Our 2026 ranking
| # | Company | Best for | BBB | Minimum purchase | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Augusta Precious Metals 4.9/5 | Larger purchases and buyers who want to learn first | A+ | $50,000 | Buy Gold from Augusta → |
| 2 | Goldco 4.8/5 | Buyers who want a stated buyback policy | A+ | Not published | Buy Gold from Goldco → |
| 3 | American Hartford Gold 4.7/5 | Smaller first purchases | A+ | $10,000 (IRA) | Buy Gold from AHG → |
The short answer
For most people buying physical gold in 2026, Augusta Precious Metals is our first pick, as long as you are buying $50,000 or more. It has been in business since 2012, holds an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, and publishes more about how a purchase works than the other two. Goldco is our second pick and the one to look at if a stated buyback policy matters most to you. American Hartford Gold is third and has the lowest published starting point of the three, at $10,000 for an IRA. All three sell gold and silver for home delivery or for a retirement account.
Key takeaways
- All three companies hold an A+ rating and accreditation with the Better Business Bureau as of October 1, 2026.
- The biggest practical difference is the starting amount. Augusta asks for $50,000. American Hartford Gold publishes a $10,000 minimum for an IRA. Goldco does not publish one on the pages we checked.
- Each company will ship gold to your door if you pay cash, or arrange storage at a depository if you buy inside an IRA. Gold held in an IRA cannot be kept at home.
- None of the three can legally promise to buy your gold back, and each words its buyback policy differently. Read the wording before you buy.
- We do not publish any company's costs. The numbers that circulate online are often wrong or out of date. Ask each company for its current schedule in writing.
What a gold company actually does
A gold company is a dealer. It buys coins and bars from mints and wholesalers and sells them to you at a price above the metal's market value. That gap is how it earns its money.
If you pay cash, that is the whole arrangement. You choose the coins or bars, you pay, and the company ships them to you.
If you buy inside a retirement account, two more parties are involved, and neither of them is the gold company:
- The custodian is the firm that holds the IRA itself. It opens the account, handles the transfer from your existing plan, and does the reporting to the IRS.
- The depository is the vault where the metal is stored. The IRS does not allow you to hold IRA metals yourself.
The gold company sits in the middle. It helps you open the account with the custodian, sells you the metal, and has it sent to the depository. Knowing which of the three parties is responsible for what makes every later question easier, especially questions about cost, since each party charges separately.
If you are still deciding whether a retirement account is the right way to hold gold at all, our guide to gold IRA pros and cons covers both sides.
The three companies
Augusta Precious Metals
4.9/5Best for larger purchases and buyers who want to learn first
- In business since
- 2012
- BBB
- A+, accredited since February 2015
- Minimum purchase
- $50,000, cash or IRA
- What you can buy
- Gold and silver coins and bars
- Home delivery or IRA
- Both. Cash purchases ship anywhere in the U.S.
- Storage
- Delaware Depository
- IRA custodian
- Equity Trust Company
- Buyback
- Says it has never declined a buyback. Not guaranteed, and the policy can change
Why it ranks first
Augusta has been in business since 2012 and holds an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, where it has been accredited since 2015. What sets it apart is how much it explains before any money moves. Its education team, led by director of education Devlyn Steele, runs a one-on-one web conference that walks through how gold is priced, who the custodian and depository are, and what to ask of any dealer.
Strengths
- Publishes its minimum, its depository and its custodian in plain view.
- Teaching comes before the sales conversation.
- States its buyback record without overpromising: it says it has never declined one and that no dealer can guarantee one.
Things to know
- The $50,000 minimum applies to cash and IRA purchases alike. Below that, this is not the company for you.
- The one-on-one web conference is offered to retirement savers with $100,000 or more in savings.
Who it suits
Buyers making a larger purchase who want to understand the process properly before they commit.
Goldco
4.8/5Best for buyers who want a stated buyback policy
- In business since
- 2011, per its BBB profile
- BBB
- A+, accredited since December 2011
- Minimum purchase
- Not published on the pages we checked. Confirm with Goldco
- What you can buy
- Gold and silver coins and bars
- Home delivery or IRA
- Both
- Storage
- An independent insured depository. Not named on the pages we checked
- IRA custodian
- Not named on the pages we checked
- Buyback
- Will buy back metals bought from Goldco at any time. Its "highest price" promise applies after three years, with no specific rate guaranteed
Why it ranks second
Goldco holds an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and has been accredited there since 2011, the longest accreditation of the three. Its buyback wording is the most specific we found: it says it will buy back metals purchased from Goldco at any time, and that its "highest price" promise applies once three years have passed since the first purchase.
Strengths
- The longest Better Business Bureau accreditation on this list.
- A written buyback policy with its conditions stated.
- Sells for both home delivery and retirement accounts.
Things to know
- Goldco does not publish a minimum purchase, a depository name or a custodian name on the pages we checked. Ask for all three before you decide.
- The buyback promise carries no guaranteed rate, and its "highest price" wording applies only after three years.
Who it suits
Buyers who care most about how they will eventually sell, and who are comfortable getting the details by phone.
American Hartford Gold
4.7/5Best for smaller first purchases
- In business since
- 2015
- BBB
- A+, accredited since June 2016
- Minimum purchase
- $10,000 for an IRA. Cash minimum not published
- What you can buy
- Gold and silver coins, bars and rounds
- Home delivery or IRA
- Both
- Storage
- Names several depositories, including Brink's Global Services and Delaware Depository. Its pages differ on the full list, so confirm. Commingled by default, segregated on request
- IRA custodian
- Equity Trust Company
- Buyback
- Asks clients to contact it first when selling. Says it cannot legally guarantee a repurchase
Why it ranks third
American Hartford Gold is the youngest of the three, in business since 2015, and holds an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. It publishes the lowest starting amount on this list, $10,000 for an IRA, and it names its depositories and gives the buyer a choice between them.
Strengths
- The lowest published starting amount of the three.
- A choice of named depositories, with segregated storage available on request.
- Ships cash purchases to your door.
Things to know
- It is candid that it cannot legally guarantee to buy your metal back.
- Storage is commingled unless you ask for segregated.
- The minimum for a cash purchase is not published. Ask.
Who it suits
First-time buyers starting with a smaller amount, and buyers who want a say in where their metal is stored.
Side by side: which company suits which buyer
| Augusta Precious Metals | Goldco | American Hartford Gold | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting amount | $50,000, cash or IRA | Not published; confirm with Goldco | $10,000 for an IRA; cash minimum not published |
| Home delivery for cash purchases | Yes, anywhere in the U.S. | Yes | Yes |
| Gold inside an IRA | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Named storage | Delaware Depository | Independent insured depository; not named on the pages we checked | Several named, including Brink's Global Services and Delaware Depository |
| Buyback wording | Says it has never declined a buyback; no guarantee | Will buy back metals bought from Goldco; "highest price" promise applies after three years | Asks clients to come to it first; no guarantee |
| Best suited to | Larger purchases and buyers who want to learn first | Buyers who want a stated way out | Smaller first purchases |
Every entry comes from the company's own website or its Better Business Bureau profile, read on October 1, 2026. Where a company does not publish something, the table says so instead of repeating a figure from another site.
How buying gold from these companies works
The steps are much the same at all three.
- You talk to the company. Each one starts with a phone call or a request for its free guide. Use the call to ask questions, not to commit. Our article on the free gold IRA kit explains what these guides contain and what the follow-up looks like.
- You decide between cash and an IRA. A cash purchase is a simple sale. An IRA purchase means opening a self-directed IRA with a custodian first.
- You fund the purchase. For cash, that is a bank wire or check. For an IRA, the custodian arranges a transfer or rollover from your existing retirement plan, so the money moves between institutions and never passes through your hands.
- You choose the metal. For an IRA, the choice is limited to coins and bars that meet IRS purity rules. For cash, you can buy anything the company sells.
- The price is locked. The company confirms the price of each item, and you approve the order.
- The metal ships. Cash purchases come to your address. IRA purchases go to the depository, and you receive confirmation from the custodian.
Before step 5, ask for two numbers in writing: what you will pay per coin or bar, and what the company would pay to buy the same item back today. The difference between them tells you more than any advertisement.
How we ranked them
We did not order metal from these companies or test them as customers. The ranking rests on what each company publishes about itself and on its public record, weighed as follows.
- Track record (30%). Years in business, and Better Business Bureau rating and accreditation.
- Clarity before the sale (25%). How much a buyer can learn about the process, the parties involved and the company's terms before giving a phone number or sending money.
- Buyback (15%). Whether the company states a buyback policy in plain words, and what conditions are attached.
- Storage (15%). Whether depositories are named, and whether the buyer has a choice.
- Starting amount (15%). How much is needed to begin, and whether the company publishes it.
Augusta ranks first because it scores highest on clarity before the sale: it publishes its minimum, its depository and its custodian, and it leads with teaching. Its record since 2012 is strong, and its $50,000 starting amount costs it points on the last factor. Goldco ranks second on the strength of the longest Better Business Bureau accreditation of the three and the most specific buyback wording. American Hartford Gold ranks third; it is the youngest of the three and the most accessible.
A ranking like this is general information. It cannot account for your savings, your taxes or your plans, and it is not a recommendation to buy.
Buying gold outright vs. holding it in an IRA
All three companies sell gold both ways, and the two routes are more different than they first appear.
| Buying outright (cash) | Holding gold in an IRA | |
|---|---|---|
| Where the gold lives | Wherever you choose, including at home | An approved depository; never at home |
| Who is involved | You and the dealer | You, the dealer, a custodian and a depository |
| What you can buy | Any coin or bar | Only metals that meet IRS purity rules |
| Tax treatment | Bought with after-tax money; gains are taxed when you sell | Tax-deferred or tax-free growth, depending on the account type |
| Getting at it | Yours to sell or hold at any time | Withdrawals follow IRA rules, including penalties for early ones |
| Ongoing costs | None beyond your own storage and insurance | The custodian and the depository each charge yearly |
Buying outright suits people who want the metal in their own possession, who are buying with savings held outside a retirement plan, or who want the freedom to sell whenever they like.
An IRA suits people whose savings sit mostly in a 401(k) or an existing IRA and who want to move part of that money into gold without paying tax on the transfer.
Some buyers do both. If you are weighing the IRA route, the comparison in gold IRA vs. silver IRA covers how the two metals behave inside one.
IRS rules for gold in an IRA
These rules come from the tax code, not from the companies, and they apply whichever company you use.
- Purity. Gold must be at least 99.5% pure and silver at least 99.9% pure. The American Gold Eagle is allowed by a specific exception even though it is 91.67% gold.
- Approved products. Coins and bars must come from a national mint or an accredited refiner. Collectible and rare coins do not qualify.
- Storage. The metal must be held by a bank or an IRS-approved trustee. A home safe or a personal safe deposit box does not meet the rule. In McNulty v. Commissioner (2021), the U.S. Tax Court treated coins kept at home by an IRA owner as a taxable distribution.
- Contributions and withdrawals. The same yearly limits, age rules and required distributions apply as for any other IRA.
Any company that tells you IRA gold can be stored at home is describing an arrangement the Tax Court has already rejected.
Red flags when buying gold
- Pressure to decide today. A fair price is still fair next week.
- Rare or "exclusive" coins pushed for a retirement account. Collectibles carry large markups and most do not qualify for an IRA.
- Promises about where the gold price is going. Nobody knows, and honest companies say so.
- A bonus with no written terms. Free-metal promotions* are common in this industry, and a real one comes with conditions in writing. Ask for them, and compare the total ounces you would receive for the same money at two other companies.
- A buyback "guarantee" with no written terms. No dealer can legally guarantee a repurchase.
- Home storage for IRA gold. See the IRS rules above.
- Costs quoted only by phone. Anything real can be put in writing.
Regulators have brought cases against gold dealers for exactly these practices. Our gold scammer list names the documented cases and links each one to its source.
Glossary
- Bullion
- Coins and bars valued for their metal content, not their rarity.
- Spot price
- The current market price of one ounce of gold for immediate delivery.
- Premium
- The amount you pay above the spot price for a coin or bar.
- Spread
- The gap between what a dealer sells an item for and what it would pay to buy it back.
- Custodian
- The firm that holds a self-directed IRA and reports on it to the IRS.
- Depository
- A secure vault approved to store precious metals held in an IRA.
- Segregated storage
- Your own coins and bars kept apart from everyone else's. The alternative, commingled storage, returns metal of the same type and quality but not the identical pieces.
- Rollover
- Moving money from an employer plan such as a 401(k) into an IRA.
- Self-directed IRA
- An IRA that can hold assets such as physical metals, which ordinary brokerage IRAs do not offer.
Common questions
Do banks sell gold?
A few do, but most large U.S. banks stopped selling physical gold years ago. We keep two lists: banks that sell gold coins and banks that sell silver bars. For most buyers a specialist dealer has a wider range and a clearer buyback policy.
Are gold companies regulated?
Less than you might expect. Dealers in physical metals are not licensed the way stockbrokers are. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission and state regulators pursue fraud after the fact. That is why a company's public record matters so much, and why it is worth ten minutes to check it yourself.
Is the "free gold kit" really free?
Yes. It is a printed or digital guide, and you pay nothing for it. You do give the company your phone number, and you should expect a call.
Should I buy gold or silver?
They behave differently. Gold is steadier. Silver costs far less per ounce, moves more sharply, and takes much more room to store. All three companies on this page sell both.
Update history
| Date | What changed |
|---|---|
| October 1, 2026 | Page rewritten. Company facts re-checked against each company's website and Better Business Bureau profile. Cost figures removed, because published numbers are often out of date. |
About our editorial team
Frequently asked questions
Which gold company is best for a first-time buyer?
It depends mostly on how much you plan to buy. With $50,000 or more, Augusta Precious Metals is our first pick because of how much it explains before the sale. With less, American Hartford Gold publishes the lowest starting amount of the three, at $10,000 for an IRA.
What is the minimum to buy gold from these companies?
Augusta Precious Metals states a $50,000 minimum for both cash and IRA purchases. American Hartford Gold states a $10,000 minimum for an IRA. Goldco does not publish a minimum on the pages we checked, so ask. These were the published figures on October 1, 2026.
Can I have the gold delivered to my home?
Yes, if you pay cash. All three companies ship cash purchases to a U.S. address. Gold bought inside an IRA is different: it must go to an approved depository.
Can I keep IRA gold at home?
No. The tax code requires IRA metals to be held by a bank or an approved trustee. The U.S. Tax Court confirmed in 2021 that keeping the coins at home counts as taking them out of the IRA, which triggers tax.
How do these companies make money?
On the spread. A dealer sells a coin for more than the metal's market price and buys it back for less. Ask for both prices before you buy.
What will it cost me?
We do not publish cost figures, because the numbers found online are often wrong. With a cash purchase you pay the price of the metal. With an IRA, the custodian and the depository each charge separately from the dealer. Ask for every charge in writing before you send money.
Will the company buy my gold back?
Each of the three says it buys metals back from its customers, and none of them guarantees it, because a dealer cannot legally promise a future repurchase. The wording differs from company to company and is summarized in the table above.
Is buying gold right for me?
That depends on your circumstances, and a website cannot judge them. Gold pays no interest or dividends and its price can fall. Speak with a licensed financial professional who is not paid on the sale.
How is this site paid?
Through affiliate commissions. If you contact one of these companies through a link on this site, we may be paid. It does not change what you pay. See our affiliate disclosure.
Sources
From our guides
Gold IRAGoldco Reviews: Ratings, Buyback and the Free Kit
Goldco reviews for 2026: its BBB record, customer ratings, buyback program, gold and silver IRAs, and how to claim Goldco's free gold IRA kit.
SilverBest Silver IRA Companies
Our 2026 ranking of the best silver IRA companies: Augusta Precious Metals, Goldco and American Hartford Gold, compared on record, minimums and storage.
Gold IRABest Gold IRA Companies
Our 2026 ranking of the best gold IRA companies, Augusta Precious Metals, Goldco and American Hartford Gold, plus the rollover and storage rules to know.
Gold IRAAugusta Precious Metals Reviews: Ratings and Free Kit
Augusta Precious Metals reviews for 2026: its BBB record, customer ratings, awards, buyback history, and how to claim its free gold IRA kit.
Gold IRAAmerican Hartford Gold Reviews: Ratings and Free Guide
American Hartford Gold reviews for 2026: its BBB record, customer ratings, low starting amount, buyback commitment, and how to claim its free gold IRA guide.
GoldUpdated Gold Scammer List for 2026
The gold dealers named in real regulatory actions and court judgments, the tactics they used, and how to check any gold company before you buy.
Gold IRAFree Gold IRA Kit: How to Claim a Legit 2026 Guide
What a free gold IRA kit really contains, why Augusta's is the one we'd request, who it suits and who it doesn't, and the red flags in other kits.
Gold IRAGold IRA Pros and Cons: Guide for 2026
The real pros and cons of a gold IRA in 2026: inflation protection, diversification and tax treatment against costs, IRS rules and liquidity limits.
GoldList of Banks That Sell Gold Coins
Most big U.S. banks don't sell gold coins. See which banks still do, what they actually offer, the trade-offs, and where most buyers go instead.
SilverList of Banks That Sell Silver Bars
Which banks sell silver bars, region by region, how to confirm stock before you visit, how banks price silver, and how dealers and mints compare.
Gold IRAGold IRA vs Silver IRA 2026: Key Differences and Benefits
Gold IRA vs silver IRA compared: stability, volatility, storage, IRS purity rules and buyback, plus a simple framework for choosing one or both.*Applies only to qualified orders. Get up to 5% back in FREE Silver when you purchase $50,000 - $99,999. Get up to 10% in FREE Silver when you purchase $100,000 or more. Cannot be combined with any other offer. Additional rules may apply. Contact your representative to find out if your order qualifies. For additional details, please see your customer agreement. Goldco does not offer financial or tax advice.