Gold IRAs
Goldco Review: Fees, Promotions, and Complaint Record
Goldco is one of the most heavily advertised gold IRA companies. It publishes its yearly fees and has a long record with consumer groups. It does not publish its coin prices, and its biggest promotion is tied to its own "premium coins."
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Key points
- Goldco says it generally requires $25,000 to open a gold IRA.
- It publishes flat yearly fees, though two of its pages list different administration fees.
- Its bonus-silver offer applies to purchases of "Goldco premium coins." Ask which coins qualify and the premium on each, in writing.
- In 2026, a court gave final approval to a $2 million class-action settlement over Goldco's marketing texts. Goldco denied wrongdoing.
Who is Goldco?
Goldco is a precious metals dealer based in Calabasas, California. The Better Business Bureau lists it as accredited since December 2011. It sells gold and silver for self-directed IRAs and for direct delivery. The BBB lists Trevor Gerszt as founder and CEO and JD Koehler as president.
Goldco says it has "helped thousands of Americans place over $3 Billion in gold and silver."
Goldco describes itself as "America's Top Rated Gold IRA Company." Its homepage also lists a "Money.com 2026 Best Customer Service" award and shows public figures such as Sean Hannity, who is quoted recommending the company. These are Goldco's own marketing claims.
Fees and minimums
Goldco's website says it generally requires $25,000 to start a gold IRA. Its cost page, its FAQ and its gold IRA page all give that figure. The gold IRA page lists $10,000 for a direct purchase outside an IRA. Confirm both when you call.
Goldco's cost page, which says it was last updated in February 2025, lists these fees:
| Fee | Amount listed by Goldco |
|---|---|
| Account setup (one time) | $50 |
| Administration (yearly) | $125 |
| Storage, non-segregated (yearly) | $100 |
| Storage, segregated (yearly) | $150 |
That page puts the total at about $225 a year once the account is open. Goldco's FAQ page gives different numbers: about $80 a year for account management and "somewhere in the ballpark of $200 a year" in total. Goldco's own pages don't agree, so ask for the current fee schedule in writing.
Goldco's gold IRA page also says, "Ask your Goldco Specialist about current promotions as Goldco may reimburse you for these annual fees." It doesn't say who qualifies or for how long, so ask.
See our gold IRA fees guide for what is typical.
Does Goldco disclose its markup?
We did not find a published markup or price over spot for Goldco's products. Dealers set their own price over spot, and it can differ from one product to the next. Ask for the price of each product as a percentage over spot, in writing, before you buy.
The Business Consumer Alliance lists two complaints filed in early 2026 in which customers alleged large markups. One alleged silver markups "as high as 162 above spot." In both, the BCA shows Goldco "agreed to make an adjustment." These are customer allegations, not findings.
Product mix and the bonus-silver offer
Goldco's homepage offers up to 5% "FREE Silver" on purchases of $50,000 to $99,999, and 10% on $100,000 or more. The offer applies to purchases of "Goldco premium coins." The fine print says it "cannot be combined with any other offer" and that "additional rules may apply."
We did not find a definition of "premium coins" on Goldco's site. Ask which products qualify, what each one costs over spot, and which other products you can buy. Get the answers in writing.
Gold and silver are Goldco's main products. Its gold IRA page says it also offers platinum and palladium, and that coins in an IRA must meet a minimum fineness of .995. You can also buy from Goldco outside an IRA and have the metal shipped to you.
Accounts you can fund, and how long it takes
Goldco's gold IRA page says eligible rollover sources "include 401(k), 403(b), 457, Pensions and TSP accounts." It also says you can move Roth money into a Roth precious metals IRA.
Goldco says a rollover takes "typically less than two weeks." It also says metals "may take between 1 and 12 weeks to ship" because of demand. Its terms and conditions add that an order may not ship until 45 business days after Goldco receives good funds. Ask for your expected dates when you order.
Custodian and storage
Goldco says it "works with all major Self-Directed IRA custodians." It doesn't name one as its main partner. Its guide to reading your account statement says the statement comes from your custodian, not Goldco, and features a video from the Equity Trust team, so Equity Trust is one custodian Goldco customers use.
Goldco says IRA metals are kept at "an insured depository." The pages we read did not name the depository. Ask which custodian and depository your account will use, and whether storage is segregated or non-segregated, since Goldco lists a different storage fee for each.
Buyback terms
Goldco advertises a "Buy Back program guaranteed at the highest price." Its offer pages call this the "Goldco Highest BuyBack Guarantee." Its About page adds "no fees when you're ready to liquidate." We could not find written terms, such as how the "highest price" is measured or whether conditions apply. Ask for those terms in writing. Our guide on selling gold from an IRA explains what to ask.
Complaint history
As of October 16, 2026, the Better Business Bureau showed Goldco with an A+ rating and 72 complaints in the last three years, alongside 1,716 customer reviews. The Business Consumer Alliance showed a AAA rating and three complaints closed in the same period.
On Trustpilot, Goldco had a TrustScore of 4.4 out of 5 from 1,791 reviews on October 16, 2026. 89% of those reviews gave five stars and 3% gave one star. Trustpilot's own summary says reviewers praise helpful, knowledgeable staff, while negative reviews mention prices and markups, slow callbacks and some delayed buybacks. Trustpilot notes that it does not fact-check reviews.
The BCA's closing notes show Goldco agreed to an adjustment in two of those three. In the third, Goldco declined, pointing to the terms of its agreement. You can read the complaints on the BBB and BCA sites.
Regulatory and legal record
As of October 16, 2026, we searched the CFTC, SEC, and FTC websites and found no enforcement action naming Goldco. The BBB profile lists no government actions.
In a private class action, Summerton v. Goldco Direct LLC (U.S. District Court, Western District of Wisconsin, No. 3:23-cv-00238), the plaintiff alleged Goldco sent marketing text messages after people had asked it to stop, in violation of the federal telemarketing law known as the TCPA. Goldco agreed to pay $2,000,000 to settle. The court granted final approval on March 26, 2026, and entered judgment in April 2026. The official settlement website states that Goldco "denies the allegations and any wrongdoing." The case was about text marketing. It did not concern the metals Goldco sells or customer accounts.
Sales experience, as reported by customers
We have not yet called Goldco as a prospect. Goldco's online forms ask visitors to agree to contact by email, text message, pre-recorded message, ringless voicemail, and automated calls. Goldco says consent is not a condition of any purchase. If you request information, expect follow-up. You can reply STOP to texts and ask to be taken off call lists. We will add our own experience after our call.
Who it may suit, and what to check first
May suit you if
- You have at least $25,000 to put into a gold IRA and want a large, established dealer.
- You are comfortable asking for written prices on every product before you buy.
- You are fine with follow-up calls and texts after you request information.
What to check first
- The current fee schedule, in writing, since Goldco's own pages differ.
- The price over spot for each product you are offered.
- Which coins qualify for the bonus silver, and what each one costs.
- The written terms of the buyback guarantee.
- The custodian and depository your account will use.
- When your rollover should finish and when your metals should ship.
Not sure where to start? Our 10 questions to ask any gold IRA company work for Goldco and its competitors.
How Goldco compares with Augusta Precious Metals
Augusta Precious Metals is another large gold IRA company. Here is how the two line up on the points readers ask about most. Goldco's column comes from Goldco's website and public records we checked on October 16, 2026. Augusta's column comes from Augusta's published company facts.
| Goldco | Augusta Precious Metals | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum to open | $25,000 for an IRA ("generally," per Goldco); $10,000 for a direct purchase | $50,000 |
| Published yearly fees | $50 setup, then about $225 a year per its cost page (its FAQ says about $200) | Standard fees of $50 to open, $125 a year administration and $100 a year storage are ZERO for up to 10 years under its offer |
| Fee or bonus offer | Up to 10% bonus silver on purchases of "Goldco premium coins" | ZERO setup, custodian & storage fees for up to 10 years. Everyone qualifies. |
| Buyback wording | In Goldco's own words: "Buy Back program guaranteed at the highest price," with "no fees when you're ready to liquidate" | Highest Buyback Guarantee |
| BBB rating | A+ (BBB, October 2026); AAA from the BCA; 4.4 on Trustpilot | A+ BBB rating. AAA from Business Consumer Alliance |
| How sales staff are paid | Not stated on the Goldco pages we read | Salaried, non-commissioned educators |
| Money magazine | Goldco lists "Money.com 2026 Best Customer Service" | Money magazine "Best Overall Gold IRA Company," 2022–2026 |
Whichever company you call, ask for the fee schedule, the price of each product, and the buyback terms in writing.
Heirloom Money is paid if you request information from, or become a customer of, Augusta Precious Metals.
See the full Goldco vs Augusta comparison, or all five companies side by side in our gold IRA companies comparison.
Common questions
What is Goldco's minimum?
Goldco's website says it generally requires $25,000 to start a gold IRA. Confirm the current figure when you call.
What are "Goldco premium coins"?
Goldco does not define the term on the pages we read. Ask which products qualify for its bonus silver and what each costs over spot.
Has Goldco been sued?
Yes, in a class action over marketing text messages. Goldco agreed to a $2 million settlement, which the court approved in March 2026. Goldco denied wrongdoing. We found no CFTC, SEC, or FTC enforcement action.
Is Goldco's buyback guaranteed?
Goldco advertises a buyback "guaranteed at the highest price," but we could not find written terms. Ask for them before you buy.
Which custodian does Goldco use?
Goldco says it works with all major self-directed IRA custodians and doesn't name a main one. Its statement guide features Equity Trust. Ask which custodian and depository your account will use.
What accounts can I roll into a Goldco IRA?
Goldco lists 401(k), 403(b), 457, pension and TSP accounts, and says Roth money can go into a Roth precious metals IRA. It says rollovers typically take less than two weeks.
Can I buy from Goldco without an IRA?
Yes. Goldco sells gold and silver for direct delivery. Its gold IRA page lists a $10,000 minimum for a direct purchase.
What is Goldco's Trustpilot rating?
On October 16, 2026, Trustpilot showed a TrustScore of 4.4 out of 5 from 1,791 reviews. The BBB rates Goldco A+ and the BCA rates it AAA.
How much are Goldco's yearly fees?
Goldco's cost page lists $50 to open, then about $225 a year for administration and storage. Its FAQ page estimates about $200 a year. The pages differ, so get the schedule in writing.
We base our guides on primary sources such as the IRS, the Department of Labor, and federal regulators. Read our editorial policy. Spot an error? Tell us.