How Gold IRA Review Sites Make Money (and Why It Matters)

Can you trust a Gold IRA review site? It depends on how the site is paid and whether it tells you. This page explains the common ways a review site can earn money, what the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) says about disclosure, and how this site makes money. It supports our guide to Gold IRA Companies Compared. It does not rank anyone and it makes no claim about what any other site earns.

How does this site make money?

We start with ourselves, because you should know our incentives before you read anything else.

• Gold IRA Savings has an affiliate relationship with Augusta Precious Metals, a precious metals dealer. Our advertising disclosure says: "When you request the Free Gold & Silver IRA Info Kit through a link on our site, we may earn a commission."
• Augusta Precious Metals provides the kit. We do not write it and do not control what is in it, and we do not describe its contents.
• Requesting the kit takes you to the partner's website. Their privacy policy applies to what you send them, and their team may contact you.
• The partner relationship is the only paid relationship we currently have. Our advertising disclosure says any others would be listed on that page.

Here is what we say about independence, taken from our editorial policy and advertising disclosure. We do not accept payment for coverage, placement or favorable wording, and companies do not review articles before publication. We do not rank companies or name a "best" provider. Company pages report the same kinds of facts for every firm and state any partner relationship at the top. Our page on Augusta Precious Metals follows that rule.

You should still read us with the same care we suggest for any site. We may earn a commission if readers request the partner's kit through our link. That is an incentive, even with the safeguards above. That is why every partner link is labeled as a partner offer, close to the link.

How can a review site earn money?

The FTC describes one common setup. Its endorsement guides give an example of a blogger who reviews products and "includes affiliate links to websites on which consumers can buy these products" and "receives a portion of the sale" (16 CFR 255.5, Example 11). The FTC's conclusion in that example is that "the reviews should clearly and conspicuously disclose the compensation."

So a site can be paid through links, for example a share of a sale. We did not find a source that says how many Gold IRA sites are paid this way, so we do not claim a number. Payment is not limited to commissions. The FTC's influencer guidance says to "disclose the relationship if you got anything of value to mention a product" (FTC Disclosures 101). That guidance is aimed at influencers. We cite it for its general principle.

What does the FTC require sites to disclose?

The rule is in the FTC's Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (16 CFR Part 255). It says that when a connection between an endorser and the seller "might materially affect the weight or credibility of the endorsement, and that connection is not reasonably expected by the audience," then "such connection must be disclosed clearly and conspicuously" (16 CFR 255.5).

The FTC's question-and-answer page speaks directly to affiliate sites. It says: "You should disclose your relationship to the retailer clearly and conspicuously on your site," and it adds: "The closer the disclosure is to your recommendation, the better" (FTC: What People Are Asking).

The same FTC page says vague labels may fall short: readers may not understand what "affiliate link" means, and it says a plain "paid link" label right next to the link should be adequate.

Does the FTC's newer rule on reviews apply?

The FTC also has a Rule on the Use of Consumer Reviews and Testimonials (16 CFR Part 465). It covers fake reviews, reviews from company insiders without disclosure, and review suppression. It also has a section on company-controlled review websites. As we read the eCFR text, that section prohibits a business from misleadingly presenting a website it controls as an independent source of opinions about a category of products or businesses, including its own (16 CFR Part 465). This is our reading, not legal advice, and the rule has exceptions and conditions we do not cover. The page did not state penalties, and we do not describe any.

For fake reviews on company pages and elsewhere, see our guide to fake Gold IRA reviews.

How can you read a review critically?

None of this means a site that earns commissions is wrong. It means payment is a fact you should know. Questions to ask:

• Is the payment relationship stated near the links? If you have to hunt for it, that is worth noticing.
• Does the site say who owns it? A site owned by a dealer may not be an independent reviewer; the FTC's 16 CFR 465.6 addresses company-controlled sites that claim to be independent.
• Are claims about a company sourced? Look for the company's own pages, regulator records and court filings. Our methodology and how to evaluate a company pages explain what we check.
• Does the site show negatives? A page that lists only positives, or only a "winner," tells you little.
• Are enforcement records covered? Compare the review with the regulator's own records, such as our enforcement actions database once available.
• Is it written as personal advice? Good educational content explains the rules and trade-offs. It does not tell you what to buy.

What can you check before acting on a review?

Treat any review as a starting point. Readers often verify the dealer and custodian themselves and ask for fees in writing. Our guides on verifying a dealer and warning signs can help. If you think you have been misled, see how to report fraud.

What related questions should you look at?

• How we judge companies: methodology.
• How to check a company yourself: how to evaluate a Gold IRA company.
• Our own partner: Augusta Precious Metals review, which states the partnership at the top.