosland’s most popular investment-grade products are the Austrian Philharmonic and the Canadian Maple Leaf, both of which are eligible for IRA inclusion. Although we would’ve liked to have seen their bullion pricing made available online, you can get accurate pricing data by making a quick phone call to their customer service representatives. 

Rosland Capital Quick Facts 👍

• GR Score: (4.6 / 5) (4.6/5)
• Delivery Time: 10 Days or Less
• Year Founded: 2005
• Office Location: Los Angeles, CA
• 401(k) and Roth IRA Support: Yes
• Custodian: Equity Trust
• Segregated or Integrated Storage: Segregated

Should You Add Gold to Your IRA?

You probably noticed that most of the companies listed above specialize in IRA investing. Also known as an individual retirement account (IRA), these investment vehicles were introduced in the 1970s to let Americans invest for their retirement on a tax-advantaged basis.

There are two types of IRA that Americans can choose from: Roth or Traditional. Neither account is inherently better than the other. Below, we've highlighted the primary differences between Roth and Traditional IRAs:

• Roth: Contribute with after-tax dollars, which then grow tax-free
• Traditional: Contribute with pre-tax dollars, taxes are then deferred until withdrawal

With the advent of self-directed IRA in 1974, a creation of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), alternative assets such as precious metals became staple holdings in many Americans’ IRAs. Subsequently, any account of this type that holds physical good assets is now commonly referred to as a “gold IRA”. 

Gold assets can be added to both Roth and Traditional IRAs. The type of account one chooses—Roth or Traditional—will depend on your unique financial situation and whether you expect to pay more or less income taxes closer to and during your retirement than you do now.

Note that any withdrawals, regardless of IRA account type, before the age of 59.5 will result in a 10% early withdrawal penalty by the IRS.

IRAs Are For Everyone: Self-Direct Yours Today

At the end of the day, we all need to save for our retirement. Gold and silver assets are among the safest and most inflation-resistant items you can invest in, and can complement any investor’s portfolio. 

Whether it’s a Roth or traditional IRA, you can invest in physical gold bullion to safeguard your retirement funds. The only trick is that the account has to be self-directed, meaning your typical Vanguard or Fidelity account isn’t going to cut it. 

To open a self-directed IRA for gold investing, consult any of the top 10 best gold IRA companies listed above. All of them are top-rated by America’s leading customer review agencies, are fully insured by both the FDIC and private insurers, and have competitive rates.