Gold IRA Fee Comparison Chart 2026: Every Company Side by Side
Compare setup fees, annual custodian costs, storage fees, bullion markup ranges, minimums, and fee-transparency notes across the Gold IRA companies reviewed on this site.
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Educational only: This comparison records published fee schedules from named primary sources. Fees can change, and quotes vary by account size, custodian, storage choice, metal type, and promotion. Customers should verify current written terms directly. This site does not offer tax or legal advice. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Annual custodian and storage costs cannot be reduced to one range: current named schedules include both flat and value-tiered structures. GoldStar Trust’s published commingled example is $215 a year at any balance, while Equity Trust’s totals rise with the account value. Setup fees and dealer bullion markups vary more widely still, so the headline fee rarely reflects the true total cost of ownership.
Source: the fees benchmark, compiled from named current custodian and depository fee schedules. Provider-specific, not an industry average; verify current written terms directly.
Interactive Gold IRA Fee Comparison Chart
This chart uses best-available public and article-sourced fee ranges. It is not a live provider quote. Use it to prepare better questions before requesting written terms.
| Company | Minimum | Setup | Annual admin + storage | Storage | Markup / spread notes | Fee transparency | Annual drag | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Augusta Precious Metals Research notes | $50,000 | $285 first-year total (company FAQ, updated 23 September 2026, retrieved 8 October 2026) | $235/year recurring (company FAQ, updated 23 September 2026) | $110/year storage and insurance (company FAQ, updated 23 September 2026) | Not published by the company | Stated in the company FAQ, retrieved 8 October 2026; the earlier fee-sheet PDF was withdrawn and returns a 404 | — | The setup, recurring and storage amounts are quoted from Augusta Precious Metals, Frequently Asked Questions, Costs and Fees section, last updated 23 September 2026 and retrieved 8 October 2026: $50 one-time account setup, $125 annual custodian, $110 annual depository storage and insurance, totalling $285 in the first year and $235 a year thereafter, described as flat account fees that do not increase with the amount held. The earlier Gold and Silver IRA fee sheet PDF showed $275 and $225 with storage at $100; it now returns a 404, and those figures are retained in the deep-dive article as a dated historical record. Storage is the only line that changed. Third-party commentary has described standard bullion premiums of roughly 5 percent over spot, which no company document confirms, so no markup figure is carried here. Request the current schedule and the product premium in writing before funding. |
| Goldco Research notes | $25,000 | ≈$50 | ≈$125/year custodian | ≈$100/year | Not published | Partial; quote-dependent markups | — | Customers should request written spread, custodian, storage, and buyback details before funding. |
| Birch Gold Group Research notes | $5,000 | ≈$50 | ≈$125/year | ≈$110/year | Not published | Partial; not fully itemized | — | Broad product catalog; customers should compare standard bullion vs premium products carefully. Birch publishes conflicting storage figures on its own site: the main IRA page and FAQ show $110 (a $235 recurring total), while the gold-ira and silver-ira sub-pages show $100. Checked 7 September 2026. |
| Noble Gold Research notes | $20,000 | $50 or $80 one-time | $125/year maintenance | $160 or $150/year | Not published | Publishes a full fee schedule, in conflicting versions | — | Noble Gold IRA minimum is $20,000. Direct non-IRA purchases may use different minimums. Noble Gold publishes two different IRA fee schedules on its own site, observed 3 September 2026: its product page lists $50 setup, $125 annual maintenance and $160 storage for $285 recurring, while its support page lists $80 setup, $125 custody and $150 segregated storage for $275 recurring. Noble has not reconciled the two, so neither should be treated as the settled schedule. Customers should ask Noble in writing which schedule applies to their account and confirm the current figures before funding. Its Support page also cautions that an advertised $160 annual fee "typically refers to commingled storage", which it says it does not recommend, so the storage type behind the $160 product-page line is not stated by Noble. |
| American Hartford Gold Research notes | $10,000 | ≈$50–$230 | $75–$125/year tiered | ≈$100/year | Own agreement: 1.00%–19.99% acquisition-cost spread | Partial; contractual ranges only | — | Promotions and fee waivers can change total cost; request current terms in writing. |
| Preserve Gold Research notes | Not published by the company | Company states it charges no account setup fee (Preserve Gold Precious Metals IRA page, accessed 23 September 2026) | Not currently published | Not currently published; conditional waivers advertised | Not published | No standing fee schedule published; details by quote | Not calculable | Research note: an older company-hosted guide lists specific fees that conflict with the company's current setup-fee statement, so it cannot be treated as a current standing fee schedule. Obtain the current custodian and depository schedules in writing before funding. Dated promotion, recorded separately and not part of the fee schedule: the company advertises 1 percent in free metals for new customers on qualifying purchases, capped at $20,000 in free metals, plus IRA storage and custodian fee waivers of up to five years (preservegold.com, accessed 23 September 2026). Offer terms change and are set by the company. |
| Lear Capital Research notes | $10,000 | Bundled first-year cost | $235–$285/year after first year | $110 non-segregated / $160 segregated | Own terms: 2%–35% acquisition-cost spread | Publishes a standalone fee schedule | — | Review total bundled cost, complaint record, and spread assumptions carefully. |
How to Read the Chart
- Setup fees are one-time account opening or first-year costs where public ranges are available.
- Annual admin + storage estimates combine recurring custodian and storage costs where the source material supports a combined view.
- Markup/spread notes matter because dealer spread can exceed years of annual fees under either a flat or a value-tiered schedule.
- Annual drag estimates fixed recurring fees as a percentage of the selected account size. It does not include markup, liquidation spread, taxes, RMDs, or market movement.
Methodology and Source Notes
The chart consolidates fee notes from this site’s provider reviews, the American Hartford Gold fees article, the Augusta Precious Metals fees article, public company materials, BBB/company-profile checks, and common public fee summaries. Where fees are quote-dependent, the chart uses ranges and directs customers to request written confirmation.
Customers should ask each provider for a written fee schedule, metals pricing against spot, storage type, buyback terms, promotion terms, and custodian/depository details before funds move. Customers should also speak to a financial or tax advisor before making rollover, tax, RMD, or distribution decisions.
Use this chart with the quote checklist
The fee chart shows comparison categories. The quote checklist shows what to verify in writing before committing funds.
Open the Gold IRA Quote Checklist →Embed or Cite This Chart
Source: 401ktogoldira.org Gold IRA Fee Comparison Chart 2026.
https://401ktogoldira.org/gold-ira-fee-comparison-chart/Article reviewed and edited by Daniel — independent precious-metals retirement researcher.
Further Reading
Gold IRA Company Comparison DatabaseCompare provider minimums, BBB records, storage notes, and buyback-policy prompts.
Gold IRA Quote ChecklistUse a 15-point checklist before comparing written provider quotes.
American Hartford Gold FeesReview one provider’s setup, storage, markup, and promotion details.