APMEX vs OneGold – Which is Best?

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APMEX and OneGold are two of the most recognized names in online precious metals investing and they share the same parent company.

APMEX, founded in Oklahoma City in 2000, built its reputation over two decades as a physical bullion dealer with over 20,000 products and $11 billion in lifetime transactions.

OneGold launched in 2018 as a joint venture between APMEX and Sprott Inc., a Toronto-based asset manager with $17.9 billion under management. The two platforms look related on paper, but the experience for buyers is completely different.

One puts gold in your hands. The other holds it in a vault while you own it digitally. Which approach makes more sense depends entirely on what kind of investor you are.

Key Takeaways

• APMEX sells physical gold, silver, platinum, and palladium with no order minimum, while OneGold offers digital metal ownership with a $100 account minimum and 24/7 trading.
• OneGold's annual storage fees run just 0.12% for gold and 0.30% for silver — well below the 0.40%–0.60% typical of gold ETFs.
• Both platforms share core infrastructure: APMEX vaults back OneGold holdings, and OneGold investors can convert digital positions into physical delivery through APMEX.

What Is APMEX?

APMEX (American Precious Metals Exchange) started in 1999 when founder Scott Thomas began buying and selling metals on eBay. By 2000 it had grown into a standalone business.

Today the company has processed over $11 billion in transactions, served more than 1.8 million customers, and holds an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.

 It is also an Authorized Purchaser of the United States Mint, which means it sources coins directly rather than through a distributor.

The product catalog runs to more than 20,000 items across gold, silver, platinum, and palladium. That includes standard bullion bars and coins, IRA-eligible metals, numismatic collectibles, ancient coins, currency, and jewelry.

APMEX sources from over 90 mints and refineries worldwide. In 2023, MKS PAMP Group a global precious metals and financial services firm made a strategic investment in APMEX, expanding its institutional reach.

What Is OneGold?

OneGold is a digital precious metals platform. When you buy through OneGold, you own allocated and segregated metal stored in professional vaults. You never hold it physically unless you request delivery.

Vaulting partners include Loomis International, Brink's, and the Royal Canadian Mint. Holdings are insured by Lloyd's of London, and monthly inventory reports from each vault are published publicly so investors can verify their digital holdings are physically backed.

The platform has facilitated over $1.5 billion in transactions and manages more than 3 million ounces of precious metals. It operates through a mobile app and browser interface, with trading available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Real-time pricing, custom market alerts, AutoInvest for recurring purchases, and portfolio tracking are all included at no extra charge.

Side-by-Side Comparison

Pricing and Fees

APMEX pricing depends on product, payment method, and order size. Paying by bank wire or check gets the lowest premium over spot. Credit card and crypto payments (via BitPay) add a 4% fee.

Premiums generally run higher than budget-focused competitors like JM Bullion and SD Bullion. There is no annual storage fee if you take physical delivery — but arranging secure storage at home or through a third-party facility is your cost to manage separately.

OneGold keeps pricing flat. It does not adjust premiums based on order size, so a buyer putting in $500 pays the same rate as someone putting in $50,000. Annual storage comes in at 0.12% for gold and 0.30% for silver and platinum, with a $5 per quarter minimum charge.

For comparison, the SPDR Gold Shares ETF (GLD) charges 0.40% per year. Over a five-year hold, OneGold's lower annual cost compounds into a meaningful difference. Credit card and PayPal transactions carry a 3.99% fee; Bitcoin payments incur 1.99%. Bank wire and ACH avoid those surcharges entirely.

Storage and Security

With APMEX, the moment your package arrives, storage becomes your responsibility. Some buyers use home safes.

Others pay for third-party vault storage through Citadel Global Depository Services, which APMEX partners with via Brink's-backed facilities. Either way, that ongoing cost is separate from your purchase price and not automatically insured.

OneGold handles storage entirely. Holdings sit in vaults across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland. Monthly inventory audits from each facility are posted publicly an unusual level of transparency in this industry.

 Every ounce is insured through Lloyd's of London against physical loss, damage, theft, and internal dishonesty. No comparable ongoing coverage applies automatically once you take physical delivery from APMEX.

Accessibility and Minimums

APMEX has no order minimum. A single silver round for around $30 qualifies as a legitimate purchase. Shipping runs $9.95 unless the order clears $199, at which point it ships free within the U.S.

The website is organized by metal type and product category with availability filters, making it easy to see what is actually in stock right now.

OneGold requires a $100 account deposit to get started. After that, fractional ownership means you can buy a partial ounce of gold, which matters because gold has been trading above $2,900 per troy ounce in early 2026.

Fractional access lowers the barrier considerably for new investors. AutoInvest lets users set recurring purchases by dollar amount or ounces, removing the need to manually time entries into the market.

Who Each Platform Suits

APMEX fits collectors, IRA investors seeking specific coins, and anyone who wants physical metal delivered. The 20,000-item catalog spanning rare numismatics, limited mintages, and sovereign coins from over 90 mints is a genuine advantage for that audience. 

The buyback program accepts metals from customers, though the minimum sell amount is $1,000 and buyback rates can fall below secondary market prices, so it pays to compare before selling.

OneGold suits investors who want price exposure to gold and silver without the logistics. The platform trades around the clock, so someone tracking markets during a volatile session can act without waiting for business hours.

The AutoInvest feature handles dollar-cost averaging automatically, and the switch-and-save promotion for new users can offset up to $1,000 of the first purchase.

For long-term accumulators, the low storage fee structure makes more financial sense than repeatedly paying shipping and home-storage costs on physical metal.

Rewards and Loyalty Programs

Both platforms offer access to The Bullion Card, a Visa credit card with no annual fee. It earns 4% back in metals on APMEX and OneGold purchases and 1% on everything else.

New cardholders get 15,000 bonus points worth $150 after spending $1,500 in the first 90 days which effectively offsets the credit card surcharge for regular buyers.

APMEX Club activates after two orders or $5,000 in total transactions. The four tiers Select, Premier, Elite, and invite-only VIP come with increasing benefits: exclusive discounts, flash sale early access, anniversary gifts, and a dedicated account manager at the higher levels.

OneGold does not have a named tier system but includes tools like AutoInvest and portfolio tracking at no extra cost across all accounts.

Customer Reviews at a Glance

APMEX scores 4.9 out of 5 on Shopper Approved from over 262,000 reviews, though that platform collects feedback at the point of sale when satisfaction peaks. On Trustpilot the rating sits at 1.6 out of 5, and Yelp shows 2.1 out of 5.

The gap is typical of platforms where unhappy customers are more likely to seek out third-party review sites.

Negative reviews cite premium pricing, shipping delays during high-volume periods, and customer support response times. Positive reviews consistently mention product authenticity, packaging, and the breadth of selection.

OneGold holds an A+ BBB rating since launch in 2018. App store reviews and platform-specific feedback trend positive, with customers highlighting ease of use and transaction speed.

One consistent limitation: live customer support is unavailable on weekends, which can be a gap during active market conditions.