APMEX vs JM Bullion: which is better?
Both are large, A+ rated US dealers that take 4% off for check or wire and ship free over $199. Choose APMEX if you want the longest track record (since 2000), the widest range or delivery abroad. Choose JM Bullion if you pay by card, PayPal or crypto, or want cheaper listed storage.
APMEX and JM Bullion are the two names AI assistants and forums mention most when Americans ask where to buy gold online. On the basics they are close. The real differences are in who owns them, how they let you pay, where they store metal and whether they ship outside the US.
How do APMEX and JM Bullion compare side by side?
| Feature | APMEX | JM Bullion |
|---|---|---|
| Owner | Part of the MKS PAMP Group (Swiss refiner) since 2023, via Bullion International Group; private | Gold.com, Inc. (formerly A-Mark), NYSE-listed, 79.5% stake bought March 2021 |
| Trading since | 2000 (store in Edmond, Oklahoma); online since 2004 | 2011 (BBB business start date); Dallas, Texas |
| Cheapest way to pay | 4% off for paper check, eCheck or bank wire | 4% off for check, money order, eCheck or wire; 3% off for crypto |
| Card surcharge (in effect) | Card pays full list price, about 4.17% more than wire | Card pays full list price, about 4.17% more than wire |
| Card limit | Reviewed order by order; no limit stated | $250,000 (Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Discover) |
| Other payments | PayPal (US addresses only), crypto up to $400,000 a week at full price | PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay (up to $250,000), Klarna ($35 to $30,000), crypto up to $2,000,000 |
| Free shipping | Over $199; $9.95 below | $199 or more; fee below not stated |
| Insurance | Full cover until signed for or delivered; signature optional | Full third-party cover until signature or delivery confirmation |
| Dispatch | Within 3 business days of cleared payment | Usually within 1 business day of cleared payment |
| Buyback | Online quote, price lock, prepaid insured label | Sell to Us service; scrap from $1,000 (CNBC Select) |
| Storage | Citadel in Brink's facilities, 0.55% a year, allocated and segregated | TDS Vaults, 0.50% for bullion (US, Singapore, Toronto), 6 months free, $50 handling per check-in or checkout |
| Ships abroad | Yes, 33 countries, buyer pays duties | Not mentioned on its shipping page |
| BBB | A+, accredited since April 28, 2004 | A+, accredited since July 14, 2014 |
| Trustpilot | 4.4 from 10,241 reviews (Oct 2026) | 4.5 from 2,571 reviews (Oct 2026) |
Sources: each dealer's payment, shipping, storage and about pages, BBB and Trustpilot, viewed October 10 to 12, 2026. JM Bullion's storage page lists rates as percentages without naming the period; Zurich costs 0.80% with a $100 handling fee.
Which is cheaper, APMEX or JM Bullion?
Every dealer charges the spot price (the live market price of an ounce of gold) plus a premium, the mark-up that covers minting, shipping and the dealer's margin. Our automated check reads the price of one item straight from each dealer's product page.
JM Bullion's site does not allow automated price checks, so we do not publish a premium for it. Rather than guess, here is what APMEX charged on the products most buyers start with, so you have a fixed number to hold JM Bullion's price against.
| Product | Check or wire | Premium | Card | Spot used |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 oz American Gold Eagle (Oct 11) | $4,421.69 | 5.59% | $4,605.93 | $4,187.60 |
| 1 oz American Gold Eagle (Oct 12) | $4,418.59 | 5.66% | Not captured | $4,181.70 |
| 1 oz American Gold Buffalo (Oct 12) | $4,518.39 | 7.97% | $4,706.66 | $4,184.80 |
| 1 kilo bar, various mints (Oct 12) | $138,707.64 | 3.13% | $144,487.12 | $4,183.30 |
| JM Bullion, same products | Not shown: its site does not allow automated price checks | |||
GoldVetted price checks, October 11, 2026 (22:26 UTC) and October 12, 2026 (06:30 to 07:51 UTC). Spot from gold-api.com. Premium = price ÷ (fine gold ounces × spot) − 1. The kilo bar was a pre-sale item due to ship October 23, 2026. Later checks are on the premium tracker.
How to run the comparison yourself in two minutes
- Open the same product at both sites (for example the 1 oz Gold Eagle, random year, quantity 1).
- Read the check or wire price at both, not the card price, so the 4% discount is applied equally.
- Add shipping if the order is under $199.
- Turn each price into a percentage over spot with our premium calculator. The lower percentage wins, as long as both are the same product.
Because both dealers use the same 4% structure, switching from wire to card raises the price by the same share at either. On APMEX's October 11 Eagle, that gap was $184.24 on one coin.
Does it matter who owns them?
More than most buyers think. JM Bullion's parent, Gold.com, Inc. (formerly A-Mark Precious Metals), is listed on the New York Stock Exchange, so it publishes audited accounts and files reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission. That gives you an unusual level of public information about the business behind the website.
APMEX is private and does not publish accounts. Its backer, MKS PAMP Group, is a Swiss-based refiner and trader best known for PAMP bars, which made a strategic investment in 2023 of an undisclosed size. Being tied to a refiner can help with stock in a buying rush. APMEX also has the longer public record: a BBB file since 2003 and accreditation since 2004, against JM Bullion's accreditation from 2014.
How do the payment rules differ?
This is where the two dealers part ways most clearly. JM Bullion is the more flexible for anyone who does not want to send a wire:
- Cards: JM Bullion lists a $250,000 limit and accepts American Express. APMEX reviews card orders individually and states no limit.
- Crypto: JM Bullion gives a 3% discount on crypto payments. APMEX charges crypto buyers the full list price and caps them at $400,000 a week.
- Pay later: JM Bullion offers Klarna on orders from $35 to $30,000 (no cash discount). Spreading the cost of gold with credit means paying interest or fees on top of a premium, so think hard before using it.
- Wires: JM Bullion's minimum wire is $500 and wires must arrive within one business day. APMEX treats wires as cleared on receipt and asks for extra checks above $500,000.
Both bill you for market losses (any fall in the gold price) if you lock a price and then fail to pay, so only order when your money is ready.
Shipping, insurance and storage
Both ship free over $199 and insure every parcel until delivery. JM Bullion says orders usually leave within one business day of cleared payment; APMEX says within three. APMEX makes the signature optional, so add one at checkout. With either dealer, be home to sign and check the box before you do.
For storage, JM Bullion's listed bullion rate of 0.50% with six months free undercuts APMEX's 0.55% a year. On $50,000 of gold that is roughly $250 against $275. The catch is JM Bullion's $50 handling fee each time metal goes in or comes out. Our storage cost calculator and US gold storage guide help you weigh this against a home safe or bank box.
Which should you choose?
| If you are... | Lean towards | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Paying by card or PayPal | JM Bullion | Published $250,000 limit, Amex accepted |
| Paying in crypto | JM Bullion | 3% discount; APMEX charges full price |
| Buying rare, graded or unusual items | APMEX | Very wide catalog including rare coins |
| Living outside the US | APMEX | Ships to 33 countries; JM Bullion does not say it ships abroad |
| Wanting vault storage | JM Bullion on rate, APMEX on simplicity | 0.50% plus handling fees vs 0.55% with no handling fee stated |
| Wanting public accounts behind the dealer | JM Bullion | Owner is NYSE-listed |
| Wanting the lowest price on one coin | Check both on the day | We cannot publish a JM Bullion premium |
If price is your only test, add a third dealer: in our check SD Bullion beat APMEX on every Gold Eagle size (see our APMEX vs SD Bullion price test). For the full picture read our APMEX review and JM Bullion review.
What else should you compare?
Other online dealers worth pricing against both are covered in our Bullion Exchanges review, US Gold Bureau review and BullionMax review. Our guide to the best places to buy gold in the US lists every dealer we cover. If you sell at a profit later, the IRS generally taxes gold held over a year as a collectible at up to 28%; see our US gold tax guide.
Compare APMEX prices Compare JM Bullion prices
Frequently asked questions
Is APMEX or JM Bullion cheaper?
We cannot say from a live price, because JM Bullion's site does not allow automated price checks, so we do not publish a premium for it. Both give 4% off for check or wire, so the payment gap is the same at each. On October 12, 2026, APMEX charged $4,418.59 by wire for a 1 oz Gold Eagle, 5.66% over spot. Price the same coin at JM Bullion before you order.
Who owns APMEX and JM Bullion?
APMEX joined the Swiss-based MKS PAMP Group in 2023 and sits within Bullion International Group; the stake size was not published. JM Bullion has been majority owned since March 2021 by A-Mark Precious Metals, now renamed Gold.com, Inc. and listed on the New York Stock Exchange, which bought 79.5% of it.
Which is older, APMEX or JM Bullion?
APMEX. It opened a store in Edmond, Oklahoma in 2000 and put its catalog online in 2004, and has been BBB accredited since April 2004. JM Bullion's BBB profile gives a business start date of January 2011, and it has been accredited since July 2014. Both hold an A+ BBB rating.
Can I pay by credit card at both?
Yes. Both charge more for cards because the 4% discount only applies to check, eCheck and wire. JM Bullion lists a card limit of $250,000 and accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover. APMEX says card orders are reviewed one by one and states no limit. Card prices work out about 4.17% above the wire price at both.
Which offers cheaper storage?
On listed rates, JM Bullion. It stores through TDS Vaults at 0.50% for bullion in Dallas, Las Vegas, Singapore or Toronto, with six months free and a $50 handling fee per check-in or checkout. APMEX's Citadel service charges 0.55% a year in Brink's facilities. See our US gold storage guide.
Do APMEX and JM Bullion ship outside the US?
APMEX does: its international page lists 33 countries, paid in US dollars by wire, with the buyer paying import duties. JM Bullion's shipping page does not mention international delivery. Buyers in the UK, Canada or Australia are usually better served by a local dealer; see our UK, Canada and Australia guides.
Sources
We checked these primary and official sources when writing and fact-checking this page.
- APMEX: Payment FAQs (4% discount for check, eCheck and wire; limits)
- JM Bullion: Payment methods (limits, 4% and 3% discounts, viewed Oct 12, 2026)
- JM Bullion: Shipping and insurance (free on $199+, insurance terms)
- JM Bullion: Storage through TDS Vaults (rates and handling fees, viewed Oct 12, 2026)
- APMEX: Citadel storage (0.55% a year, Brink's)
- APMEX: We Are APMEX (history, MKS PAMP Group)
- Gold.com, Inc.: A-Mark closes acquisition of JM Bullion, March 2021
- Better Business Bureau: American Precious Metals Exchange (A+, viewed Oct 11, 2026)
- Better Business Bureau: JM Bullion (A+, accredited since 7/14/2014)
- Trustpilot: APMEX (4.4 from 10,241 reviews, Oct 2026) and JM Bullion (4.5 from 2,571 reviews, Oct 2026)
Not financial advice. GoldVetted provides general information to help you compare options. It is not personal financial, tax or legal advice. Gold prices go down as well as up, and you may get back less than you pay. Check tax rules with the official source or a qualified adviser before you act.