SD Bullion has shipped more than 1.5 million orders since its founding in 2012, and its low-premium model has made it a go-to for buyers who want gold and silver without paying up for a brand name. But SD Bullion is primarily a spot-price retailer.
It doesn’t specialize in retirement account rollovers, personalized portfolio guidance, or the kind of hands-on IRA setup that a lot of investors actually need.
These five companies fill those gaps. Each one operates differently, serves a different type of buyer, and charges differently. Here’s what to know about each.
1. Goldco
Founded: 2006 | Headquarters: Calabasas, California | BBB Rating: A+
Goldco focuses almost entirely on gold and silver IRAs. It doesn’t sell bullion bars, only coins, which is worth knowing upfront if you want bars in your IRA. The company has processed more than $2 billion in client assets and holds an A+ BBB rating with an average of 4.8 out of 5 stars across more than 1,500 Trustpilot reviews.
Fee structure at a glance:
| Fee Type | Amount |
|---|---|
| One-time setup fee | $50 |
| Annual IRA management fee | $80 |
| Non-segregated storage | $100/year |
| Segregated storage | $150/year |
The flat-fee structure works in favor of larger accounts. A $25,000 account carries annual fees of roughly 0.90% of assets; a $100,000 account drops that to around 0.23%. Goldco also offers a buyback guarantee, advertising the highest price on the market when clients want to sell back their metals, with no liquidation fees.
Endorsed by Chuck Norris, Dennis Quaid, and Tom Selleck, the company has been visible in conservative media for years. Whether celebrity endorsements factor into your decision is up to you, but the 19-year operating history carries more practical weight.
Best for: Investors rolling over a 401(k) or IRA with at least $25,000 who want a straightforward coin-based gold or silver IRA and a strong buyback guarantee.
2. Augusta Precious Metals
Founded: 2012 | Minimum investment: $50,000 | Metals offered: Gold and silver only
Augusta built its reputation on education before sales. The company runs a personalized web conference for every prospective client before opening an account. Staff are not paid on commission, which is the main structural difference between Augusta and most of its competitors.
Customer reviews consistently mention that agents don’t push hard closes.
A few things that matter for comparison:
- Minimum investment is $50,000. Non-negotiable. If you’re below that threshold, Augusta won’t open the account.
- Metals are limited to gold and silver. No platinum or palladium.
- Fees are flat-rate, which rewards larger balances. The fee structure is disclosed upfront before you commit.
- Storage is handled through Delaware Depository.
- The company offers a buyback guarantee with a stated “highest price” commitment.
Augusta’s $50,000 minimum is a filter, not a flaw. The trade-off is that investors at or above that level get lifetime account support, a named account team, and what is widely regarded as the most transparent fee disclosure in the sector.
For investors rolling over $75,000 or more, Augusta’s flat-fee model becomes one of the lowest-cost options available on an annual basis.
Best for: High-net-worth investors who want white-glove service, full fee transparency, and are comfortable with a gold-and-silver-only portfolio.
3. Birch Gold Group
Founded: 2003 | Minimum investment: ~$10,000 | BBB Rating: A+
Birch Gold is the oldest company on this list, and one of the few in the precious metals IRA space that offers all four IRS-approved metals: gold (minimum 99.5% purity), silver (99.9%), platinum (99.95%), and palladium (99.95%). For most investors, the difference between two metals and four is cosmetic.
For investors who specifically want palladium or platinum exposure, Birch is one of the few places to get it within an IRA structure.
Customer ratings sit between 4.7 and 4.9 out of 5 across major review platforms. Ben Shapiro has endorsed the company publicly. The $10,000 minimum makes it accessible to a broader range of investors than Augusta or Goldco.
Where it stands compared to Augusta:
| Birch Gold | Augusta | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum investment | ~$10,000 | $50,000 |
| Metals available | Gold, silver, platinum, palladium | Gold and silver only |
| Fee transparency | Good | Very strong |
| Education model | Guides and podcasts | Personalized web conference |
Birch works with custodians including Equity Trust and STRATA Trust. Its educational approach leans on downloadable guides and podcast appearances rather than one-on-one conferences. Less intensive than Augusta, though customers in the $10,000 to $50,000 range have limited alternatives among full-service IRA providers.
Best for: Investors in the $10,000 to $50,000 range who want IRA setup support and access to all four precious metals.
4. Priority Gold
Founded: 2015 | Headquarters: Dallas, Texas | BBB Rating: A+
Priority Gold was ranked by Forbes Advisor as the Most Trusted Gold Company in 2025 and appeared on the Inc. 5000 list as the fastest-growing Gold IRA company. Robert Kiyosaki, author of Rich Dad Poor Dad, has publicly backed the company.
The minimums are straightforward:
- Cash purchases: $5,000 minimum (varies by product)
- Precious metals IRA: $20,000 minimum
Priority Gold does not manage IRA accounts directly. It walks clients through the setup process with an IRS-approved custodian and depository, specifically Preferred Trust Company. The company offers complimentary storage and shipping for qualifying accounts, and waives first-year fees on investments over $50,000.
One thing to know going in: pricing is not published on the website. You’ll need to request a quote, which is standard practice in the industry but worth flagging if you prefer to compare prices online before speaking with anyone.
The buyback consignment option carries an 18% fee after a 60-month holding period, which is notably higher than competitors like Goldco’s zero-fee buyback.
Best for: Investors wanting a Dallas-based dealer with strong IRA rollover support, transparent processes, and a lower IRA minimum than Augusta.
5. Lear Capital
Founded: 1997 | Headquarters: Los Angeles, California | BBB Rating: A+
Lear Capital is the oldest company on this list by a wide margin. It has been operating for nearly three decades, which means it has navigated multiple gold bull and bear markets, the 2008 financial crisis, and significant industry consolidation.
The company had a rough period in 2022, filing for bankruptcy after multistate lawsuits alleged insufficient fee disclosures. Since then, Lear has overhauled its practices considerably. The current operation includes live gold prices on the website, clearly disclosed fees, and access to multiple custodians for IRA accounts.
At a glance:
- Minimum investment: $10,000
- Annual fees: Approximately $235/year
- Metals available: Gold, silver, platinum, and palladium
- Over 28 years in business
- 28 BBB complaints over three years, low relative to the company’s transaction volume
Lear is consistently described as well-suited for newer investors, offering educational resources and patient guidance through the IRA setup process. The website posts live spot prices, which is more than several competitors offer by default.
The 2022 bankruptcy is worth understanding in context. The company emerged from it, updated its practices, and has maintained its A+ BBB rating through the restructuring.
Investors who would rule out a company entirely based on that history should know it, but so should investors who dismiss the entire episode without looking at what changed.
Best for: Investors who want an experienced, long-tenured dealer with multiple custodian options and educational support.
How These Five Compare at a Glance
| Company | Founded | Minimum (IRA) | Metals | BBB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goldco | 2006 | $25,000* | Gold, silver | A+ |
| Augusta Precious Metals | 2012 | $50,000 | Gold, silver | A+ |
| Birch Gold Group | 2003 | ~$10,000 | Gold, silver, platinum, palladium | A+ |
| Priority Gold | 2015 | $20,000 | Gold, silver | A+ |
| Lear Capital | 1997 | $10,000 | Gold, silver, platinum, palladium | A+ |
*Goldco removed its minimum investment requirement in 2025.
What SD Bullion Does That These Companies Don’t
It’s worth saying plainly: SD Bullion and these five companies are not direct substitutes. SD Bullion sells physical bullion at some of the lowest premiums in the industry. It’s an authorized dealer of the U.S. Mint, the Royal Canadian Mint, and the Perth Mint.
If you want silver rounds, gold bars, or coins at spot-plus-minimal-markup, SD Bullion does that better than all five companies on this list.
What SD Bullion doesn’t offer is full-service IRA setup, rollover guidance from a 401(k), a buyback guarantee with published terms, or assigned account specialists. Those are the gaps that Goldco, Augusta, Birch, Priority Gold, and Lear fill. The right choice depends entirely on what you’re actually trying to do.
Conclusion
For investors who need IRA rollover support, portfolio guidance, or direct account management, any of these five companies delivers something SD Bullion doesn’t. Your starting capital, tax situation, and how much hand-holding you want from a dealer will determine which one actually fits.