Birch Gold Group Review 2026

Overview

Founded in 2003 by Laith Alsarraf, Birch Gold Group is one of the longest-operating firms in the space, with U.S. offices and tens of thousands of customers served. Its defining feature is breadth: unlike most competitors that stick to gold and silver, Birch offers all four IRA-eligible metals — gold, silver, platinum, and palladium — for both direct purchase and self-directed IRAs.

That longevity matters in an industry that has seen fly-by-night operators: Birch has operated through multiple market cycles since 2003 and has been BBB-accredited since 2011. The company emphasizes education and a no-pressure approach, assigning specialists to walk clients through rollovers from Traditional, Roth, SEP, and SIMPLE IRAs as well as 401(k)-type accounts.

Fees & minimums

Birch uses flat annual fees rather than a percentage of assets (commonly cited around $180 to $200 per year all-in), which favors larger balances; investors who fund $50,000 or more typically get the first year's fees waived. The $10,000 minimum is accessible, though at that level the flat fees represent a larger percentage of the account, so the economics improve as the balance grows. Metal pricing is quote-based.

Service, education & reputation

Storage is handled via IRS-approved depositories such as Delaware Depository and Brink's, with segregated options. Birch holds an A+ BBB rating, a AAA Business Consumer Alliance rating, and strong reviews across Trustpilot and Google, and is publicly endorsed by commentator Ben Shapiro. There is no online checkout — purchases go through a specialist by phone.

The drawbacks are modest: no online ordering, quote-based pricing, and fees that bite harder on the smallest accounts. The upside is a rare combination of long track record, broad metals selection, and flat fees that reward larger, long-term positions.