Provider Comparison · Fees Verified · June 2026
Preserve Gold vs Goldco: Both companies publish rough fee information. Preserve Gold states $50 custodian + $100 storage with $100–$150 for segregated storage. Goldco’s FAQ states ~$50 setup + $80 management + $100–$150 storage. The honest comparison requires the full five-year cost: dealer premium, custodian, storage, and exit terms.
| Fee item | Preserve Gold | Goldco |
|---|---|---|
| Annual custodian/admin fee | $50 | ~$80 |
| Annual storage (non-segregated) | $100 | ~$100–$150 |
| Annual storage (segregated) | $100–$150 | Not detailed in FAQ |
| Setup fee | Not separately stated in source | ~$50 |
| Documentation format | Website pricing page, 2026-06-13 | Gold IRA FAQ expectations, 2026-06-13 |
These fee numbers do not include the dealer’s premium over spot — the biggest variable in a gold IRA comparison. A $30 annual fee difference does not matter much if one company charges 5% more on the metal purchase.
Comparing only year-one fees can be misleading when one company has a higher upfront cost but lower recurring fees (or vice versa). The five-year total cost is more honest.
| Cost component | Preserve Gold (estimated) | Goldco (estimated) |
|---|---|---|
| Setup/application (one time) | Ask; not in source | ~$50 |
| Year 1: custodian fee | $50 | ~$80 |
| Year 1: storage fee (non-segregated) | $100 | ~$100–$150 |
| Year 2–5: custodian × 4 years | ~$200 | ~$320 |
| Year 2–5: storage × 4 years | ~$400 | ~$400–$600 |
Add the dealer premium on top of these figures. For a $50,000 investment with a 5% premium, that is $2,500 at purchase — the equivalent of 10–15 years of custodian fees at these levels. The spread is often the largest single variable.
Preserve Gold states $100–$150 for segregated storage; Goldco’s FAQ does not separate a segregated tier clearly. Segregated storage means your metals are identified and stored separately from others’ metals.
The $50 upcharge for segregated storage is typically the same amount per year across most custodians. The question is whether it matters to you. If your metals are commingled, the depository still knows how many ounces are yours — but it is not “your specific bar.” For most long-term holders, this has little practical impact on returns. For those who want the clearest provenance chain at distribution or sale, segregated storage provides that.
Confirm in writing from both companies whether the account uses segregated or non-segregated storage, and which depository holds the metals.
Both Preserve Gold and Goldco must operate within the same IRS rules. Those rules include:
Buying non-eligible metals inside an IRA, or taking personal possession, can trigger a deemed distribution — taxable as ordinary income and potentially subject to the 10% early-withdrawal penalty for those under 59½. This is true for both Preserve Gold and Goldco — the dealer name does not change the IRS outcome.
Before choosing either company, use this checklist. The company that documents all of these items clearly is the one you can evaluate most reliably.
| # | Item to verify | Preserve Gold | Goldco |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Custodian name | ___ | ___ |
| 2 | Custodian fee schedule | ___ | ___ |
| 3 | Depository name | ___ | ___ |
| 4 | Storage type + storage fee | ___ | ___ |
| 5 | Exact metal product + premium over spot | ___ | ___ |
| 6 | First-year total cost | ___ | ___ |
| 7 | Recurring annual cost | ___ | ___ |
| 8 | Buyback terms in writing | ___ | ___ |
From Preserve Gold's website (accessed 2026-06-13): Preserve Gold states a $50 annual custodian fee, $100 annual storage fee, and $100–$150 for segregated storage. These are a useful baseline, but confirm the exact custodian, depository, and current fee schedule before funding — as custodian and depository arrangements can change.
Goldco's Gold IRA FAQ (accessed 2026-06-13) states to expect about $50 setup, $80 annual management, and $100–$150 annual storage. These are Goldco's FAQ-stated expectations, not fixed charges. Actual fees depend on the specific custodian, storage type, and account setup.
Segregated storage means your specific metals are stored separately and identifiably from other customers' metals. Non-segregated storage means your metals may be commingled with others of the same type. Preserve Gold states segregated storage costs $100–$150 annually. When comparing two companies, confirm whether the storage is segregated or pooled, and what the exact annual fee is.
Yes. Both companies must operate within the same IRS framework for self-directed IRAs holding precious metals. The key requirements are identical regardless of which dealer you choose: metals must be IRS-eligible, held through an IRS-compliant custodian in an approved depository, and the account structure must follow IRS rollover and contribution rules. Neither company's marketing can alter the IRS rules.
Estimate the five-year total cost for both: (1) Dealer premium/markup at purchase × the amount invested. (2) Setup/application fee (one time). (3) Annual custodian fee × 5. (4) Annual storage fee × 5. (5) Any exit/liquidation fees. Add all five for each company. The one with the lower five-year total cost (accounting for your specific account size) is the cheaper option.