The Best Self-Directed IRA (SDIRA) Companies in August 2025

The best self-directed IRA (SDIRA) companies balance competitive fees with access to alternative investments. But finding the right fit involves more than just investment options. We also looked at customer support, credibility, and any unique features each company offers.

To put this list together, we reviewed dozens of self-directed IRA providers and highlighted those that stood out in multiple areas.

Table of Contents

1. Reviews of the best self-directed IRAs
   1. IRA Financial
   2. iTrustCapital
   3. Equity Trust
   4. uDirect IRA
   5. The Entrust Group
2. How does a self-directed IRA work?
3. Common alternative assets for self-directed IRAs
   1. Real estate
   2. Private equity
   3. Precious metals
   4. Cryptocurrency
4. How to choose the best self-directed IRA

Reviews of the best self-directed IRAs

SDIRAs offer more investing options than regular IRAs, but some SDIRAs are better than others. These are some of the best picks to consider.

IRA Financial

Best Variety of Assets

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Why it’s one of the best: IRA Financial stands out for its various asset choices, from private equity, private lending, cryptocurrency, precious metals, and more.

There’s no confusion about how much you’ll pay with IRA Financial. The company has a straightforward fee schedule, but that’s not the firm’s only strength. You can choose from a wide range of alternative assets, such as real estate, crypto, and private equity.

Some self-directed IRA providers only specialize in a few alternative assets, but IRA Financial allows you to buy and sell almost anything under the sun while enjoying tax benefits.

• Choose from many alternative assets
• No transaction or asset value fees
• Transparent fee schedule
• Guaranteed IRS audit protection
• Annual tax consulting is included
• A+ Better Business Bureau (BBB) rating

• High annual custodian fee
• One-time set-up fees and annual fees vary significantly depending on which retirement account you use
• Live chat is not available 24/7
• $500 minimum balance

Asset types

• Real estate
• Private equity
• Cryptocurrency
• Private lending
• Tax liens
• Precious metals
• Crowdfunding
• Mineral rights
• Equipment leasing

Fees

• Annual custodian fee: $495
• Transaction fees: none
• Expedited processing (standard, within 48 hrs): $75/transaction
• Expedited processing (premium, within 24 hours or less): $200/transaction
• Account termination: $250/transaction
• Annual account fee over 30 days past due: $35/transaction
• Outgoing wire fee: $25/transaction
• Returned item fee: $30/ounce

View IRA Financial’s fee schedule

iTrustCapital

Best for Crypto Trading

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Why it’s one of the best: iTrustCapital offers more than 75 cryptocurrencies and the only fees it charges are transaction fees.

iTrustCapital is one of the most established self-directed IRAs that specializes in crypto trading. The company has been in business since 2018, and the lack of any annual fees is a key reason why. You don’t even have to pay storage fees, which is a common expense for crypto IRAs.

While Bitcoin and Ethereum are the two most popular cryptocurrencies, iTrustCapital doesn’t stop there. Customers can trade more than 75 cryptocurrencies in an iTrustCapital self-directed IRA. Solana, Dogecoin, and XRP are some of the additional cryptocurrencies you can trade.

• No annual fees
• Trade more than 75 cryptocurrencies
• 24/7 trading for every asset offered
• A+ BBB rating

• The 1% crypto transaction fee can add up for frequent traders
• Fixed fees for gold and silver transactions
• Limited selection of precious metals

Asset types

• Crypto
• Gold
• Silver

Fees

• 1% per cryptocurrency transaction (buy & sell)
• $75 over spot per ounce per gold transaction
• $3.25 over spot per ounce per silver transaction
• iTrustCapital does not charge any other fees, such as set up, exit, annual, maintenance, storage, withdrawal, or transfer

See iTrustCapital’s pricing

Equity Trust

Best for Alternative Investment Ideas

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Why it’s one of the best: Equity Trust offers various resources, like an alternative asset investment platform and an online marketplace, so you can browse investment ideas and find the best ones for your portfolio.

Equity Trust doesn’t just let you buy alternative assets. If you’re stuck, the firm will connect you with investment opportunities through a resource called WealthBridge, which offers a secure, direct connection to alternative asset investment platforms.

Equity Trust also offers Investment District, an online marketplace that will introduce you to dozens of asset providers across various asset classes. If you already have a handle on what investments you want in your self-directed IRA, Equity Trust offers plenty of flexibility.

• Browse alternative investment ideas through Equity Trust’s resources if you are feeling stuck
• Choose from a wide range of alternative assets
• Investors can also buy traditional assets like stocks, bonds, and mutual funds, so everything is in one place
• 50 commission-free trades per year in a qualifying brokerage services account
• A+ BBB rating

• High annual fees
• High crypto trading fees

Asset types

• Real estate
• Private equity
• Cryptocurrencies
• Precious metals
• Stocks
• Bonds
• Mutual funds
• More through other platforms Equity Trusts refers you to

Fees

• $50 online application fee or $75 paper application fee
• $249 annual account establishment fee (first year is $499 for Gold Level Prime Membership)
• Annual maintenance fee: $350 – $2,500 (depends on your portfolio’s size)
• 2% transaction fee for digital currency buy orders
• 1% transaction fee for digital currency sell orders
• Special services fees, such as same-day express transfer processing ($75 each), expedited process service ($75 each)
• Coin shipping/handling fee: $50 minimum
• Precious metals liquidation: $10/asset (max $30)
• Precious metals storage fees: $150 for segregated; $100 for non-segregated

See the full fee schedule

uDirect IRA

Best for Real Estate Investors

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Why it’s one of the best: You can invest in several types of assets via uDirect IRA, but it provides extensive options in real estate, so it’s a top choice if that is what you’re looking to add to your portfolio.

uDirect IRA has a laundry list of permissible alternative assets that you can store in your retirement account. Residential real estate, commercial real estate, raw land, real estate notes, and REITs are some of the alternative assets you can store in your account.

The real estate focus makes sense when you consider the founder. Kaaren Hall, founder and CEO of uDirectIRA, has more than 20 years of mortgage banking, real estate, and property management experience.

• Investors can accumulate a wide range of real estate assets in their accounts
• Provides IRS account record-keeping
• Low set-up and annual fees
• A+ BBB rating

• Many small fees that can add up if you aren’t careful
• Asset value fee results in a higher cost as your portfolio grows

Asset types

• Real estate
• Private equity
• Notes
• Gold
• Silver
• Cryptocurrencies
• Oil and gas investments
• Factoring investments

Fees

• Setup fee: $50
• Annual fee: $275
• 0.05% monthly storage fee for crypto
• asset value fee that ranges from 0.50% – 1.00% (the percentage decreases as your portfolio grows)

See full schedule of fees

The Entrust Group

Best for Educational Resources

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Why it’s one of the best: Entrust Group stands out for offering investors several resources to help you make the most of the assets in your portfolio.

The Entrust Group lets you invest in various alternative assets through its self-directed IRAs. However, this amount of flexibility won’t do you any good if you don’t know how to make the most of your investments. That’s why The Entrust Group stands out for its educational articles, webinars, and guides. These resources can keep you busy, but if that’s not enough, you can even jump on a free consultation with one of their experts.

• The company’s fee calculator lets you see how much you’ll pay to open an account and buy assets
• Low account setup fee
• Many educational resources and free consultations
• A+ BBB rating

• Annual recordkeeping fees increase as your portfolio grows
• Some asset classes have an additional purchase asset fee

Asset types

• Real estate
• Private equity
• Private lending
• Precious metals
• LLCs
• Cryptocurrencies

Fees

• $50 account setup fee
• Annual recordkeeping fees that range from $199 – $299
• $95 purchase asset fee for some assets other than real estate, precious metals, and crowdfunding with select companies)
• $175 transaction fee for each purchase, sale, or exchange of real estate
• $250 transaction fee of real estate with a non-recourse loan
• No transaction fees for precious metals, although depository fees, storage, and shipping may apply
• 0.15% value fee for every dollar over $50,000 (excluding cash)

See the full schedule here

How does a self-directed IRA work?

Self-directed IRAs work like regular IRAs, but you are able to invest in more assets. While regular IRAs limit you to stocks, bonds, and funds, it’s possible for you to invest in real estate, precious metals, cryptocurrencies, and other alternative assets with a self-directed IRA.

The only downside is that self-directed IRAs tend to have higher fees, but it may be worth the extra cost if you can generate higher returns with alternative assets.

I would consider a SDIRA if you are very heavy in retirement assets, such as a 401(k), which has limited investment options. You can easily find plenty more options within a self-directed IRA. Not only can you use a self-directed IRA for alternative assets such as cryptocurrencies, precious metals, private equity, etc., but one can also purchase individual stocks if you wanted to take that risk.

Common alternative assets for self-directed IRAs

A self-directed IRA lets you go beyond stocks and bonds to invest in alternative assets. These options can diversify your portfolio, protect against market swings, and open up new growth opportunities. But they also come with unique risks and responsibilities.

Here are some of the most common choices:

Private equity

Private equity assets involve investing directly in private companies or buying out public companies to take them private. This asset class includes:

• Venture capital, which funds early-stage startups with high growth potential
• Growth equity, which provides capital to more established companies seeking expansion
• Buyouts, where investors acquire controlling stakes in mature companies
• Distressed assets, where capital is invested in struggling companies to restructure and revive them

Private equity investing is likely best for experienced investors with a high risk tolerance and a long-term horizon.

Pros

• Potential for high returns and access to early-stage companies or private deals

Cons

• Illiquid

• Higher risk

• Often require larger investment minimums

Precious metals

Precious metals are tangible assets valued for their scarcity, industrial uses, and role as a hedge against inflation or market volatility. This includes:

• Gold, often used as a store of value and safe-haven asset
• Silver, valued for both investment purposes and industrial applications
• Platinum and palladium, used in jewelry, industry, and automotive manufacturing

Investors can hold physical bullion or coins, or gain exposure through exchange-traded funds (ETFs), mining stocks, or futures contracts.

Pros

• Viewed as a hedge against inflation

• Historically a store of value during economic uncertainty

Cons

• Prices can be volatile in the short term

• Metals don’t generate income

Cryptocurrency

Cryptocurrency assets are digital tokens that rely on blockchain technology for security, transparency, and decentralized transactions. This includes:

• Bitcoin, the first and most widely recognized cryptocurrency
• Ethereum, which powers smart contracts and decentralized applications
• Stablecoins, designed to maintain a fixed value by being pegged to assets like the U.S. dollar
• Altcoins, such as Solana, Cardano, or Polygon, offering different features and use cases

Investors can buy and hold crypto directly through digital wallets or gain exposure indirectly via crypto ETFs, trusts, or blockchain-focused funds. Crypto investing is often best for risk-tolerant investors who want exposure to digital innovation and can handle sharp price swings.

Pros

• High growth potential

• Diversification into emerging digital assets

Cons

• Extremely volatile

• Regulatory uncertainty

• Security risks if not stored properly

Real estate

Real estate assets refer to physical properties that hold value and can generate income or appreciate over time. This includes:

• Residential properties like single-family homes, condos, and apartment buildings
• Commercial properties such as office spaces, retail stores, and hotels
• Industrial properties like warehouses and manufacturing facilities
• Land, whether undeveloped, agricultural, or slated for future development

I would avoid owning real estate in most circumstances in a self-directed IRA. Real estate is one of the more tax-advantageous ways to invest, and owning real estate in an SDIRA is a sure-firee way of paying the IRS more of the income or profits you earn from real estate.

If it does make sense for you to place real estate within your SDIRA, you may own these properties directly or gain exposure indirectly through vehicles such as real estate investment trusts (REITs) or real estate funds.

Pros

• Can generate rental income and long-term appreciation

• Less tied to daily stock market movement

Cons

• Requires active management

• Potential liquidity challenges

• Market downturn risk

• Higher taxes likely if owned in a SDIRA

Be very aware of the tax treatment of owning these investments in a self-directed IRA. For example, if you really think cryptocurrency will take off, or that a private equity or precious metal investment would do well, weigh an SDIRA with a Roth IRA or non-qualified investment account, where you may pay less in taxes.

How to choose the best self-directed IRA

The five top self-directed IRA picks on this list are just a starting point for discovering the best SDIRA for your financial goals. Before reviewing any self-directed IRA and giving it a serious chance, you should know what you want from one of these retirement accounts.

If you want to trade numerous cryptocurrencies in your self-directed IRA, then a provider like iTrustCapital may make the most sense. However, if you need help with finding promising alternative investment opportunities, Equity Trust may be the better choice for you.

Knowing what you want narrows the playing field, but you will still have to choose from self-directed IRAs that offer all of the basics that you need. You can use the following benchmarks to trim the list even further and determine the winner:

• Fees: Fees are the most decisive category. Every IRA provider has a fee schedule. You can find it on a company’s website or contact customer support and request a copy of their fee schedule. Comparing different fee schedules can help you gauge which self-directed IRA providers are being fair and which ones are ripping off their customers.
• Online reviews: Reading positive and negative reviews on sites like Trustpilot and the BBB lets you gauge the public sentiment of the company. Remember that even the best self-directed IRA providers get negative reviews. However, if the average rating among your top choices is 4.0 stars, and one of the IRA providers has a 1.0 star rating from thousands of reviewers, it’s probably a red flag.
• Educational resources: Webinars, educational articles, and free consultations can give you the confidence to set up a self-directed IRA and know how you want to allocate your capital. The best self-directed IRA providers guide their customers along the journey instead of vanishing once you create an account.
• Customer support: Check when a company’s customer service team is available and which communication methods they provide. Most self-directed IRA providers let you call, email, or live chat with their representatives.

Asking a SDIRA company whether or not to invest in an alternative investment is like asking a car salesperson if they think you need a new car. Where should you turn to for advice/help? Yourself! Ask yourself if you have an interest in an investment that not many people are in, with higher risk and lower liquidity than any other investment available to you in your IRA.

You may think: “Why take that risk?” The answer is that you typically receive what is called an “illiquid premium,” meaning these assets tend to have a higher expected rate of return because you likely have an illiquid investment for a long-time horizon.