Augusta Precious Metals Review

Our verdict

Augusta is the most transparent company we checked about who holds your account and what it costs. It names its custodian (Equity Trust) and depository (Delaware Depository), publishes the fees, says its staff are salaried rather than paid on product commissions, and has only one BBB complaint in three years.

The catch is the $50,000 minimum, the highest on our list, for both IRAs and cash purchases. It also doesn’t publish its markup. If you have $50,000 or more and want the fewest surprises, Augusta is a strong choice. With less, look at Goldco or the lower-minimum companies on our ranked list.

Augusta at a glance

Scroll the table sideways to see every column.

All figures checked October 29, 2026.

Fees

Augusta’s cost article lists the third-party fees:

• Setup: $50 (Equity Trust)
• Annual custody: $125 (Equity Trust)
• Annual storage and insurance: $110 (Delaware Depository)

That’s $285 in year one and $235 a year after, or $2,400 over ten years. Augusta doesn’t say whether the $110 is commingled or segregated storage. It matches Equity Trust’s non-segregated rate; Equity Trust’s segregated rate is $160. Ask which you’re getting.

Augusta says its own margin is built into the price of the metal and that it reviews the spread on each order, but it doesn’t publish a percentage. When you sell back to Augusta, there’s no separate liquidation fee from Augusta, though Equity Trust charges a $30 processing fee.

Fee coverage: Augusta says qualifying accounts may get up to ten years of eligible fees paid by Augusta. It doesn’t publish who qualifies. Get the offer in writing.

Compare these figures with other companies on our fees page.

Minimum investment

Augusta’s FAQ says the standard minimum initial purchase is $50,000, “whether through an IRA or with personal funds.” That’s twice Goldco’s IRA minimum and ten times Birch Gold Group’s. Augusta offers a one-on-one web conference with its in-house educator for savers with $100,000 or more.

Custodian and storage

Augusta names Equity Trust Company as custodian and Delaware Depository as the storage facility. That lets you check the custodian’s own fee schedule and policies before you sign, which is harder with Goldco or Birch, since they work with several custodians and leave the choice to the sales process.

Products

Augusta says it focuses mainly on gold and silver, and you can ask about other eligible metals. Examples it lists as IRA-eligible:

• American Gold Eagle
• American Gold Buffalo
• Canadian Gold Maple Leaf
• Austrian Gold Philharmonic
• NYMEX/COMEX-approved gold bars

Augusta says it doesn’t offer free silver or bonus metal.

How its staff are paid

Augusta says its “educators” are salaried and receive no product-specific commissions, though some staff may receive a fixed incentive that doesn’t depend on which product you buy. That matters: a rep paid more for selling collector coins has a reason to push them. American Hartford Gold and Birch Gold Group both say their reps are paid on commission.

Buyback, cancellation and price protection

• Buyback: Augusta says buying back is not obligatory for either side. It claims it has never denied a buyback since 2012. Augusta charges no separate liquidation fee; Equity Trust charges $30.
• Price lock: Your price is locked on a recorded order-confirmation call.
• Cancellation: Augusta’s gold IRA page offers a “24-hour window to cancel if you find a better offer.” Its FAQ says some purchases qualify for 7-day money-back protection.

Ask which of these protections applies to your order before you confirm.

Ratings and complaints

• BBB: A+, accredited since February 16, 2015. One complaint in three years. 136 customer reviews on the BBB profile.
• BCA: AAA, 0 complaints, member since November 2013.
• Trustpilot: 4.8 from 377 reviews.

One BBB complaint in three years is the lowest count on our list apart from Patriot Gold Group’s zero.

Legal and regulatory record

In August 2019 Augusta signed a consent order with the Minnesota Department of Commerce. The order says Augusta sold bullion products to Minnesota consumers above the state’s thresholds before registering as a bullion dealer there. Augusta agreed to stop, waived a hearing, and paid a $3,000 civil penalty plus $45 in investigation costs. The order is about registration. It doesn’t allege that customers were misled or lost money. We found no other regulatory action against Augusta in searches on October 29, 2026; that search wasn’t exhaustive.

Third-party sites mention commercial disputes involving Augusta (an advertising-invoice claim and a trademark case), not consumer suits. We couldn’t confirm them from court records and haven’t relied on them.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Custodian and depository named
• Published fee schedule
• Salaried staff, no product-specific commissions
• 1 BBB complaint in three years; BCA AAA with 0 complaints
• No separate Augusta liquidation fee
• Up to ten years of fees covered for qualifying accounts

Cons

• $50,000 minimum, the highest on our list
• No published markup
• Fee-coverage criteria not published
• Storage type behind the $110 fee not stated
• Mainly gold and silver
• 2019 Minnesota consent order for selling before registering ($3,000 penalty)

Who Augusta suits

• Savers with $50,000 or more who want the custodian and depository named up front
• Buyers wary of commission-driven sales
• People who value a very low complaint record

Look elsewhere if you have less than $50,000 (Goldco starts at $25,000, Birch Gold Group at $5,000), want platinum or palladium (Noble Gold offers all four), or want a published markup range (American Hartford Gold).

How we reviewed Augusta

We read Augusta’s about page, FAQ, gold IRA page, cost article and kit page, and checked its BBB, BCA and Trustpilot profiles and Minnesota Commerce’s enforcement database on October 29, 2026. We didn’t open an account. See our methodology.

Augusta’s minimum is $50,000 in an eligible IRA, 401(k) or cash. If you have less, see Goldco ($25,000) or Birch Gold Group ($5,000) instead.