Gold IRA Fees Compared: Setup, Admin and Storage
Published ยท Updated
How do gold IRA fees compare between companies?
Account fees barely differ. Most of the eight companies we track pass on Equity Trust's schedule. That is $50 to open, then $235 to $285 a year to run. Over ten years it comes to $2,400 with commingled storage. Noble Gold costs more to open and less to keep. On a $25,000 account, ten years of fees take 9.6%. On $100,000 they take 2.4%. With $50,000 or more, a written waiver can take a year or more off. The dealer's markup differs most, and only one company publishes a range.
A representative usually calls after you request it.
We're paid by Goldco and Augusta when you request information; see how.
The fee lines, company by company
Figures come from each company's own pages or, where noted, its custodian's published schedule, checked October 29, 2026. "Not published" means we searched and found no figure.
| Company | Setup | Admin / yr | Storage, commingled | Storage, segregated | Markup published? | Fee waiver |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Hartford Gold $10,000 minimum | Not published | Not published | $110 | $160 | Yes: 1.00%-19.99% bullion | None on its own pages |
| Augusta Precious Metals $50,000 minimum Paid partner | $50 | $125 | Type unspecified: $110 | Not published | No | Yes, with conditions |
| Get Augusta's free Gold IRA guide ($50k minimum)Paid partner Augusta's published minimum is $50,000. | ||||||
| Birch Gold Group $5,000 minimum | $50 | $125 | $110 (Equity Trust rate) | $160 (Equity Trust rate) | No | Yes, with conditions |
| Goldco $25,000 minimum Paid partner | $50 | $125 | $110 (Equity Trust rate) | $160 (Equity Trust rate) | No | None published |
| Request Goldco's free Gold & Silver KitPaid partner A representative usually calls after you request it. | ||||||
| Lear Capital $10,000 minimum Caution on Lear Capital: NY AG $6M consent order (2022) and 2022 Chapter 11 with multistate $5.5M restitution. | $50 | $125 | $110 | $160 | No | Yes, with conditions |
| Noble Gold Investments $20,000 minimum | $80 | $125 | Not offered | $150 | No | None published |
| Patriot Gold Group Minimum not published | $0 | $0 | Not published | Not published | No | Yes, with conditions |
| Priority Gold $10,000 minimum Caution on Priority Gold: Site claims 'fully accredited' BBB A+ and 4.9 Trustpilot; BBB shows NOT accredited and Trustpilot shows 4.8 (2026-10-29). | $50 | $125 | $110 | $160 | Per order, not as a % | Yes, with conditions |
Notes on the table
- Goldco: setup and admin are from Goldco's own cost page. The storage figures are Equity Trust's current rates and apply only if Equity Trust is your custodian; Goldco names it as one of several and doesn't publish the full list. Goldco's cost page still shows older storage rates, and Gold IRA Companies Ranked's breakdown of what Goldco charges lists both.
- Augusta: publishes $110 a year for storage without saying which type, so the table shows it as type unspecified rather than under either heading.
- Birch Gold: its prices page gives Equity Trust and Delaware Depository fees as an example, and says the fees go to the custodian and depository, not to Birch. Its example also includes a $30 wire.
- Noble Gold: segregated storage only, so its commingled cell reads "Not offered". The newer support page lists $80 setup and $150 storage; an older page splits the setup differently.
- Patriot Gold: $0 setup and admin apply to qualifying accounts; storage isn't published.
- American Hartford Gold: publishes storage and a spread range, but not setup or admin.
Why so many numbers match
Augusta, Lear Capital and Priority Gold name Equity Trust as their custodian. Goldco and Birch Gold name it as one of theirs, and Noble Gold uses Equity Institutional, part of the same group. Here is the Equity Trust precious metals schedule that sits behind most of the table:
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Setup | $50 |
| Annual maintenance | $125 |
| Storage, non-segregated, per year | $110 |
| Storage, segregated, per year | $160 |
| Wire | $30 |
| Liquidation | $30 |
| Termination | $250 |
| Paper statements, per year | $60 |
| Late fee | $50 |
The bottom rows are easy to miss. E-statements save $60 a year, and the $250 termination fee is due whenever you leave, including a move to a cheaper custodian.
One year and ten years, added up
Year one is setup plus admin plus storage. Each later year is admin plus storage. Ten years is the setup fee plus ten years of the yearly charges, assuming nothing changes and leaving out waivers and markups.
| Company, storage | Year 1 | Later years | 10 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Augusta, storage type not stated | $285 | $235 | $2,400 |
| Birch Gold, commingled (Equity Trust rate) | $285 | $235 | $2,400 |
| Birch Gold, segregated (Equity Trust rate) | $335 | $285 | $2,900 |
| Goldco, commingled (Equity Trust rate) | $285 | $235 | $2,400 |
| Goldco, segregated (Equity Trust rate) | $335 | $285 | $2,900 |
| Lear Capital, commingled | $285 | $235 | $2,400 |
| Lear Capital, segregated | $335 | $285 | $2,900 |
| Noble Gold, segregated | $355 | $275 | $2,830 |
| Priority Gold, commingled | $285 | $235 | $2,400 |
| Priority Gold, segregated | $335 | $285 | $2,900 |
Lear Capital's own first-year totals are higher than its itemized fees add up to; Lear doesn't itemize the difference. Noble Gold costs more in year one and less after, because its storage is $10 a year below Equity Trust's segregated rate.
As a share of the account, Equity Trust's $2,400 over ten years is 9.6% of $25,000, 4.8% of $50,000 and 2.4% of $100,000; with segregated storage, $2,900 is 11.6%, 5.8% and 2.9%. Augusta's $50,000 minimum takes it out of the $25,000 case. Our calculator runs the same sum for any amount.
Flat dollars, not percentages
Every company here that publishes fees charges fixed dollar amounts. Goldco's FAQ puts it as the same fee "whether you have $30,000 or $3 million"; Noble Gold says the same in its own words. Flat fees weigh most on small accounts, which is the whole story of the share-of-account figures above. The flat vs scaled page has the break-even math if anyone quotes you a percentage.
Commingled or segregated
Commingled storage keeps your metal with other customers' metal of the same kind; you get back the same quantity, not necessarily the same pieces. Segregated storage keeps your items separate and returns exactly what you bought. At Equity Trust rates the difference is $50 a year, $500 over ten years. More on that in the storage fee guide.
Markups, spreads and selling back
The dealer earns its money on the metal. You pay above the market when you buy and get less than the market when you sell; the gap is the spread, and it is the cost the fee table can't show.
American Hartford Gold is the only company here that publishes a range: 1.00%-19.99% on bullion, up to 39.99% on its exclusive and semi-numismatic coins, up to 59.99% on certain numismatic coins. Augusta says its margin is in the metal price. Priority Gold discloses the spread in its transaction agreement before purchase, not as a public percentage. Lear Capital publishes none; in 2022 the New York Attorney General alleged hidden commissions and markups of up to 33%, resolved by a consent order.
On selling back: Goldco advertises its buyback at "the highest price" with no fees when you liquidate; the Goldco review on Gold IRA Companies Ranked sets out the conditions. Augusta says there is no separate liquidation fee when it repurchases, though Equity Trust charges a $30 processing fee. American Hartford Gold advertises zero liquidation fees, but its agreement says the law prevents it from committing to buy back. Priority Gold describes three routes, including consignment.
Other charges worth asking about
- Wire fees: $30 at Equity Trust and $30 at Noble Gold.
- Taking coins out instead of cash: $75 at Noble Gold.
- Closing the account: $250 at Equity Trust, $250 at Noble Gold.
- Card payments: 3% at American Hartford Gold.
Waivers and bonus metal
Augusta, Birch Gold, Lear Capital, Patriot Gold and Priority Gold publish waivers. Augusta says qualifying accounts may get up to ten years of eligible fees paid. Birch Gold covers the first year over $50,000. Lear Capital's waivers step up with the invoice, to three years at $75,000 and up. Patriot Gold advertises no fees for qualified accounts of $100,000 and up. Priority Gold gives a year of free storage per $50,000, up to five years. Goldco publishes no waiver; its offer is bonus silver on premium coins. The fee waiver page has the exact terms.
Bonus metal isn't a saving until you know the markup on the products it comes with.
Seven ways to pay less
- Prefer plain bullion to collector coins.
- Ask for the markup over spot, in writing, for the exact product.
- Choose commingled storage if you don't need your own pieces back.
- Switch to e-statements.
- Know what share of your balance the flat fees will take.
- Use a waiver only if its terms are in the paperwork.
- Trade rarely; each round trip pays the spread again.
The same comparison on Gold IRA Companies Ranked links each row to a full company review, if you want more than the fee lines.
Verdict
Side by side, the account fees barely separate these companies. Most rows are Equity Trust's schedule passed through, Noble Gold costs more to open and less to keep, and two companies don't publish enough to add up. Goldco's figures are that standard schedule, with storage depending on the custodian, and it publishes no waiver, so it doesn't come out ahead on fees. The markup and any written waiver are where the real money moves.
Goldco accepts IRAs from $25,000. Augusta's guide is for accounts of $50,000 and up.
A representative usually calls after you request it.
Augusta's published minimum is $50,000. Below that, it isn't an option.
A representative usually calls after you request it.
Gold IRA fee questions
What are typical gold IRA fees?
About $50 to open, then $235 to $285 a year: the custodian's admin fee plus storage. These go to the custodian and depository, not the dealer.
Which company has the lowest gold IRA fees?
None is clearly lowest on published schedules. Most of these companies pass on Equity Trust's fees, $2,400 over ten years with commingled storage before any waiver, and Noble Gold comes to $2,830 with the segregated storage it sells. Written waivers on larger accounts and the dealer markup decide the real difference.
Do gold IRA fees go up as my balance grows?
No, at the companies we track they are flat dollar amounts. That makes them a bigger share of a small account.
Is segregated storage worth the extra?
It costs $50 a year more on Equity Trust's schedule. For plain bullion the metal is interchangeable; for coins with collector value, getting your exact pieces back can matter. The choice is yours.
What is a gold IRA spread?
The dealer's margin, built into the price, plus the gap when you sell back below the selling price. American Hartford Gold publishes 1.00%-19.99% on bullion and up to 59.99% on certain numismatic coins; most companies publish nothing.
Can fees be paid from inside the IRA?
Usually, by keeping cash in the account or selling some metal. Ask your custodian how it bills. Selling metal to cover fees costs you the spread on that sale.
Sources
- Goldco: How much does a gold IRA cost?, checked October 29, 2026
- Goldco: Gold IRA FAQs, checked October 29, 2026
- Goldco: About, checked October 29, 2026
- Augusta Precious Metals: What a gold IRA costs each year, checked October 29, 2026
- Augusta Precious Metals: FAQ, checked October 29, 2026
- American Hartford Gold: Shipping and Transaction Agreement (PDF), checked October 29, 2026
- American Hartford Gold: Investment Guide (PDF), checked October 29, 2026
- Birch Gold Group: Prices, checked October 29, 2026
- Birch Gold Group: FAQs, checked October 29, 2026
- Lear Capital: Gold IRA fee structure, checked October 29, 2026
- Lear Capital: IRA FAQ, checked October 29, 2026
- Noble Gold Investments: Support FAQ, checked October 29, 2026
- Noble Gold Investments: Gold IRA, checked October 29, 2026
- Patriot Gold Group: No Fees for Life landing page, checked October 29, 2026
- Priority Gold: Gold IRA fees, checked October 29, 2026
- Priority Gold: Buyback policy, checked October 29, 2026
- Equity Trust: Fee FAQs, checked October 29, 2026
- New York Attorney General: Lear Capital consent order press release (January 2022), checked October 29, 2026
Facts checked October 29, 2026