Why Trust Us
Investopedia launched in 1999. Since 2025, we have independently researched 10 of the best companies that offer self-directed IRAs (SDIRAs). We analyzed each company based on key criteria including fees, account minimums, and investment opportunities. We compared each company based solely on the data collected to create our list of the best self-directed IRA companies.
How We Picked the Self-Directed IRA Companies
Investopedia identified 10 of the leading self-directed IRA companies. To find the best companies, Investopedia analyzed its own prior research on the industry, compared companies’ current practices, and examined Google search data that reflected public interest in each company.
Our in-house researchers collected data by visiting each company’s online platform to find the best provider in each of the categories that are most important to SDIRA holders, including the best overall, best for low fees, best for audit protection, best for real estate investing, best online portal, and best for larger accounts. To find the winner in each category, we compared each company against six categories made up of 20 weighted criteria and judged each company solely on the services it provides.
The categories we used and the weights for this project are:
- Pricing and Fees: 30%
- Account Amenities: 27%
- Product Selection: 25.00%
- Customer Service: 10.00%
- Education: 8.00%
Our extensive research aims to give readers a fair, informed, and unbiased review. Investopedia brings you the best self-directed IRA companies to consider so you can decide for yourself if these SDIRAs align with your goals.
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