Swiss America review

Swiss America is the cheapest to hold of the companies we compared. Its own fee guide says the minimum is $5,000 and that it often works with Gold Star Trust Company in Amarillo, Texas, whose published schedule is a $50 setup fee, $90 a year for maintenance and $125 a year for commingled storage, about $215 a year. Segregated storage starts at $225 a year, and buying, selling or exchanging metals carries no custodian fee. The firm says it has helped over 60,000 people since 1982. It scores lower on quality because fewer IRA details are published than at Birch Gold or Goldco, and its guide notes that 97.3% of customers in 2026 bought coins rather than bars. Ask for the coin premium in writing, since that cost is not in the yearly fee.

Who it is for

small accounts that want the lowest yearly fees

Price

$5,000 minimum; about $215 a year with Gold Star Trust ($90 maintenance, $125 commingled storage) plus $50 setup.

Here’s a comparison using Gold Star Trust fees with commingled storage: Account size Flat fee ($215 per year)
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 14, 2026.

Key features

• $5,000 minimum to open a gold IRA
• Gold Star Trust schedule: $50 setup, $90 annual maintenance, $125 a year commingled storage
• Segregated storage from $225 a year
• No fee to buy, sell or exchange metals under the Gold Star schedule it publishes
• Says it has helped over 60,000 people since 1982

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Lowest recurring fee we could verify, about $215 a year
• Strength: $5,000 minimum ties Birch Gold for the lowest among full-service firms
• Strength: Publishes its typical custodian's full fee table
• Weakness: The fee table belongs to Gold Star Trust, so another custodian will cost differently
• Weakness: 97.3% of its 2026 customers chose coins over bars, which usually carry higher premiums
• Weakness: Main site blocked our page checks, so we relied on its official blog

Key facts

• Minimum: $5,000
• Annual fees: About $215
• Custodian: Gold Star Trust
• Founded: 1982

Where it ranks

Swiss America is No. 5 in our Best Gold IRA Companies verdict.