JM Bullion vs Money Metals: which is better?

On paper these two look alike: large US online dealers, free shipping above the same $199 threshold, and top BBB grades. The differences show up in the details that cost money: how you pay, where your metal is stored, and who owns the business. One is part of a NYSE-listed precious metals group; the other is a founder-run Idaho company that built its own vault.

JM Bullion or Money Metals: which should you choose?

How do JM Bullion and Money Metals compare side by side?

Which is cheaper to buy from?

Every dealer charges the spot price (the live market price of gold) plus a premium (its markup). We normally publish a same-product, same-time price check for comparisons like this. Here we cannot: JM Bullion's and Money Metals' sites do not allow automated price checks, so we do not publish a premium for either. We only show prices our automated check can capture.

As a yardstick, this is what two other large dealers charged for the most popular US gold coin in our latest check. Open the same coin at JM Bullion and Money Metals, set the same payment method, and see where they land against these figures.

GoldVetted price check, 10:26 p.m. UTC on Sunday, October 11, 2026, market closed. Spot from gold-api.com. Premium = price ÷ (fine gold oz × spot) − 1. A Gold Eagle holds one troy ounce of gold in a 22-karat alloy. Later checks: premium tracker.

What you can compare with certainty is the payment cost, because both publish it. On a $4,400 coin, JM Bullion's 4% check or wire discount is worth about $176 against its card price. At Money Metals, a 3.9% card surcharge on the same amount adds about $172. In practice, paying by bank transfer is the way to get the lowest price at either. Our premium calculator turns any quote into a percentage over spot.

How do payment options and order terms differ?

JM Bullion publishes a detailed payment table. Cards (Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Discover), PayPal, Apple Pay and Google Pay go up to $250,000 with no discount, and it says nearly all card orders are approved by hand, usually within 24 business hours. Paper check, money order and ACH go up to $100,000 with a 4% discount; checks must be mailed within a day and take 3 to 5 business days to clear. Bank wire ($500 to $1,000,000) also earns 4% off but must arrive within one business day. Crypto earns 3% off, and Klarna is available from $35 to $30,000. Your bank may charge $10 to $30 to send a wire.

Money Metals lists a similarly wide range: cards, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Venmo, bank wire, BitPay, Western Union and checks. Card payments carry a surcharge, 3.9% in its Monthly Program agreement, and a 2020 article on its site described 4% on regular orders. It suggests wire for orders over $3,000 and says checks take about 5 business days to clear.

Both take a firm line once a price is locked. Money Metals says orders cannot be canceled, and that late payment can leave you liable for market losses. JM Bullion locks prices for 10 minutes at checkout and says cancellation fees and market losses on unpaid check or wire orders are billed without exception. Have your money ready before you click buy.

Shipping and insurance

Both ship free on orders of $199 or more. JM Bullion uses USPS, FedEx, UPS or armored car depending on the order, usually ships within one business day of cleared payment, and insures every package in full until a signature or delivery confirmation is obtained. Money Metals' program terms say orders are fully insured with tracking, and smaller Monthly Program shipments cost $12.97. Neither mentions international delivery on the pages we checked. Whichever you use, be home to sign for the parcel and inspect it before signing.

Which is better for storing gold?

This is the clearest difference. Money Metals owns and runs its depository, a 37,000 square foot building in Eagle, Idaho, opened in 2024. It says metal is stored fully segregated (your coins and bars kept apart from everyone else's), insured by Lloyd's of London and audited by a third party once a year. JM Bullion does not run its own vault; it arranges storage with TDS Vaults, whose parent is A-Mark, now Gold.com, Inc., the same group that owns JM Bullion. Its storage page describes the service as fully allocated.

Money Metals: fee schedule current as of April 1, 2026, billed quarterly in advance, $24 minimum per quarter; $25 per package shipped out plus postage and insurance. JM Bullion: storage page as read on October 12, 2026; it does not state the billing period or a dollar minimum, and it advertised six months of free storage without giving terms. Ask both for written terms before you store.

Two practical points. JM Bullion notes that metal stored in Nevada or Texas follows those states' sales tax rules rather than your home state's, so check the tax position first. And Money Metals' flat $96 works out at roughly 2% a year on a single 1 oz coin, so neither suits storing one or two coins. Compare home storage and other vaults in our US gold storage guide.

Selling back and taxes

Money Metals shows a live "Sell to Us" price on each product page, so you know its bid before you buy, though it says larger lots may be discounted. Selling metal already in its depository involves no release charge and no shipping or insurance cost. JM Bullion runs a Sell to Us service, buys scrap with a $1,000 minimum according to CNBC Select, and says metal held at TDS can be sold back by contacting its team. Dealers always buy for less than they sell, so get a second bid; see how to sell gold for the best price.

The tax is the same wherever you buy: the IRS generally treats gold as a collectible, with long-term gains taxed at up to 28% (IRS Topic 409). See our US gold tax guide.

Ownership and customer ratings

JM Bullion has been majority owned since March 2021 by A-Mark Precious Metals, which has since renamed itself Gold.com, Inc. and moved to the New York Stock Exchange, so its parent publishes public financial statements. Money Metals is private, founded in 2010, and does not publish accounts. Neither ownership model guarantees good service, but a listed parent means more public disclosure.

Complaints at both, as at most large dealers, center on shipping delays at busy times and strict order terms. Read recent ones before ordering.

Verdict: which suits which buyer?

There is no single winner. For most buyers taking delivery, the deciding factor will be the price on the day, which you need to check yourself at both. For storage, Money Metals' in-house segregated vault is the stronger offer for larger holdings. Read the full JM Bullion review and Money Metals Exchange review, see APMEX vs JM Bullion and APMEX vs Money Metals, or look at other dealers in our Bullion Exchanges review, US Gold Bureau review and BullionMax review. Every dealer we cover is in our guide to the best places to buy gold in the US.

Gold prices can fall as well as rise. This comparison is general information, not financial advice.

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.