APMEX Review

APMEX is a leading precious metals dealer, offering a variety of products for investors and collectors alike. It’s best for investors who want an easy shopping experience.

The company has mixed customer reviews due to lost shipments and customer service issues.

Read this APMEX review to learn more.

The Verdict for APMEX

I’ve given them a rating of 7.7 out of 10.

APMEX is a precious metals dealer with decades of experience in the industry.

While the company offers competitive pricing and a good user experience, customers have complained about issues receiving shipments and poor customer service.

Before making a purchase, read through APMEX’s policies to understand the benefits and risk of investing in precious metals.

Category	Rating (out of 10)
Product Offerings	9.5
Pricing & Fees	8
Security & Insurance	8
Customer Experience	7
Shipping & Delivery	6
Partnerships & Affiliations	8
Reputation & Reviews	7
Overall Rating	7.7

In this review of APMEX, I’ve followed GIC’s detailed criteria for evaluating a precious metals dealer.

About APMEX

APMEX was founded in Oklahoma City in 2000 by Scott Thomas.

What started as a small business buying and selling precious metals on eBay, today APMEX is one of the most well-regarded marketplaces for precious metals. 

APMEX’s mission is to offer investors a diverse array of high-quality precious metals products.

The company also provides good customer service and educational resources to help investors make the best decisions. 

Scott Thomas is still the company’s president. Under his leadership, APMEX has grown from a small ecommerce business to a massive marketplace occupying the 80,000 square foot former Federal Reserve Bank building in Oklahoma City.

Over the past two decades, APMEX has sold more than 130 million ounces of gold and silver to over one million customers in 60 countries.

APMEX holds an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and has been accredited since 2004.

Product Offerings

APMEX offers a variety of precious metals including gold, silver, platinum, and palladium.

It’s offerings include popular coins like:

• Gold and silver American Eagle coins
• Gold and silver Canadian Maple leaf coins
• Gold South African Krugerrand coin
• Silver Australian Kookaburra coin

APMEX also offers bars and specialty coins. This includes the Lunar Series coins commemorating the Chinese zodiac and rare ancient coins collected for their numismatic value.

APMEX also sells currencies, bank notes, and jewelry.

APMEX adheres to strict purity standards. Gold is available as 99.9% or 99.99% fine gold, depending on when a coin was minted while silver is available at 99.9% purity.

The company is an authorized dealer for a number of mints, ensuring high purity and authenticity.

APMEX maintains a large inventory of products on its website. There is a tab to search by availability, making it easy to see what they currently have in stock.

The company can ship purchases directly to your home or for safekeeping with Citadel Global Depository Services.

Pricing & Fees

APMEX’s pricing is based on current market rates. Each product on its website will list its starting price.

The company does not charge a commission.

Pricing varies based on payment method. APMEX accepts: 

• Check
• Wire
• Crypto
• Credit Card
• Paypal

Orders made using a credit card or crypto will incur a 4% fee.

Volume pricing is also available and offers investors the chance to purchase precious metals at a discount.

APMEX offers an AutoInvest program for investors who want to make recurring purchases. When you enroll in the program, you can select a payment method and purchase frequency.

This can help investors who want to take advantage of cost averaging to build their portfolio over time.

Orders over $199 qualify for free shipping within the United States. Orders less than that will be charged a $9.95 shipping fee.

Cancelled orders will be assessed a fee of $50 or 5% of the order total, whichever is greater.

There are no minimum order requirements for domestic orders.

Customers located outside of the United States will need to order a minimum of $250 for purchases made with credit card or Bitcoin while orders made with a bank wire will need to be at least $1,500.

APMEX allows customers to sell their precious metals back to the company. Prices are based on current market rates and investors who are interested in selling should reach out to APMEX first to obtain a confirmation number.

APMEX does not charge any fees to participate in its buyback program.

While APMEX offers customers the option to sell their precious metals to the company, rates are not guaranteed.

Some customers have reported receiving a lower rate after sending their products to the company.

Security & Insurance

APMEX prides itself on offering a secure online shopping experience. It uses SSL encryption to protect online transactions, including personal information and credit card numbers.

The company employs security protocols to protect customer accounts.

Shipping includes insurance for orders shipped via UPS or USPS. All orders are fully insured and coverage protects packages against loss or damage during transit.

Some customers, however, have reported items stolen in transit and difficulty connecting with customer support to resolve the issue, creating delays in processing insurance claims.

APMEX works with Citadel Global Depository Services to offer precious metal storage. Anything stored at Citadel is protected against loss, theft, or damage.

Customer Experience

APMEX customer service is available Monday through Friday from 8 am to 8 PM EST. Customers can call (800) 375-9006 with any questions they have.

APMEX also offers customer support via live chat or email. Depending on your inquiry, you can reach out to customer support at the following addresses:

• General inquiries: [email protected]
• IRAs: [email protected]
• Citadel storage: [email protected] 

While the company commits to providing exceptional customer service, customers report long wait times and receiving incorrect information from representatives.

The company maintains a user-friendly website with market-based pricing. This includes live market charts. There is a robust knowledge center with buying, selling, and investing guides.

APMEX also has an app available in the App Store and on Google Play.

APMEX’s Bullion Club is an exclusive loyalty program for repeat customers.

There are four different tiers based on your purchase volume:

• Premier: Complete a minimum of 10 orders or spend/sell a total of $10,000
• Elite: Complete a minimum of 50 orders or spend/sell a total of $25,000
• VIP: Spend/sell a minimum of $100,000
• VIP+: Top 1,000 customers by invitation only

The Bullion Club gives members access to new releases, exclusive offers, and flash sales.

It also includes expedited order fulfillment and access to special volume pricing.

Shipping & Delivery

APMEX offers standard shipping and expedited shipping through its QuickShip Program.

Orders paid via credit card, PayPal, Bitcoin, or bank wire are processed and shipped within one business pay of payment clearing. International shipping is also available.

Orders over $199 qualify for free shipping. Orders less than that will be charged a $9.95 shipping fee. Shipping on international orders varies based on destination. 

Delivery times vary based on carrier. The QuickShip Program guarantees the fastest delivery possible while standard orders usually ship within one to three business days after payment is processed.

Packages are shipped discreetly in unmarked boxes. While this is intended to reduce the risk of theft, some customers have reported packages stolen while out on delivery.

All purchases are insured. APMEX assumes responsibility for theft or loss during transit and will file claims with the carrier.

Coverage does not extend to customers when a package is delivered without a signature required or left with a third party.

Once the delivery is made, the customer assumes liability for their purchase.

Partnerships & Affiliations

APMEX has had several partnerships with other industry leaders. The company launched OneGold with Sprott, Inc. in 2018.

OneGold combines the benefits of physical ownership with a digital platform to offer investors a cost-effective way to invest in precious metals digitally. 

In 2023, MKS PAMP Group, a global precious metals and financial services firm, made a strategic investment in APMEX.

This increases the global reach of precious metals investing and allows APMEX to continue offering new products and better services to its customers.

APMEX is an Authorized Purchaser of the United States Mint, allowing the company to source products directly.

It partners with PCGS to enhance their MintDirect Premier program, offering customers coins with PCGS FirstStrike eligibility.

The company has been featured in a number of financial publications.

Reputation & Reviews

APMEX has mixed customer reviews. It has a 1.7-star rating from 7,966 customer reviews on Trustpilot and a 4.33-star rating from 256 customers on the BBB.

On Google, APMEX has 6,177 customer reviews and a 4.9-star rating.

Customers appreciate how easy the website is to use and APMEX’s competitive prices. Complaints include shipping delays, lost products, and issues connecting with customer service. 

Some customers have also complained about receiving coins that were of a lower quality than what they had originally purchased.

APMEX is responsive to complaints on the BBB, offering refunds in some cases, but other cases report denied insurance claims on lost shipments.

APMEX had a good reputation in the precious metals industry. It’s been named a top place to work and its founder has been a recipient of awards from the American Numismatic Association. 

APMEX maintains social media profits on Facebook, YouTube,  Instagram, X, Pinterest, and LinkedIn.

APMEX Alternatives

APMEX is a leading precious metals marketplace but it isn’t the only one you can purchase from.

Here are a few other alternatives to consider.

Goldco

Goldco offers a large variety of gold and precious metals to purchase. Unlike APMEX, Goldco offers gold IRAs in addition to selling products.

This makes it a good option for investors who want to include gold in their retirement portfolio.

Get access to their free gold and silver kit

JM Bullion

JM Bullion offers competitive pricing and a user-friendly platform, making it ideal for investors who want to make regular investments.

It offers free shipping on orders over $199 and does not have a minimum order requirement. Like APMEX, JM Bullion does not offer gold IRAs.

Instead, it partners with custodians to facilitate IRA purchases.

SD Bullion

SD Bullion is a good option for budget-conscious investors who want to reduce their overhead costs. It offers low premiums and offers free shipping on orders over $99.

Like APMEX, SD Bullion offers a variety of investment, numismatic, and collectible coins.

SD Bullion works with IRA custodians to help investors purchase gold and silver for inclusion in a precious metals IRA.

Is APMEX a legit precious metals dealer?

APMEX is one of the most credible and reliable precious metal exchanges on the market, bringing decades of experience.

APMEX works directly with mints and has a team of specialists to ensure the products they sell are of the highest quality.

The company offers a digital investment platform to make investing in gold as easy as possible.

While owning gold is a good way to hedge against inflation, there are some risks with holding gold in your home.

Read through APMEX’s policies and customer reviews before making a purchase.

FAQs