Best Online Gold Dealers

Gold has been regarded as a valuable commodity for thousands of years, and today, there are dozens of places online where one can buy gold, making investing in gold more popular than it has ever been. Ingots, gold coins, and gold bars (also known as “bullion”) are the various forms that gold can be purchased in that are available for purchase. Many people see owning physical gold as a valuable way to protect their wealth from the effects of inflation and diversify their holdings in times of volatile market conditions.

Buying gold online can give the impression of being a high-risk endeavour, especially when one considers the possibility of receiving fake gold. Because there are so many locations where one can buy gold online, it is essential to find a dealer that one can have faith in. Our research has led us to identify the most trustworthy and reputable gold dealers operating online. These dealers offer open and honest pricing, reasonable fees, dependable shipping, and friendly customer service.

An increasing number of investors are looking to precious metals as a means of diversifying their investment portfolios as a result of the increased volatility of the stock market and the political unpredictability. Gold in particular has, throughout history, been able to keep its value, even in the midst of significant fluctuations in the stock market, and it has demonstrated that it is an effective hedge against inflation.

The ownership of actual gold, as opposed to gold receipts, gold mining stocks, or gold exchange-traded funds (ETFs), is frequently favoured by long-term investors. It has never been simpler to buy high-quality gold in its physical form, have it shipped to your house, or keep it in a safe deposit box thanks to the proliferation of online gold dealers in recent years. On the other hand, there are some reports of counterfeit metal coins or fake gold being sold online. Because of this, you need to make sure that you are purchasing from a dealer who has a long history and a good reputation in the industry.

The Best Online Gold Dealers for 2022

Best Overall: Money Metals Exchange
Best Comprehensive Offering: APMEX (American Precious Metals Exchange)
Best Customer Experience: JM Bullion
Best Low-Price Option: SD Bullion
Best for Gold Coins: BGASC
Best Reputation: Golden Eagle Coins

Money Metals Exchange

Money Metals Exchange has earned its spot on our list as the best overall online gold dealer by providing customers with an exceptional shopping experience in addition to having prices that are among the most competitive in the industry, low shipping costs, a vast product selection, and low overall costs.

Pros

Pricing options that are competitive
Free delivery on all orders that total $500 or more
Program that saves money automatically each month

Cons

There are purchase limits that vary depending on the method of payment you use, and some of them are very low.
There may be delays in shipping.

Since its inception in 2010, Money Metals Exchange has amassed a clientele of more than 250,000 customers in a very short amount of time. Money Metals Exchange is our pick for the best overall online gold dealer because of its customer-centric focus, which has translated into highly competitive pricing, personalised service, a pathway for new investors, and one of the best reputations online.

Its website provides customers with an intuitive interface for shopping for coins and bullion according to category and weight. An automatic monthly savings plan that starts at $100 per month is an excellent way for beginning investors to get their feet wet in the gold investing market. On their website, they advertise the price of a 1 oz Gold American Eagle Coin to be as low as $105 more than the spot price.

Money Metals freezes the price of your order for ten minutes, giving you time to enter all of your information and choose a method of payment. You have the option of paying with a bank wire transfer, bitcoin, a credit or debit card, a money order, PayPal, or a check.

Orders paid for with PayPal and credit cards are subject to a processing fee of 4%. There is not one single maximum purchase amount that applies to all payment methods. There is a maximum limit of $1,700 for card purchases, $3,000 for PayPal transactions, and $3,000 for ACH transactions. The limits for other methods are significantly higher.

Free delivery is included with any order that exceeds $500, which, when compared to the price of gold, is not an especially high threshold. The shipping cost is $7.97 for any orders that are less than $500. Money Metals has a return policy that lasts for three days and may charge a restocking fee of up to 5% on credit card purchases. The dealer also provides a buyback programme and asserts that it will pay the highest price compared to its rivals in this market.

Vault storage can be found at Money Metals’ locations in Delaware and Massachusetts, which are both Class 3 vaults. Your metals are completely separated from one another and fully insured at all times. During business hours, they also offer responsive customer service that can be reached via live chat, phone, or email.

Additionally, the website provides access to a sizable library of resources, which can assist both novice and seasoned investors in expanding their knowledge of the market. Investors who are watching the price of a particular metal and waiting for it to go up can sign up for price alerts from Money Metals.

APMEX (American Precious Metals Exchange)

Why Did We Go With It? The American Precious Metals Exchange, also known as APMEX, is the world’s largest online gold dealer. They sell modern as well as ancient gold coins, bars, rounds, and other gold products. It caters to customers all over the world and offers superior selection and service to those customers.

Since the year 2000, APMEX has been offering online sales of gold as well as other precious metals, and it has since grown to become the largest online gold retailer in the world. When it comes to buying gold over the internet, APMEX is considered the standard because the company has more than 200 employees and has sold more than 130 million ounces of gold and silver since it was founded.

APMEX, which is the world’s largest online precious metals dealer, tops our list as the online gold dealer with the most extensive product selection because it provides customers with access to more than 46,000 different items.

Advantages

A wide variety of products to choose from
7-day grace period for returns.
Strong service to the customers
Strong standing in the digital sphere
An extensive track record

Cons

There may be price variations depending on the method of payment chosen.

Since its inception in the year 2000, the American Precious Metals Exchange (APMEX) has grown into a dominant force in the precious metals industry across the globe. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that it has the widest selection of products containing precious metals; consequently, we consider it to be the online gold dealer that possesses the most all-encompassing offering.

APMEX carries a comprehensive range of platinum and palladium bullion and coin products in addition to its extensive range of gold and silver bullion and coin products. Its coin selection is like a miniature United Nations, with coins from countries as diverse as the United States of America, Canada, Australia, South Africa, Mexico, and many others. In addition, APMEX is one of the best sources for collectors because it provides a diverse selection of coins and old banknotes.

Although APMEX’s prices are not the lowest available, the significant volume of sales that the company generates enables it to at least be competitive. One of the most significant drawbacks is that they have different pricing structures for the various payment methods. In addition to this, APMEX provides volume-based pricing as well as bulk discounts on purchases of bullion and coins. The quantity tiers are from 1 to 9, 10 to 19, 20 to 99, and 100 and above.

APMEX also excels in user friendliness, with a straightforward navigation system that makes it simple to browse products and a straightforward checkout procedure that can be completed in just four steps. After beginning an order, you have a total of ten minutes to complete the transaction in order to secure the current price.

One more important benefit offered by APMEX is free shipping on any order that is more than $199. There is no requirement for a minimum order amount. For orders that total less than $199, a shipping fee of $9.95 will be added. Every single package that is shipped out comes with insurance. Orders that are paid for with a credit card, PayPal, cryptocurrency, or wire transfer may be eligible for APMEX’s QuickShip Program, which provides processing for orders placed in the United States on the following business day.

If you would like APMEX to store your gold for you, they will send it to Citadel Global Depository Services, which is one of the largest private storage facilities in the world, where they will store it for an annual fee.

You can pay for your purchases with APMEX using a wide variety of methods, such as a credit or debit card, a paper check, a bank wire transfer, PayPal, bitcoin, or an electronic check. Depending on the method that you use to make payments, the clearing of payments could take up to five days, while other methods clear payments more quickly.

Any order can be returned and refunded within 7 days of receipt; however, APMEX reserves the right to assess a restocking fee equal to either $50 or 10% of the total purchase price. In addition to this, it makes the buyback process simple and expedient for the customers.

APMEX is dedicated to delivering outstanding customer service and educational opportunities. During normal business hours, customers can communicate with the company’s service center via live chat, email, or phone; however, orders can be placed around the clock, seven days a week. New investors will be grateful for the resource center that APMEX has made available on its website. This center provides educational information in addition to up-to-date insights on the purchase of gold.

In 1999, Scott Thomas sold his grandfather’s coin collection on eBay, which inspired him to begin buying and selling coins online. This led to the founding of APMEX by Mr. Thomas. Because of the rapid expansion of his coin-selling business, he established the American Precious Metals Exchange in the year 2000. The company’s offices were formerly housed in the same building as the Federal Reserve of Oklahoma in Oklahoma City, where the company’s headquarters are located.

APMEX is now a multibillion-dollar company that not only sells gold in more than 60 countries around the world but also stores gold that is owned by customers in vaults that are located on their premises. Online customers can purchase gold coins, gold bullion, and a variety of other gold products from APMEX. In addition to this, it offers safe storage solutions through Citadel, a wholly owned subsidiary of the company.

APMEX is committed to providing a seamless experience for its customers from beginning to end. This is accomplished by providing a user-friendly website, accurate and up-to-date online pricing information, trustworthy third-party shipping partners, and customer service support via phone or live online chat. All purchases are eligible for a return period that lasts for a maximum of seven days. You can purchase gold using a variety of payment methods, including a credit card, check, bank wire, or even cryptocurrency.

JM Bullion

Because JM Bullion offers its customers a website that is simple to navigate, a pricing structure that is easy to understand, dedicated customer support, and features that are beneficial to investors, we have chosen it as the online gold dealer that provides the best overall customer experience.

Since its inception in 2011, JM Bullion has made rapid strides toward becoming the “fastest-growing precious metals company” in the United States, according to Inc.com. This expansion can be attributed to JM Bullion’s dedication to providing customers with a straightforward purchasing procedure, a comprehensive range of products to choose from, transparent pricing, and devoted assistance when needed. Because of this, we consider it to be the online gold dealer that provides the best overall customer experience.

It offers a comprehensive product selection, which includes a wide selection of coins and bars made of precious metals such as gold, silver, platinum, copper, and palladium, all of which are priced without commissions or other additional fees. There are price differences associated with the various methods of payment. JM Bullion gives active duty service members and veterans the same discount it gives customers who buy in bulk.

ACH transfers (up to $100,000), cryptocurrency (up to $250,000), paper checks (up to $75,000), credit or debit cards (up to $25,000), PayPal (up to $25,000), and wire transfers from banks (up to $250,000) are all acceptable methods of making payments. As a “discount” for the other payment methods, credit card and PayPal transactions are assessed an additional 4% fee, and cryptocurrency transactions are assessed an additional 1% fee.

When you spend $199 or more, your order will be shipped for free, and the cost of insurance will be covered. You will be charged $7.99 for any order that is less than $199. (more if you upgrade your shipping method at checkout). You also have the option to have your gold sent for free to JM Bullion’s storage partner, TDS Vaults. TDS Vaults is a high-security depositary that has several locations all over the world.

JM Bullion has a return policy that is valid for five days. You are responsible for any market losses, despite the fact that the website does not indicate whether or not there is a restocking fee. The dealer maintains a buyback policy with a minimum of one thousand dollars. You can view the most up-to-date information regarding its buyback prices by going to its website.

JM Bullion takes great pride in its dedicated customer support, which is available via live chat, email, and phone during normal business hours. On Trustpilot, customers have nothing but praise for the company.

SD Bullion

In comparison to the other dealers on this list, SD Bullion provides competitive pricing, and the company stands behind those claims by offering a low-price guarantee; as a result, we recommend them to you as the best option for competitive pricing.

If a dealer claims to be the “lowest cost” online gold dealer in the United States, then that dealer ought to support their claim with a low-price guarantee. This is precisely what SD Bullion does, and as a result, we consider them to be the most cost-effective choice for gold investors.

In spite of the fact that SD Bullion provides customers with all of the precious metals available, including gold, silver, platinum, copper, and palladium, the company’s product selection is not as extensive as that of some of its leading rivals. When it comes to investors looking for the best price regardless of which brand they prefer, SD Bullion is unrivalled.

The company offers free shipping on all orders that are more than $199 and a flat rate of $9.95 for orders that are less than $199. It has great prices, as we have already mentioned, and the dealer will match a competitor’s price if a customer finds one that is lower than the one SD Bullion is offering.

Your order will be subject to a market loss fee, a 5% cancellation fee, and any collection expenses incurred by SD Bullion in the event that payment is not received by the payment deadline. SD Bullion provides its customers with a comprehensive selection of payment options, including the following:

Bitcoin (up to $250,000)
Cashier’s check (up to $20,000)
Credit or debit card (up to $5,000)
E-check (up to $10,000)
PayPal (up to $5,000)
Personal check (up to $20,000)
Wire transfer ($20,000 and up)

There is a processing fee of 4% for payments made using PayPal and 1% for payments made using Bitcoin. If you decide to have your gold stored, you will have the option of opening a storage depository account, at which point your gold will be stored directly with SD Bullion and will be fully insured by Lloyd’s of London. If you make this decision, you will need to have your gold stored. The first three months are completely free, and after that, the cost of storage can be as low as $9.99 per month, depending on how much you store.

Returns are permitted within the first three days after delivery, but the purchaser is not assured of a refund. It is up to SD Bullion to decide whether or not it will honour your request to return the item. In addition, SD Bullion may ask you to cover the cost of any market loss in addition to the stocking fee, which is either 5% of the purchase price or $35, depending on which is higher. Even though buyback prices are not made public, SD Bullion will purchase your gold on your behalf. After SD Bullion has been in possession of the item for one to three days, payments will be processed.

The reviews of SD Bullion’s customer service are generally favourable, and customers have reported having a positive experience reaching representatives through chat, email, and the phone. The speedy ordering process and relatively quick delivery times have been praised by a number of previous customers. Users of Trustpilot have awarded SD Bullion 4.6 out of a possible 5 stars based on their experiences with the company.

BGASC

As its name suggests, Buying Gold and Silver Coins (BGASC), which stands for Buying Gold and Silver Coins, is one of the best sources for gold bullion coins that are sold at reasonable prices. As a result, we have selected this company as the best online gold dealer for coins.

Although BGASC provides customers with access to a comprehensive selection of gold products, the sale of gold bullion coins remains its primary business focus. The fact that they have such a large selection of coins, that their prices are so low in comparison to those of other online gold dealers, and that their customer service is so good leads us to believe that BGASC is the best online gold dealer for coins.

BGASC has been able to establish a reliable reputation, particularly in the industry of gold coin dealing. They keep an extensive inventory of premium and rare numismatics, in addition to having a great selection of all the essential standbys such as American Eagles, Canadian Gold Maples, South African Krugerrands, Pre-1933 U.S. Gold, and Australian Gold Kangaroos. In addition to that, it provides silver and platinum-based products. They do sell gold bars in the various standard weights and dimensions.

They offer very reasonable prices for all of their products. The one-ounce Gold American Eagle Coin that they sell was the least expensive of all the products sold by the vendors mentioned in this article.

One of the drawbacks of using BGASC is that it only offers a few different payment options. At this time, they will only accept payments made via bank wire transfers (with a maximum of $400,000), paper checks (with a maximum of $100,000), PayPal (with a maximum of $10,000), credit and debit cards (with a maximum of $10,000), and PayPal.

When you spend more than $5,000, your shipping costs are on us. Although this may be a high bar for less significant investors, the $9.95 fee for orders that are less than $5,000 is still manageable for most people.

The return policy that BGASC provides is only good for three days, during which time you will be charged a restocking fee of 5% on all orders paid for with PayPal or a credit card, in addition to a possible market loss fee for any product that you send back. Additionally, they will buy gold and silver from you at the prices that are listed on their website at the time.

Even though they do not offer live chat, customer reviews laud BGASC’s customer service, praising the company’s knowledgeable representatives and prompt response times. Their customer service is available during business hours, similar to that of the vast majority of other online gold dealers.

BGASC has established a reliable reputation online, as evidenced by its score of 4.8 stars out of 5 on Trustpilot, which was based on more than 7,200 customer reviews. Additionally, BGASC is a member of the Certified Coin Exchange (CCE), in addition to being a Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) authorised dealer (NGC).

Golden Eagle Coins

Golden Eagle Coins is our top pick for the online gold dealer with the best reputation because it was founded as a family-owned business, it has an almost perfect track record, and it has received thousands of positive reviews from satisfied customers.

Golden Eagle Coins has been in business since 1974 and has a track record of customer satisfaction that is unrivalled. As a result of this, we consider them to be the most reputable online gold dealer. Golden Eagle Coins is known primarily for their extensive selection of gold coins, which includes collectible and numismatic coins.

It’s impossible not to be impressed by the vast inventory that Golden Eagle Coins carries. Investors can find a large selection of pre-1933 coins, commemoratives, mint sets, and foreign coins from a wide variety of countries in addition to popular coins such as American Eagles, South African Krugerrands, and Canadian Maple Leafs. In addition to gold coins, silver, platinum, palladium, and copper coins are all available from Golden Eagle Coins.

In addition, you won’t find very many dealers who sell historical currency, such as notes from the Confederacy or currency from the colonies. Collectors are also impressed by the variety of ancient Arabic, Greek, Roman, and mediaeval coins that can be found there.

The prices of Golden Eagle Coins are low and competitive, but they are not quite as low as the prices offered by BGASC or SD Bullion. You don’t necessarily go to Golden Eagle Coins for the prices; rather, you go there for the selection and the service.

Bitcoin, paper checks, credit cards, PayPal, and wire transfers to your bank account are just some of the conventional payment methods that can be utilised at Golden Eagle Coins. Credit cards have a maximum purchase limit of $1,000, while wire transfers from banks have a minimum requirement of $2500. Additionally applicable minimums and maximums are as follows: Orders paid for with PayPal and credit cards incur additional costs in the form of a fee.

When you spend $99 or more, standard shipping is free, but it costs $9.95 for orders that are less than $99. You have the option of upgrading to priority mail, which will cost you $14.95, or express mail, which will cost you $24.94. Returns are accepted for a period of seven days after the delivery has been made by Golden Eagle Coins. There is a possibility that you will be required to pay a restocking fee in addition to a market loss fee. Prices for purchasing gold can be found on their website.

Even though it does not provide live chat, Golden Eagle Coins has earned high marks from the thousands of customers who have provided feedback on the quality of its customer service. Inquiries made via phone and email are responded to promptly, and the service itself is quick to meet customers’ needs. The reputation of Golden Eagle Coins on the internet is impeccable. On Trustpilot, it has received more than 5,200 ratings, giving it an overall rating of 4.3 stars out of 5. On ShopperApproved, it has received an even higher rating of 4.8 out of 5 stars, based on more than 24,000 reviews.

Who Is a Gold Dealer Online and What Do They Do?

The most reputable gold dealers operating online are those who sell a wide variety of gold products, including investment-grade bullion, coins, collectible gold pieces, and more. Customers are able to quickly compare prices offered by a number of different sellers and base their purchase decision on both price and the speed at which an item will be shipped. The most reputable dealers provide customers with the choice to either take delivery of the gold in its physical form or to store it in a secure vault. Customers also have the choice to sell their gold back to the dealer for a different amount.

Where Can I Buy Gold Via the Internet?

Buying gold online can be as simple as pointing and clicking, much like the purchase of many other products. The best dealers have websites that are well-organized and simple to navigate, making it easy to find products of interest and make comparisons between them (i.e., bullion by weight, coins, out-of-mint coins, etc.). When you find a product that you are interested in purchasing, you can click on it to obtain additional information. You can put it in your shopping cart just like you would at any other online store. After that, you will be able to enter the quantity that you desire. You then have the option to continue shopping or proceed to the checkout counter.

When you begin the checkout process with the majority of dealers, the price that you see will remain unchanged for a limited time—typically between ten and fifteen minutes. You have a limited amount of time to complete your purchase at the current price before the offer expires; otherwise, the price may be increased or decreased to reflect the current state of the market. Following successful completion of the checkout process, you will, in addition to ongoing shipping notifications, receive a confirmation email.

Is It Possible to Store Gold at Home?

There is no problem with keeping your gold in your house (except in the case of Gold IRAs). The question that needs to be answered is whether or not you would want to. The safety of having your gold stored in a highly reputable depositary, such as Brinks Global Services, which has vault locations all over the country, is incomparable to any other form of protection.

Those who would rather keep their gold close to them will find that the best place to store it is in a secure safe that is kept in their own home. If you decide to keep your gold at home, you should make sure that any potential loss or damage is covered by the homeowner’s insurance policy you have. It’s possible that you’ll need to buy additional coverage.

Is It Risk-Free to Buy Gold Online?

As long as you know you’re dealing with a trustworthy business, purchasing gold online is just as risk-free as conducting any other kind of business transaction over the internet. The most trustworthy dealers will encrypt customer data with SSL and adhere to PCI standards. In addition to that, they insure each and every shipment for the total value of the goods being shipped.

Buying from a dishonest business that provides you with counterfeit goods, overpriced stock, or simply disappears with your cash is the most significant threat you face when making a purchase online. When making any kind of purchase online, you should always remember that you are the first and the last line of defence against con artists. It is imperative that you perform your due diligence on gold dealers by doing research on them online.

How to Determine Whether a Gold Dealer Is Trustworthy

When evaluating and contrasting different gold dealers, the most important factor to take into consideration is, without a doubt, the reputation of each business. Transaction history, which can be evaluated based on feedback from previous customers, is the single most accurate indicator of a company’s reputation. Companies that have a large number of reviews either have a longer track record, which indicates that they are more established, or they have built up their trust and reputation through a greater number of transactions, which indicates that they are more trustworthy.

When assessing the credibility of a dealer, you should look for the following in addition to other things:

In general, the more reputable an online gold dealer is, the better it is for you to do business with them. There are a few dealers on our list who have been in operation for less than ten years; therefore, you should also look at their reputation online based on reviews written by previous customers.

The actual headquarters of the company: Even if they don’t have any traditional stores, you still want to make sure that the gold dealer you’re dealing with online has a physical and trackable presence. Steer clear of any dealer who provides only a Post Office Box.

Policies on returns and buybacks that are crystal clear: The majority of dealers provide customers with at least three days to return a product for refunds or exchanges. Investigate whether or not there is a restocking fee, as well as the amount that it costs. A buyback policy is something you can expect from reputable dealers. Investigate the criteria that must be met in order to sell your gold back to the dealer, as well as whether or not they list their buyback prices.

Pricing that is clear and based on the most recent and accurate information It is essential that the dealer provide pricing that is clear and is based on the most recent and accurate information possible because gold prices change on a minute-to-minute basis. Confirming that an online gold dealer does not charge commissions or other additional fees is essential before finalizing a purchase. The best online gold dealers do not charge commissions or other fees.

It is essential that a dealer is willing to accept the mode of payment that is most convenient for you. Credit cards, checks, money orders, wire transfers, PayPal, and bitcoin are all accepted payment methods by most online gold dealers. Be aware, however, that most businesses assess an additional fee of between 3% and 4% for purchases made with credit cards.

Methodology

When searching for “online gold dealers,” a simple internet search will return dozens of results, which can make it difficult to choose the best one. We narrowed our choices for the best in six different categories by applying our criteria of online reputation, length of track record, price transparency, payment options, shipping speed, absence of commissions and hidden fees, and customer service to the 13 remaining dealers. These criteria allowed us to choose the best in each of the six categories. You really can’t go wrong with any of them; it just depends on your particular requirements and preferences.

Bottom Line

All of the aforementioned online gold dealers have excellent reputations and are trustworthy, open, and honest. However, there are sufficient differences between these top dealers to entice investors for a variety of different reasons.

If you want the largest selection of products across all categories, this is the place to go. Your initial destination should be APMEX. You should look into JM Bullion, on the other hand, if you place a high value on an exceptional overall customer experience. If cost is your primary concern, you won’t find many gold dealers who can compete with SD Bullion.

A lot of gold investors diversify their holdings by purchasing from a few different places. However, if you are looking for the best overall one-stop shop for purchasing gold, you should put Money Metals Exchange at the top of your list of potential vendors.