Best Self-Directed IRA Companies for November 2025

Equity Trust was founded in 1974 and is headquartered in Westlake, Ohio. It has over 407,000 active accounts and over $65 billion of assets under administration or under custody. Due to its account types, investment opportunities, and educational content, we found it to be the best overall SDIRA for self-directed investors to consider.

To set up the account, users only need their Social Security number, date of birth, and home address. Then, users select the account type, choosing between a traditional IRA or a Roth IRA. Account holders also have access to stocks, bonds, and ETFs, as well as real estate, cryptocurrency, private equity, and precious metals. In addition, Equity Trust provides an excellent array of resources, including blogs, videos, and guides to complex account requirements. Further, Equity Trust provides premium educational content to cover SDIRA topics more in-depth, although that comes at a cost.

Equity Trust has some drawbacks, the most obvious being its fee structure. Not only is its $249 annual membership levy high, but account holders are also responsible for a maintenance fee that is tiered, based on the account value. In addition, its $500 account minimum is also high. While Equity Trust has a checkbook control IRA, it is only available for real estate assets.

IRA Financial was founded in 2010 and is headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The company boasts over 24,000 accounts and manages over $3.2 billion in client assets. Due to its guaranteed IRS audit protection, it is our choice for account holders seeking extra support and protection when it comes to being audited.

When it comes to opening and managing an SDIRA, account holders can expect a complicated process that requires users to understand all of the rules and regulations that standard brokerage firms often take care of on behalf of the customer. With an SDIRA, users are on their own, but with IRA Financial, they not only provide IRS audit protection but also go a step further by including a compliance service where account holders can ensure they are following all the rules before an audit ever takes place. In addition, IRA Financial can also handle all of the reporting. However, this service is not free; in fact, it is quite expensive.

Prospective customers who open an SDIRA with IRA Financial must pay an annual subscription of $495. Fortunately, users do not have to pay a setup fee. IRA Financial’s audit protection and compliance checks can seem pricey, but in our view, the peace of mind they offer makes them worth the costs. Keep in mind that if you open an account and decide that it is not the right fit for you, there will be a high termination fee of $250.

IRA Financial offers account holders a good selection of alternative investments, but its menu of standard investment offerings of stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and forex is thin. The company also provides an excellent selection of educational content in the form of articles and videos. Further, IRA Financial provides customers with a mobile platform for those who value managing their SDIRA on a mobile device.

Established by real estate professionals, uDirect IRA was founded in 2009 and is headquartered in Irvine, California. Due to its excellent selection of real estate offerings, it is our choice for the best self-directed real estate IRA company. Prospective customers who can afford the minimum account balance of $325, the $50 setup fee, and the $275 annual fee can easily start the process of getting their SDIRA established.

Customers have the option of choosing among a traditional, Roth, or SEP IRA. Once the account is set up, users can invest in a plethora of alternative assets. Those choices include not only many types of real estate but also other assets such as cryptocurrency, tax-lien certificates, managed futures, precious metals, and gas and oil investments.

Users will encounter an easy-to-navigate website. Additionally, uDirect IRA offers a good set of resources to help its account holders stay compliant. For instance, uDirect provides important forms that can help establish, manage, and record the user's SDIRA.  The company also provides guidance and has a library of content. However, while the company has solid real estate offerings, it's important to point out that it has a lot of miscellaneous fees that can get pretty expensive if the services are used routinely.

The Entrust Group was founded in 1981 and is headquartered in Oakland, California. Since its inception, the company has attracted 45,000 investors and over $5 billion in assets under administration. Due to technological advances in modernizing its SDIRA, it is our choice to provide the best online portal for its users.

It takes about 10 minutes to open an account. Users need their Social Security number, birth date, home address, and a copy of some identification such as their driver’s license, passport, or state identification. In addition, users need their debit or credit card information so they can pay the $50 setup fee along with other fees, such as the $199 annual fee.

The Entrust Group online portal should strike account holders as an excellent platform for listing your account beneficiaries, viewing your assets, tax forms, and account transactions, and paying fees associated with your SDIRA. Furthermore, The Entrust Group also provides excellent educational resources, including a blog, guides, and webinars that many users should find helpful.

The company also provides a solid platform for professional services. Financial advisors can access their client's accounts and advise them on their portfolios. Although The Entrust Group offers a solid service, there are some drawbacks. The most obvious is the surcharge of 0.15% for accounts worth $50,000 or more. While that may not be a hefty charge for small accounts, once the account grows significantly, a 0.15% surcharge can become expensive. In addition, future clients seeking to open a checkbook LLC must do so manually on their own.  

Rocket Dollar was established in 2018 and is headquartered in Austin, Texas. Due to its stable annual fee and simple account opening process, it is our choice for Best Self-Directed IRA Company for large portfolios. 

The account opening process is fast and easy. Users input standard vital information such as name, email, Social Security number, date of birth, and marital status. Then, they upload a copy of their driver’s license. Once you set up an account, you can enjoy Rocket Dollar’s customer service. Its phone support is only accessible between 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. central time, Monday through Friday.

However, Rocket Dollar's true strength in customer service is the bring-your-own-deal (BYOD) feature, in which prospective investors can call Rocket Dollar to establish an account, fund it, and help the client invest in what they want; however, the investment must be allowed by the IRS per their guidelines.

Before signing up, you should understand Rocket Dollar’s potential shortcomings. For instance, owners of smaller accounts may find the $30 a month fee, along with the high setup fee, too steep. Also, while it’s not impossible for accounts to invest in standard investments such as stocks, bonds, and ETFs, doing so with Rocket Dollar is very complex.