Augusta Precious Metals Reviews: Ratings and Free Kit

Augusta Precious Metals is the company we rank first on this site. It sells physical gold and silver for retirement accounts and for cash purchases, it has been in business since 2012, and it has built its name on a simple idea: teach people how a gold IRA works before selling them anything.

This review covers what the public record shows. That means Augusta's Better Business Bureau rating, its scores on the major review sites, the awards it has won, how its gold and silver IRAs work, its buyback history, and what you get when you request its free kit.

The short version: Augusta holds an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and reports more than 4,000 five-star ratings across review platforms. Money magazine has named it Best Overall Gold IRA Company five years running. It names its custodian and its depository, and it says it has never declined a buyback. If you are rolling over $50,000 or more, requesting Augusta's free kit is the first step we would take.

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Augusta Precious Metals at a glance

Facts in this review were read from Augusta's own website and its Better Business Bureau profile on October 1, 2026. We did not open an account with Augusta or test it as a customer, and we say where a figure is the company's own claim.

What customers say about Augusta Precious Metals

People searching for "Augusta Precious Metals reviews" want to know one thing: what happened to the customers who went before them. Augusta is rated on every major platform, and it publishes the numbers itself.

The business rating and accreditation date come from the Better Business Bureau's own profile. The review scores and counts are as Augusta reports them on its reviews page, so open the profiles yourself for the current figures.

Two things stand out. The first is consistency: the score is 4.9 or better everywhere. The second is the complaint record. Augusta says it keeps one of the lowest complaint rates in the industry at the Better Business Bureau and the Business Consumer Alliance, and its reviews page shows no complaints on file at the BBB as of July 2026. In a business where complaints usually concern pricing and buybacks, an empty complaint file says more than a star rating.

Augusta also does something unusual for a company in this field: it tells readers to look at the low-star reviews as well as the high ones, and to pay attention to what any company's complaints say about buybacks and service after the sale. That is good advice, and it is a confident thing for a dealer to say.

Awards and recognition

Augusta's awards come from publications that review many companies, not from the company itself.

• Money magazine: Best Overall Gold IRA Company, 2022 through 2026. Augusta describes this as five years running.
• Money magazine: Best Education Resources, 2026.
• Investopedia: Best for Transparency, which Augusta says it has held from 2022 through 2026.

Awards do not replace your own checks, but these three point in the same direction as the customer ratings: a company known for explaining itself.

What we like about Augusta

Education comes first

This is the thing Augusta is known for. The company says it was founded on the premise that a saver who understands what they are buying makes a better long-term customer than one who was simply sold to. In practice that means a one-on-one web conference before any product discussion begins. It was designed by Devlyn Steele, Augusta's director of education, who has three decades in financial services and economics and is a member of the graduate business analytics program at Harvard Business School.

The session covers how gold is priced, how the custodian and depository fit together, and what to ask any dealer. It costs nothing, and Augusta says its purpose is to answer your questions, not to close a sale.

It names its partners

Many gold companies only tell you who holds your account and where your metal is stored once you are on the phone. Augusta publishes both. Its preferred custodian is Equity Trust Company, one of the largest self-directed IRA custodians in the country, and it stores metals at Delaware Depository, an insured private storage facility. You can check both for yourself before you ever speak to Augusta.

A clean buyback history

Augusta says it has never denied a client buyback since it opened in 2012. It is also straightforward about the limits: no dealer can legally guarantee a future repurchase, and its policy can change. A record of more than a decade without a refused buyback, stated alongside an honest caveat, is about as much comfort as this industry offers.

A window to change your mind

Augusta offers a 24-hour cancellation window if you find a better offer after you commit, which takes some of the pressure out of the decision.

Support for the life of the account

Augusta says each customer has a dedicated team for the life of the account, not only for the first purchase. A gold IRA lasts for decades and involves statements, distributions and eventually a sale, so who answers the phone in year ten matters as much as who answers it today.

No celebrity endorsements

Much of the gold industry advertises through paid media personalities. Augusta says it does not use celebrity endorsements, on the view that trust should come from a track record. Whatever you make of that, it means the reputation you are reading about was earned through customers and reviewers.

How an Augusta gold IRA works

A gold IRA is a self-directed retirement account that holds physical gold. The gold belongs to the IRA and is stored at an approved depository; the IRS does not allow it to be kept at home. Augusta describes the setup in three steps.

1. Create your new IRA. You open a self-directed IRA with a custodian. Augusta's preferred custodian is Equity Trust Company, and Augusta acts as your liaison throughout.
2. Fund your account. Money is transferred or rolled over from an existing IRA, 401(k) or other retirement account. Done as a direct transfer, this does not trigger tax or penalties.
3. Buy your gold. You choose from Augusta's IRA-approved coins and bars with help from its order desk, and the metal is shipped to the depository.

Gold in an IRA must be at least 99.5% pure, with an exception for the American Gold Eagle. Augusta's team can tell you which of its products qualify.

For more on transfers, rollovers and storage, see our guide to the best gold IRA companies, where Augusta also ranks first.

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Augusta's silver IRA

Augusta offers silver IRAs on the same terms as gold. The three steps are identical, and so are the custodian and the depository. The difference is the metal: IRA silver has to be at least 99.9% pure, and Augusta sells IRA-approved silver bars and coins.

Silver costs far less per ounce than gold and moves more sharply in price, so some savers hold both metals in one account. Augusta's kit covers both.

Our ranking of the best silver IRA companies has more on how silver behaves inside a retirement account.

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Buying gold and silver for cash

You do not need a retirement account to buy from Augusta. It also sells gold and silver for cash, and those purchases can be shipped anywhere in the United States. This is the route for anyone who wants metal in their own possession or is buying with savings held outside a retirement plan.

Augusta's free kit: what it is and how to claim it

Augusta's free kit is called the Gold & Silver IRA Info Kit. Augusta describes it as what to know before you decide, and says it includes four guides. It is free to request.

1. Request the kit. You give your name, email address and phone number.
2. Expect a call. By requesting the kit you agree to be contacted, and an Augusta representative will get in touch. Use the call to ask about the web conference, the buyback terms and how storage works.
3. Read and decide. Go through the guides in your own time. Requesting the kit does not open an account or move any money.

Even if you are months away from a decision, the kit is worth having. It sets out the process in writing, from a company Money magazine singled out in 2026 for its education resources. Our article on the free gold IRA kit explains what to look for in any company's guide.

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Things to know before you call

A review should say who a company is not for.

• The minimum is $50,000. Augusta states this plainly, and it applies to IRA and cash purchases alike. The company says it serves savers who are prepared to move at least that much from an existing retirement account. With less, look at the other two companies in our ranking.
• The one-on-one web conference is offered to savers with $100,000 or more in savings.
• The buyback is a record, not a guarantee. Augusta has never declined one, and it says openly that the law does not let a dealer promise a future repurchase.
• Expect a phone call after you request the kit. That is how every company in this field works.

We leave costs out of this review. The numbers that circulate online are often wrong or out of date, so ask Augusta for its current schedule in writing.

Who Augusta suits

Going by what the company offers and what its customers say, Augusta is a good match for:

• Savers rolling over $50,000 or more from an IRA or an old 401(k).
• People who want to understand before they buy. The web conference and the kit are built for exactly that.
• Anyone who puts reputation first. The ratings, the complaint record and the awards are strong across the board.
• Savers who want to know who holds what. The custodian and the depository are named in advance.
• Long-term holders. A dedicated team for the life of the account suits someone who plans to hold for many years.

How Augusta compares

We compare three companies on this site: Augusta Precious Metals, Goldco and American Hartford Gold. Augusta ranks first because it publishes the most about how a purchase works, including its minimum, its custodian and its depository, and because it leads with teaching.

Goldco ranks second and is the one to look at for the most specific written buyback policy; our Goldco review covers it in full. American Hartford Gold ranks third and publishes the lowest starting amount. The full comparison is in our ranking.

FAQ

Is Augusta Precious Metals legit?

On the public record, yes. Augusta has been in business since 2012, holds an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, where it has been accredited since February 2015, and reports more than 4,000 five-star ratings across review platforms.

What is Augusta Precious Metals' minimum?

$50,000, for both IRA and cash purchases. That was the published figure on October 1, 2026.

Is Augusta's free kit really free?

Yes. The kit costs nothing and requesting it does not open an account. You provide a phone number and agree to be contacted, so expect a call.

Does Augusta Precious Metals offer a silver IRA?

Yes. Augusta offers both gold and silver IRAs and sells IRA-approved silver bars and coins.

Will Augusta buy my gold back?

Augusta says it has never denied a client buyback since 2012. It does not guarantee one, because a dealer cannot legally promise a future repurchase.

Where does Augusta store IRA metals?

At Delaware Depository, an insured private storage facility. IRA metals cannot be stored at home.

Who is Augusta's custodian?

Augusta's preferred custodian is Equity Trust Company. Augusta says customers are free to choose from its group of vetted custodians.

Can I roll over a 401(k) into an Augusta gold IRA?

Augusta says funds can be transferred or rolled over from an existing IRA, 401(k) or other retirement account. A plan with your current employer may have its own restrictions, so check with the plan administrator.

Is an Augusta gold IRA 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.

Our verdict on Augusta Precious Metals

Augusta earns the top spot in our ranking for reasons anyone can check: an A+ rating, scores of 4.9 or better on every review platform, five straight years as Money magazine's best overall gold IRA company, and a buyback record with no refusals. Above all, it explains the account before it sells one.

It is not for everyone. The $50,000 minimum rules out smaller rollovers. For savers above that line, the next step costs nothing: request the free kit, read the guides, and use the call to ask your questions.

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