Augusta Precious Metals Fees (2026): What a Gold IRA Actually Costs
By Mark Sandulli · Founder & editor · Updated October 21, 2026 · Not financial advice
Short answer: Augusta Precious Metals charges $285 for the first year of a Gold IRA ($50 setup, $125 custodian, $110 storage and insurance) and $235 a year after that. It’s the lowest first-year cost of the seven Gold IRA companies we rank. The minimum is $50,000.
Augusta’s fee schedule
| Fee | Amount | When |
|---|---|---|
| Account setup | $50 | Once |
| Custodian | $125 | Every year |
| Storage and insurance | $110 | Every year |
| First year total | $285 | |
| Each year after | $235 | |
| Liquidation fee | None charged separately | When you sell |
Augusta publishes these on its own website. Most Gold IRA companies only give fees over the phone.
What it costs over time
| Time | Total account fees |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $285 |
| 5 years | $1,225 |
| 10 years | $2,400 |
| 20 years | $4,750 |
Because the fees are flat, they shrink as a share of a bigger account: about 0.5% a year on $50,000, 0.24% on $100,000 and 0.12% on $200,000.
The cost that isn’t in the table
The fees above don’t include the markup on the metal itself, which is usually the biggest cost of a Gold IRA. On a $100,000 purchase, every 1% of markup costs $1,000 up front, more than four years of Augusta’s account fees. Ask Augusta for the price over spot on the exact coins or bars, in writing, before you sign.
Augusta’s fee promotion
Augusta says it may pay custodian and storage fees for qualifying accounts, potentially for up to 10 years. If it applies to you, that could be worth up to about $2,350. Augusta doesn’t publish who qualifies, so get the conditions in writing. We don’t count promotions in our scores.
How Augusta’s fees compare
| Company | First-year fees | Yearly after | Minimum | Our score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Augusta Precious Metals | $285 | $235 | $50,000 | 8.1 |
| Birch Gold Group | $315 | $235 | $5,000 | 8.2 |
| Noble Gold Investments | $365 | $285 | $20,000 | 7.8 |
| Goldco | About $500 (reported) | About $225 (reported) | $25,000 | 6.0 |
Is Augusta worth the $50,000 minimum?
If you’re already moving $50,000 or more, Augusta’s published fees, low first-year cost and complaint record (1 BBB complaint in three years) make it one of the strongest choices we track. If you have less, Birch Gold Group charges the same $235 a year and starts at $5,000.
Visit Augusta Precious Metals →
Read our full Augusta review → · Augusta vs Birch Gold → · Augusta vs Goldco → · All seven companies ranked →
Frequently asked questions
How much does Augusta charge per year? $235 a year after the first year: $125 for the custodian and $110 for storage and insurance.
Does Augusta charge a setup fee? Yes, $50, once.
Does Augusta charge to sell your metals? Augusta says it charges no separate liquidation fee on an accepted buyback. It doesn’t publish buyback pricing.
What is Augusta’s minimum investment? $50,000.
Are Augusta’s fees waived? Augusta says it may pay custodian and storage fees for qualifying accounts, for up to 10 years. Ask for the conditions in writing.
Gold IRA
Top-rated Gold IRA companies
- Our score
- 8.2/10
- Minimum
- $5,000
- BBB complaints
- 9 in 3 yrs
Visit siteon Birch Gold’s website- Our score
- 8.1/10
- Minimum
- $50,000
- BBB complaints
- 1 in 3 yrs
Get free guideon Augusta’s website- Our score
- 7.8/10
- Minimum
- $20,000
- BBB complaints
- 3 in 3 yrs
Get free guideon Noble Gold’s website
Scores from our published formula: fees, minimums, complaints, buyback and transparency. We may earn a commission from these links; it never changes a score.
Sources: Augusta Precious Metals FAQ (fee schedule), checked October 21, 2026 · BBB profile for Augusta Precious Metals, checked October 21, 2026 · Other companies’ fees from their own websites (Birch Gold Group, Noble Gold Investments), checked October 21, 2026, or independent reviewers (Goldco: Yahoo Finance, May 2026)
About this guide
Written by Mark Sandulli, founder of BestGoldPrice.com. Mark is not a financial advisor, tax professional, attorney or precious-metals dealer. This guide is general information based on public sources, not financial, tax or legal advice, and it may contain errors or be out of date. Precious metals can lose value. Confirm prices, fees and rules with the company and a licensed professional before you buy. We may earn a commission from some links. Read our full disclaimer.
