Silver can be a lower-cost way to invest in precious metals compared to gold, and online dealers make it easy to get started.
The right dealer for you often depends on your priorities. If you want to incorporate silver into your retirement portfolio, we recommend IRA-focused dealers like Goldco and Augusta Precious Metals. For low-cost buying, self-service platforms like APMEX and JM Bullion might fit your needs.
These are the top nine silver dealers for investors in 2026, according to our comprehensive scoring methodology.
In this article: Best silver dealers | Comparison table | Low-cost | IRAs | Alternative strategies | Methodology | Conclusion | FAQs
Guided silver IRA investing
- Goldco: Best for long-term retirement guidance
- Noble Gold: Best for cost-effective IRA management
- Augusta Precious Metals: Best for larger retirement investments
- Advantage Gold: Best for precious metal IRA rollovers
Low-cost silver investing
- APMEX: Best for silver selection
- JM Bullion: Best for efficient purchasing and value
- Money Metals Exchange: Best for beginner silver purchasing
Alternative silver strategies
Price of silver today
Goldco: Best for long-term retirement guidance
Minimum investment: $10,000 for IRAs and direct purchases
Standout feature: Highest industry buyback guarantee
In business since 2006, Goldco focuses on long-term customer support for gold and silver IRAs, as well as direct gold and silver purchases. Goldco’s reps help clients open their IRAs, roll over funds and decide long-term retirement strategies, making it a strong choice for investors seeking long-term guidance.
Pros:
- Strong company reputation, with overall positive reviews on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and Trustpilot
- Hands-on customer service, especially for retirement accounts
- Offers a highest industry buyback price guarantee
Cons:
- No live pricing available online
- Higher cost than self-directed competitors
Noble Gold: Best for cost-effective IRA management
Minimum investment: $20,000 for IRAs, $10,000 for direct purchases
Standout feature: Simple user interface and transparent fee structures
Noble Gold offers streamlined options for opening and managing silver and gold IRAs. Although it does not offer the same level of comprehensive support as competitors like Augusta Precious Metals, Noble Gold offers helpful guidance for precious metals IRAs without as many fees.
Pros:
- More cost-effective than high-end competitors
- Transparent flat fees and pricing
- Wider silver and gold selection than other IRA-focused dealers
Cons:
- Less personalized than some service-driven brands
- Fewer educational resources than competitors
Augusta Precious Metals: Best for larger retirement investments
Minimum investment: $50,000 for IRAs and direct purchases
Standout feature: Personalize education and dedicated account specialists
Augusta Precious Metals caters to investors with larger holdings who want hands-on professional support. The company offers one-on-one sessions, detailed onboarding and dedicated account specialists to help you understand how silver best fits your personal IRA strategy.
Pros:
Cons:
- $50,000 investment minimum
- Higher premiums
Advantage Gold: Best for precious metal IRA rollovers
Minimum investment: Not published
Standout feature: Customer support when rolling over funds to a precious metals IRA
Advantage Gold has dedicated specialists who help its customers roll over retirement funds into a precious metal IRA and choose their metal allocations. Like other IRA-focused dealers, Advantage Gold focuses on customer education and the investment process, offering beginner-friendly guidance and onboarding.
Pros:
- Transparent online pricing
- Beginner-friendly precious metal IRA guidance
- More accessible than premium providers like Augusta
Cons:
- Does not publicly publish investment minimums
APMEX: Best for silver selection
Minimum investment: None
Standout feature: Wide selection and user-friendly website
APMEX has over 6,000 silver products available on its website, including coins, bars, collectible items and even jewelry and junk silver. Investors can get started with fractional ounces for as low as a few dollars, making APMEX a popular, low barrier to entry platform.
Pros:
- Trusted online retailer with over 25 years of experience
- Extensive inventory of products, including rare and specialty silver
- Free shipping on orders $199 or more
Cons:
- Higher premiums than some competitors
- Charges fees when purchasing with credit cards or cryptocurrency
JM Bullion: Best for efficient purchasing and value
Minimum investment: None
Standout feature: Competitive prices and easy checkout
JM Bullion is a no-frills platform offering quick and efficient purchasing with slightly lower premiums than competitors. Balancing value and selection, it offers a strong variety of silver coins and bars, though with slightly less emphasis on specialty or collector’s items compared to APMEX.
Pros:
- Competitive and transparent silver pricing
- Automated buyback tool with live prices
- Strong discounts for bulk purchases
Cons:
- Charges fees when purchasing with credit cards or cryptocurrency
- Less emphasis on collector’s items
- Free shipping only on orders of $499 or more
Money Metals Exchange: Best for beginner silver purchasing
Minimum investment: None
Standout feature: Monthly purchase plans and “starter kits” for beginners building holdings
Money Metals Exchange helps beginners start their portfolio and build their investments over time. It offers options such as silver and gold “starter kits” with a selection of widely traded coins, as well as monthly silver and gold “purchase plans” so investors can build their holdings up over time.
Pros:
- Extensive educational resources for beginners
- Free shipping on orders $199 or more
- Pays close to spot price for bullion buybacks
Cons:
- Smaller selection than competitors like APMEX
- Has mixed customer reviews on Trustpilot
Thor Metals Group: Best for strategy-driven silver IRAs
Minimum investment: $10,000 for IRAs and direct purchases
Standout feature: Flat-fee structure and value pricing for silver IRAs
Founded in 2023, Thor Metals is a newer dealer that has positioned itself as a lower-priced alternative to some of its competitors. It has lower investment minimums than other IRA-focused dealers, plus free IRA setups and two years of free storage for accounts holding at least $100,000. It emphasizes both gold and silver for portfolio diversification, and as a smaller company, it has personalized service to help investors make informed decisions.
Pros:
- Transparent fee structure and no-cost IRA setup
- Individual support for silver purchases and investments
- Free shipping and insurance for precious metal deliveries
Cons:
- Less established than other dealers
- Must call their team to get live pricing
American Alternative Assets: Best for guided portfolio diversification
Minimum investment: $50,000 for IRAs and direct purchases
Standout feature: 10 years of free storage for qualifying customers
American Alternative Assets is a holistic, education-focused dealer primarily focusing on helping retirement savers diversify their portfolio. The company offers personalized guidance for integrating silver as part of a wider asset management strategy and has several educational resources to help customers understand their options.
Pros:
- Offers 10 years of free storage for qualifying customers
- Strong reviews on the BBB and Trustpilot
- Education and support-focused approach
Cons:
- $50,000 investment minimum
- Less established than other dealers
To objectively compare silver dealers, we assign a composite score to each provider based on six key metrics:
- Pricing transparency and value
- Compliance, trust and reputation
- Buyback program strength
- Customer experience, support and satisfaction
- Product selection and services
- Investor education and transparency
We specifically assessed each dealer’s silver-specific pricing, selection, services and educational resources when choosing our top silver dealers.
Read our full precious metals dealer methodology to learn more about how we score providers.
Bullion dealers, such as APMEX and JM Bullion, focus on selling silver and other precious metals directly to consumers. These online platforms are flexible and accessible to beginner and self-directed investors.
On the other hand, IRA-focused dealers like Augusta Precious Metals and Goldco provide more guidance, specifically focusing on investors who want to incorporate gold and silver into their retirement accounts. These organizations work directly with investors to plan for retirement, open or roll over accounts, and meet IRS requirements.
Whether silver is a good investment depends on your goals. Like gold, silver can help diversify a portfolio and may provide a hedge during periods of inflation, currency weakness or economic uncertainty.
Silver is unique among precious metals because it also plays an important role in manufacturing. Industries that produce products such as solar panels, electric vehicles, electronics and medical equipment use silver in their production processes. When demand for these products increases, demand for silver often rises as well.
This combination of investment and industrial demand can make silver prices more volatile than gold prices. During periods of strong economic growth, silver may outperform gold because of rising industrial demand. However, silver can also experience steeper price declines when economic activity slows.
As a result, silver may appeal to investors who want a precious metal with greater growth potential than gold and are comfortable accepting higher short-term price fluctuations.
Ultimately, the best silver dealer for you depends on your needs and priorities. For instance, if you want convenient, self-directed silver purchasing online, we recommend companies like APMEX and JM Bullion.
If you’re looking for more guidance on managing silver or gold IRAs, Noble Gold and Augusta Precious Metals are among our top recommendations. And finally, if you’re focused on alternative strategies or diversification, Thor Metals Group and American Alternative Assets are two newer options serving the market.
What is the best place to buy silver online?
We recommend APMEX, JM Bullion and Money Metals Exchange for buying silver online.
Can you hold silver in an IRA?
Yes, you can hold silver in an IRA, but it must uphold certain IRS purity and storage guidelines.
Is a silver IRA better than owning physical silver?
Owning physical silver can give you better liquidity and privacy, but silver IRAs offer better tax advantages.
What are the risks of investing in silver?
Silver is vulnerable to economic downturns, making it a more volatile asset than gold. Additionally, storage and security costs can eat into your returns.