Lear Capital is best for precious metals IRAs
Lear Capital is best for investors seeking to diversify their retirement portfolios with precious metals, offering free self-directed IRA set-up and gold, silver and platinum metals. While Lear Capital facilitates the purchase of metals online outside IRAs — something that’s not offered by every company specializing in precious metals IRAs — its markup makes it less appealing compared to some other online dealers.
What we like about Lear Capital
With its experience and price and purchase guarantees, working with Lear Capital has several benefits.
Experience in precious metals dealings
Lear Capital has been in the precious metals business since 1997 and has handled over $3 billion in financial transactions. It has long-standing relationships with vendors that provide investors with added security. All IRA metals are stored in the IRS-approved Delaware Depository and carry full insurance backing from Lloyd’s of London.
Purchase guarantee
All IRA investments carry a purchase guarantee from Lear Capital. This guarantee gives you 24 hours to thoroughly review your investment. If you need to cancel, there will be no cancellation fees within that time.
IRA and self-purchase options
Choose between self-directed IRAs and direct precious metals purchases, with an easy-to-use online store for purchasing metals yourself to have delivered straight to your door. An extensive resource library is available to help you determine which Lear Capital investments are right for you.
Strong customer reviews
Lear Capital is accredited by the Better Business Bureau with an A+ rating. It also holds high ratings as of March 2025, with a Trustpilot score of 4.9 out of 5.0 based on over 2,500 reviews. It also receives impressive reviews on ConsumerAffairs, where 97% of reviews receive a 5.0 out of 5.0 rating.
Where Lear Capital falls short
Lear Capital has some drawbacks, such as poor online transparency and no online setup. There was also a Lear Capital lawsuit in 2022.
Limited information online
Lear Capital’s online transparency can use some work — there are few details online about inventory, fees and costs, leaving customers with more questions than answers.
No online IRA setup
To open a Lear Capital account, you must first speak with a representative. This professional will provide you with more information regarding your investment options and terms, as well as any associated costs and Lear Capital fees. Together, you can go through the application process, and if approved, your account will be ready within 24 hours.
For online self-purchases, payment options are limited to bank wires, certified checks, personal checks or money orders. You must send or mail your payment within 48 hours of you purchase. There is no option to purchase metals via credit card debit card.
Bankruptcy
In 2022, there was a Lear Capital lawsuit brought forth by the State of New York and the City of Los Angeles, leading to a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing.(1)
“Lear Capital urged investors to liquidate their traditional retirement savings and buy precious metals without proper fee disclosures,” said DFPI Commissioner Clothilde V. Hewlett. “As a result of those deceptive practices, the company accumulated millions of dollars at investors ‘expense.’”
Those who purchased retail precious metals were part of a $5.5 million bankruptcy plan, with eligible bankruptcy claims receiving refunds and a pro rata distribution of remaining funds for ineligible or unfiled claims.
The company has since taken steps to improve sales practices and disclosures to avoid future issues.
Lear Capital fees
Lear Capital IRAs carry a first-year fee of $305, with an annual fee of $225 thereafter. If you do not opt for electronic statements or adjust your storage preferences, the cost could be higher. Shipping, handling and insurance come at an additional cost, depending on the type of metal you buy, but these costs may be waived based on your deposit amount.
Contact Lear Capital for precise fee information.
| Annual account fee (with storage) | $305 first year $225 annually thereafter |
| Shipping, handling and insurance fee | $24 + $1 per thousand of Lear Capital gold and platinum $24 + $13 per thousand of Lear Capital silver |
| Minimum investment | Not disclosed |
Lear Capital’s coins and products
Lear Capital proudly boasts one of the largest selections of metals in the country, thanks in large part to its partnerships with the Royal Canadian and New Zealand Mints. Available are gold, silver, platinum and palladium.
Lear Capital does not publicly share its entire inventory, but there are certain premium gold and silver coins listed in its online gallery.
Lear Capital Gold and Silver Coins (Premium)
| Liberty Series |
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| Indian Series |
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| Modern |
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| Silver |
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Is Lear Capital legit?
Although it has had some stumbles along the way, Lear Capital has shown itself to be a resilient company specializing in precious metals. It can be a great way to diversify your portfolio with multiple investment options and excellent resources to support them.
A member of the Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS), it has earned an AAA rating with the Business Consumer Alliance for its investment services. It also survived a 2022 bankruptcy and has emerged as a popular choice among those who invest in precious metals.
Lear Capital customer experience
| BBB accredited | Yes |
|---|---|
| BBB rating | A+ |
| BBB customer reviews | 4.35 out of 5 stars, based on 69 customer reviews |
| Trustpilot score | 4.8 out of 5 stars, based on 2,674 customer reviews |
| Apple App Store Score | 2.6 out of 5 stars, based on 7 customer reviews |
| Google Play Score | 3.7 out of 5 stars, based on 5 customer reviews |
| Customer reviews verified as of | 29 April 2025 |
What do people on Reddit say?
The overall sentiment on Reddit is that Lear Capital is a solid choice for customer service and satisfaction, with reviewers praising the company for excellent customer service. Lear Capital representatives are patient, knowledgeable and extremely helpful, which is a welcome surprise for new investors who may be intimidated by the process.
Compare other precious metals investment platforms
- Choose from a variety of self-directed retirement account options
- Invest in alternative assets like real estate, crypto, private businesses and more
- Take advantage of tax benefits to grow your retirement savings
- Free gold IRA investor kit
- Buyback guarantee your metals at the highest price
- Open a qualifying gold IRA & get up to 10% in free Silver when you invest $100,000 or more
- No monthly or annual fees and low cost transactions
- Fully backed by physical gold and silver
- Get $200 for each funded referral, and they’ll receive $100 too
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Finder is not an advisor or brokerage service. Information on this page is for educational purposes only and not a recommendation to invest with any one company, trade specific stocks or fund specific investments. All editorial opinions are our own.
Frequently asked questions.
How do you buy from Lear Capital?
To buy in your IRA, contact Lear Capital or fill out the form on the website to have a representative contact you. They will review your options, including available inventory, and the next steps to complete the purchase. Your metals will then be securely shipped per the terms of your contract. Keep an eye out for the occasional Lear Capital promo, too. Purchases outside your IRA available online.
Does Lear Capital offer storage options for your metals?
Lear Capital offers storage through the Delaware Depository, which is an IRS-approved vault.
How can you track the value of your metals?
Lear Capital provides several tools to help you track the value of your metals. IRA account holders receive quarterly statements and benefit from 24/7 online access to track the performance and evolving value of holdings.
