Goldco vs Augusta Precious Metals:
The Good, The Bad, and The Other Stuff
Investing in precious metals is a competitive market. There are ample choices for both the metals you opt to buy and the company you choose to purchase through.
To make life easier, we will compare two top-rated companies, Goldco and Augusta Precious Metals (APM), to see how they measure up.
Before we begin, let’s briefly examine the benefits of a Gold IRA and why it matters to your investment portfolio.
What is a Gold IRA?
A Gold IRA is a self-directed Individual Retirement Account (IRA) that holds bullion as a retirement investment.
Precious metals you want to have in a retirement fund can not be physically stored at your home. Instead, IRA metals must be held at an IRS-approved facility that an approved custodian oversees.
There are strict rules governing a precious metals IRA. These rules and regulations are in place to protect your assets and ensure the quality of the products you are holding.
A traditional IRA cannot hold physical gold or other precious metals. However, it can have a variety of assets related to precious metals, such as stocks and shares in a gold mining company or exchange-traded funds (ETFs).
Why Would You Want A Gold IRA?
You may want to include this type of investment in your portfolio for many reasons.
For starters, investing in gold and other precious metals provides diversity and stability to your savings.
A self-directed IRA also provides you with more control over your finances. Like real estate, the physical nature of a precious metals IRA can give you peace of mind and a sense of security in an unstable market.
A Gold IRA is regulated by the same rules as a conventional investment account and holds the same tax-related benefits. However, it is essential to note that the IRS has implemented additional controls for a precious metals IRA, including increased reporting and record keeping.
These increased policies push clients to seek the assistance of Gold IRA companies to ensure they are adhering to constantly evolving tax laws.
Getting Down and Dirty With Data Comparisons.
Now that you understand on a fundamental level what a Gold IRA is and why you need a company specializing in this type of IRA, it is time to discuss how to choose the best company for your specific needs.
There are many Gold IRA companies, and it can be challenging to see the differences on your own. Although the variations may seem minor, the small things often matter most.
We have compared two top-rated Gold IRA companies through extensive research and data analysis. This article will outline our findings, explain the metrics used for comparison, and discuss the differences between these popular brands.
We hope that the effort we have put into researching these companies will help you make an informed decision about your financial future.
There were numerous considerations when researching these companies, and we break each section down for you in this article. Since the companies vary throughout each area, we will weigh each individually to later declare a champion.
By breaking our comparison into various subsections, you will be able to assess the companies based on the areas most important to you and your needs. When it comes to investing, there is no one-size-fits-all, so ultimately, the choice is yours.
About Goldco:
Goldco is a precious metals investment firm that was founded in 2006. The company, which aims to help investors diversify their portfolios, offers gold and silver IRAs and the sale of other precious metals.
Goldco LLC have a simple setup process that they have perfected after almost 20 years in the industry. Their award-winning customer service, investor education programs, and extensive experience make them a top choice among customers.
+ Request your FREE Goldco IRA Kit Today
About Augusta Precious Metals:
Founded in 2012, Augusta–Precious Metals is a gold IRA specialist committed to investor education. Seeking to help individuals diversify their retirement portfolio, the company offers a variety of investment options, including IRA rollovers and the purchase of physical gold or silver.
The transparent pricing and outstanding customer service at Augusta make this company a crowd favorite.
+ Request your FREE Augusta Gold IRA Guide
Goldco vs Augusta Precious Metals
| Measure | Goldco Precious Metals (Goldco Llc) | Augusta–Precious Metals(APM) |
| Date of Establishment | 2006 | 2012 |
| Minimum Investment | $25,000 | $50,000 |
| Average Rating | 4.8/5 | 4.7/5 |
| Types of Metals | Gold, Silver, Platinum, and Palladium | Gold and Silver |
| Rollover Support | Yes | Yes |
| Price-Matching | No | Yes |
| Processing Time | One week | Up To Two weeks |
| Customer Service | Dedicated customer support | Dedicated, customized, personal, life-long customer support |
| Buy-Back Program | Yes | Yes |
| Setup Fee | $50 | $50 |
Numerous considerations are needed when comparing these popular competitors. Our research examined trust and reputation, ratings and reviews, account setup, available services, pricing, selection, buy-back options, and complaints.
We also discuss the type of investor best suited for each brand, the storage options each offer, and the refund policies.
We wanted to review each aspect and the company when doing our research to ensure that the picture we painted encompasses the entire brand.
Below is a breakdown of each section…
1. Trust and Reputation
The first thing we opted to measure was the reputation of each company. We evaluated company ratings, client reviews, online articles, and forum discussions. (we dive deeper into some of these elements later in the comparison).
Here is what we found when we were measuring trust and reputation.
Goldco has been in business for nearly two decades and Augusta for one. Both have extensive experience in finance, and both are respected members of the financial community.
Regarding their reputation according to their customers, both are equal in this area. High ratings from the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and Business Consumer Alliance (BCA) make these companies equally trustworthy. Both companies are also highly regarded on forum websites and financial blogs. It is important to note that overall, Goldco has a slightly higher rating than Augusta in this area, but they are still comparable.
Other things we took note of include the following:
- Both companies have a solid reputation and positive feedback online.
- Both companies have high ratings from BBB, BAC, and Consumer Affairs
- Both provide exceptional customer service
- Both feature an impressive buy-back program
- Both have been reviewed on various sites, and these reviews are generally positive for both companies.
The areas where each company shines:
| Goldco Direct Llc. | Augusta |
| Goldco has a slightly higher rating | Has fantastic customer reviews |
| Offers a better deal for fees related to account ownership | Prices are comparable, although there are some grey areas regarding refunds and fees |
| Goldco has a lower minimum investment cost | Higher minimum investment, but you get lifetime customer service that is more personalized. |
| Goldco has a more extensive selection and offers more metals | Sells only gold and silver but is a true IRA specialist and offers highly personalized service. |
The Verdict:
As the chart above outlines, both companies have excellent reputations. However, with trust and reputation, Goldco is on top in this area.
The customer service offered by this company, the lower minimum investment, and the high ratings pushed it over the threshold for us.
+ Request your FREE Goldco IRA Kit Today
Let’s take a closer look at the other areas we measured…
2. Customer Reviews & Ratings
| Authority | Goldco | Augusta |
| Consumer Affairs | 4.8/5 – 1103 reviews | 4.9/5 – 31 reviews |
| BBB | 4.82/5 – 421 reviews | 4.96/5 – 108 reviews |
| BCA | AAA | AAA |
Both competitors are listed and reviewed by Better Business Bureau (BBB), Business Consumer Alliance (BAC), and Consumer Affairs. Both companies have top ratings across these sites.
Goldco has a rating based on more reviews on BBB and Consumer Affairs. However, Augusta–Precious Metals is reviewed more on BAC. Still, despite a significant difference in the number of ratings, the two companies are almost equal in their overall ratings.
The Verdict:
Although the pair is similar in their ratings on all sites, Goldco having a more significant number of reviews on two of the three sites makes them the winner in this area.
+ Request your FREE Goldco IRA Kit Today
3. Account Setup Process
When measuring each company, we looked at every aspect of operations, starting with account setup.
Fortunately, both companies have a simple, straightforward account setup process, and both provide a dedicated customer service representative to walk you through this process.
A cost is almost always associated with setting up a precious metals IRA. With both companies, this cost is $50.
With that said, this setup fee is sometimes waived by Goldco if the investment is significant. This company offers investors a tiered system, where the more they invest, the lower the costs.
Along with the initial fees, you must meet each company’s minimum investment requirements.
With Goldco, the minimum investment is $25,000
Through Augusta, the minimum is $50,000
The Verdict
Due to the lower investment cost and comparable service, Goldco is also the winner in this area. A lower minimum makes the company more accessible and inclusive, which is a big plus.
+ Request your FREE Goldco IRA Kit Today
4. Products and Services
Both companies are comparable in the services that they provide. However, there is no denying that Goldco has a broader selection of physical products than APM, which we review in more detail below.
Both companies are considered Precious Metals IRA Specialists, offering dedicated, customized support from start to finish.
Opening a precious metals IRA requires guidance, and both IRA firms can provide this guidance. With simple steps and continuous support, they are equally efficient in the service they provide investors.
The Verdict
In the area of products and services, the decision was challenging. Both companies provide exceptional support in setting up and funding a precious metals IRA. Both also offer physical gold and silver that can be purchased for private collection.
While Goldco offers a more expansive selection, Augusta offers more extended customer service. Thus in this area, we will declare a tie, albeit with a note…
Goldco will be the best choice for you if you are seeking variety. However, APM may be the best choice if you want more support and don’t care so much about selection.
+ Request your FREE Goldco IRA Kit Today
5. Types of Metals
The type of metals you choose to invest in makes a big difference in your yield. This area is where we begin to see significant differences between the companies.
| Product | Goldco | Augusta |
| Gold | Yes | Yes |
| Silver | Yes | Yes |
| Platinum | Yes | No |
| Palladium | Yes | No |
Goldco allows customers to invest in gold, silver, platinum, and palladium. While Augusta, on the other hand, only offers gold and silver.
The Verdict
Goldco is the clear winner when considering selection. The ability to purchase gold and silver, as well as platinum and palladium, makes it the best choice for investors looking to build a well-rounded portfolio.
+ Request your FREE Goldco IRA Kit Today
6. Pricing and Fees
Cost plays a significant role in the management of any IRA account. Thus, when we decided to compare Gold IRA companies, fees were on our minds.
There are fees attached to all precious metals IRA accounts, and these charges must be considered before you decide to invest.
Here we look at the fees and charges of both companies to compare the costs associated with owning an IRA.
| Fee Type | Goldco | Augusta |
| Setup | $50 + $30 wire fee | $50 |
| Annual Fee Custodial/Maintenance | $80 | $80 |
| Storage/Depository Fee | $100 | $100 |
| Minimum Investment | $25,000 | $50,000 |
The fees presented by both companies are similar, as they are across the board. However, Augusta Precious–Metals will waive all shipping and transit fees. This company is also dedicated to providing transparent pricing to customers and promises no hidden costs or fees.
The Verdict.
There is not much difference between the two companies regarding general pricing and fees, which appears to be stable across the market. Still, the fact that Augusta will waive all shipping and transit fees, and promises transparent pricing, makes it our choice in this category.
+ Request your FREE Goldco IRA Kit Today
+ Request your FREE Augusta Gold IRA Guide
7. Buy-Back Program
An investment in precious metals is meant to be long-term. Still, we understand that you may be in a situation where you must sell off assets. To prepare you for any setbacks, we decided to look at the buy-back programs of each company to see which was best.
Both companies have a buy-back program, and they are similar. Customer reviews back up both brands and support the claim that the buy-back programs offer top-dollar.
The Verdict
The similarities of the buy-back programs lead us to declare a tie in this area. No company offers more than the other when buying back gold and silver from its customers, and both claim to pay top dollar.
+ Request your FREE Goldco IRA Kit Today
+ Request your FREE Augusta Gold IRA Guide
8. Goldco Versus Augusta Precious Metals Complaints & Red Flags
It is impossible to please everyone. Seriously. No matter how much you give, someone always has something negative to say, especially in business. Customers are far more likely to talk about the negative aspects of a company than the positive ones.
Let’s look at how our companies measure up in this area.
GoldCo
Trust Pilot – 4.8/5 (552 reviews)
Trust Link – 4.8/5 (253 reviews)
Google – 4.7/5 (214 reviews)
Business Consumer Alliance (BAC) – 5/5 (1 review)
Better Business Bureau (BBB) – 4.83/5 (86 reviews)
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is where customers often turn to get an overview of a company and is considered an authority in the field.
Goldco’s rating on the BBB is impressive – ranking 4.83 out of 5 stars on the site.
The BBB site breaks down customer complaints, shares them openly, and lists whether they have been resolved or remain open.
According to the site, there have been 12 complaints closed in the last 12 months, meaning they have been resolved.
The complaints are available on the site if you wish to view them. After reading through the complaints against this company and the resolutions achieved, I can confidently say Goldco cares about its customers.
Augusta Precious–Metals
Trust Pilot – N/A
Trust Link – 4.9/5 (282 reviews)
Business Consumer Alliance (BAC) – 4.9/5 (92 reviews)
Better Business Bureau (BBB) – 5/5 (104 reviews)
Augusta–Precious Metals appears to have a solid reputation online. High ratings from both the BBB and BAC are impressive, and we could not find a single formal complaint anywhere.
The company personally replies to each review and works to achieve a positive result if there is an issue.
While we did not encounter complaints on mainstream consumer protection sites, that does not mean they do not exist. Consider all the reviews for yourself when researching a Gold IRA company but keep the potential source in mind.
The Verdict
This Goldco versus Augusta Precious Metals complaints area is challenging to measure. While it would be easy to declare Augusta the winner, they have far fewer reviews than Goldco. Although Goldco had complaints listed against them, these were quickly resolved.
To be honest, both companies have impressive reputations online and are respected in their corners of the market. For that reason, we will declare a tie in this area. Declaring a draw accounts for the difference in numbers and pays homage to the outstanding reputations of both companies.
+ Request your FREE Goldco IRA Kit Today
+ Request your FREE Augusta Gold IRA Guide
9. Refund Policies
What happens if you purchase a product through either of these companies and then decide you made a mistake? What if the product is not up to standards? We tried to look at the refund policies of both companies to determine which is more customer friendly. However, it appears that refund policies across the market are incredibly similar. Below we share what we know.
Augusta Precious–Metals
Finding the refund policy for this company was a bit of a challenge and was only discovered after some significant digging. Still, the procedure is comparable to many others.
This gold IRA distributor offers a 7-day refund policy for first-time investors. However, further orders of premium products are final. There is an exception to this no-refund policy. If the laws of your state mandate a longer cancellation time, it will be respected.
Goldco
Finding the refund policy of Goldco was even more challenging. In fact, we could not even locate a nod to the policy on a third-party site.
It is assumed that the policy is similar to Augusta’s, with attention paid to new clients only.
The Verdict
There is no winner in this department. The effort required to locate information on the refund policy of either company is truly unacceptable.
+ Request your FREE Goldco IRA Kit Today
+ Request your FREE Augusta Gold IRA Guide
10. Depository and Storage Options
When you invest in a precious metals IRA, storage cost is a factor. Here we consider the storage costs of both companies and the options they provide.
Goldco:
The storage costs through Goldco vary depending on your desired storage type.
Segregated Storage (which means your metals are kept separately) will cost $150/per year. Non-segregated storage (meaning your metals are stored with every other investor’s products) will cost you $100/per year.
Goldco works with IDS Texas for storage, a highly reputable company with many years of experience.
Augusta Precious–Metals:
The yearly fee for storing your precious metals through Augusta–Precious Metals is $100. However, it is essential to note that the company will often waive storage fees depending on the type of metal and investment amount.
Augusta works with the highly respected IDS Delaware for secure storage and Brinks International.
The Verdict
Both companies offer plenty of options for storage, and both rely on the security of IDS to ensure your investment is safe.
We will declare another tie in this area, but we will share a few thoughts.
Goldco seems to have better non-segregated options than Augusta. However, APM seemingly offers more variety in location.
The two companies are comparably similar in most aspects of storage and depository fees and other related factors.
+ Request your FREE Goldco IRA Kit Today
+ Request your FREE Augusta Gold IRA Guide
11. Available Tools for Investors
With a precious metals IRA being self-directed, you will want to find a company that can help you navigate the market, gain knowledge and education, and make informed decisions regarding your investments.
Here we discuss the tools that each company offers to help investors learn and grow,
Goldco and Augusta: Available Tools.
Both Goldco and APM offer extensive education options to clients. Articles, personal training, and online video conferences help to keep clients informed and up-to-date on the latest market trends.
These companies are committed to educating their clients and helping them handle their investments wisely. They offer exceptional support and can be reached anytime to answer questions and help you make account changes.
The Verdict
Again, results in this area are similar, but we have chosen Goldco as the winner. It once again came down to available selection for us on this topic. Goldco offers a better variety of products for investment, and their storage options are too similar to play a fundamental role in choosing between the two companies.
+ Request your FREE Goldco IRA Kit Today
+ Request your FREE Augusta Gold IRA Guide
12. Augusta Precious Metals vs Goldco : Pros and Cons
By this point, you can probably see how these companies are similar and where they differ. Still, we will list the pros and cons for you to compare.
Goldco’s Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Great selection of various metals | Minimum investment is still high |
| Easy setup process, competitive fees | Some negative online reviews |
| Great buy-back program | More limited storage locations |
| Lower minimum investment ($25,000) | |
| Many online education events |
Augusta Precious Metals Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Free 1-on-1 investment advice | $50,000 minimum investment |
| Dedication to education | High markup on premium coins |
| Positive reputation, no complaints | Smaller selection, limited options |
| Competitive fees and promotions | |
| Lifetime support | |
| Does the work for you |
The Verdict
In the pros and cons area of our assessment, Goldco comes out on top. The vast selection of various metals, easy setup process, lower minimum investment, and unique buy-back program make it the best choice, according to our calculations.
+ Request your FREE Goldco IRA Kit Today
Final Thoughts On Goldco Vs Augusta Precious Metals Review
When it comes to investing in retirement, there are many options available. The possibilities are endless, from a traditional IRA or 401(k) to a precious metals IRA.
Whatever route you choose to fund your future, be sure to do the research required to invest confidently.
While articles like this can point you in the right direction, the choice (and risks) are ultimately your own. Choosing an IRA investment company, such as Goldco, should be a decision you are comfortable making. If in doubt, reach out to your preferred company to see what they can offer and clarify any concerns you may have in advance.
You can build a brighter, happier future with a little effort.
+ Request your FREE Goldco IRA Kit Today
+ Request your FREE Augusta Gold IRA Guide
Goldco Versus Augusta Precious Metals Reviews
Goldco Vs Augusta Precious Metals Reviews