Disclaimer: Some or all of the companies listed here may provide us compensation. This is a part of how we maintain our free service for consumers. Compensation, along with hundreds of hours of in-depth research determines the results of our reviews.

With the advent of the internet, it's never been easier to manage your assets. You can buy and sell precious metals and other assets with just the click of a button. If you're planning to invest in precious metals, you want to work with a reputable dealer.

SD Bullion is one of many online providers that allow you to buy precious metals. They're one of the most popular international options, offering shipping to 28 countries along with direct storage. But is this company legit? And if they are, are they the best option to invest with?

We've taken a look at everything you need to know about this online precious metals dealer.

Important! Before we go on with this review...

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About SD Bullion

SD Bullion Review - Scam Or Legit Company?

SD Bullion has been in operation for almost a decade, having started in 2012. They are an international precious metals dealer that serves more than 100,000 customers. Over one billion dollars in transactions have flowed through the SD Bullion marketplace.

Overall, the company has a positive market reputation. They have received five star reviews from several thousand past customers, and they hold an A+ with the Better Business Bureau. They have also been a two-time feature in Inc. Magazine's list of the 500 Fastest Growing United States Companies.

In addition to selling precious metals, the company publishes resources and news regarding the precious metals industry. They analyze global events that might impact prices, and they talk about how precious metals investments perform in comparison to more traditional investments like stocks.

The company blog posts about current events, speculation, research, investment strategies, and other thoughts. There's also a company Youtube channel that has similar educational content about the precious metals industry.

Products

SD Bullion Review - Scam Or Legit Company?

SD Bullion sells standard precious metals like gold, silver, platinum, and palladium. They also offer copper rounds and accessories.

You can buy the following gold products:

  • Chinese Pandas
  • Canadian Maples
  • Mexican Libertads
  • American Eagles
  • European coins
  • Gold bars in varying weights

The range of silver is even more diverse. In addition to coins, rounds, and bars of different sizes, you can purchase silver bullets and banknotes.

The platinum products include:

  • Canadian Maples
  • American Eagles
  • European coins
  • Bars ranging from a gram to 10 ounces

For palladium, you can get:

  • Canadian Maples
  • American Eagles
  • Bars ranging from a gram to an ounce

There are many different copper rounds to choose from. Just some of the options include:

  • Lincoln Busts
  • Morgan Dollars
  • Peace Dollars
  • Silver Shields

And finally, the accessories. Rather than being precious metals, these are helpful for storing and cleaning your metals. You can purchase magnifiers, storage boxes, cleaners, and sealed cases to protect your coins from the air.

How Buying Works

SD Bullion Review - Scam Or Legit Company?

If you want to make a purchase, you can look at the website. The tabs at the top show you the different selections. Look for the product you want and put it in your cart.

You'll then complete the transaction like with most online shopping. The checkout page will ask for your shipping address and email address. You'll select your shipping type, enter payment info, and confirm. Orders over 99 dollars get free shipping automatically.

It is possible to make returns, but you are never guaranteed a refund. In fact, you're unlikely to get one. You must make your return request within three business days of your delivery. It's up to SD Bullion whether they will accept the request or not.

Assuming you do have an accepted return, you'll ship the package back in the original packaging. You will need to pay the shipping costs. If there was market loss, SD Bullion might also ask you to cover that cost.

Fees

SD Bullion Review - Scam Or Legit Company?

The main extra fee with this company is a stocking fee, which varies based on how you pay. If you use Paypal or a credit card, you'll need to pay 5 percent of the purchase. If you use other payment methods, you'll need to pay just 3 percent.

There are several ways to pay for the order.

You can pay for orders of up to 250,000 dollars using Bitcoin. You must submit the payment within 15 minutes of receiving your quote.

A cashier's check can be used on orders of up to 20,000 dollars. You must submit it within seven business days.

Debit and credit cards can be used immediately for orders of up to 5,000 dollars, as can Paypal. E-checks can be used immediately at up to 20,000 dollars, and this method also includes a four percent discount.

A money order can be submitted within seven business days to cover orders of up to 10,000 dollars. Like with e-checks, you get a discount of four percent. A personal check has all of these benefits but can cover up to 20,000 dollars.

Wire transfers can cover orders of up to 20,000 dollars with a four percent discount. You have to submit this payment within 72 hours.

When your payment is not submitted within the established time frame, you will need to pay back any market losses. You'll also be billed a cancellation fee of anywhere from 3 to 5 percent of the order total.

Shipping Information

SD Bullion Review - Scam Or Legit Company?

The company uses FedEx, USPS, and UPS for shipping in the US. Orders in the United States for more than 99 dollars are subject to free shipping. If your order is less than that, there's a flat rate of 7.77 dollars.

With international shipping, the cost will be calculated during checkout. Because international shipping is so variable, there's no way to use a flat fee. Your total might include duties, taxes, and other delivery fees.

You have the option to waive a signature for your package. But if you do, your package will not be insured. To get the benefit of full insurance, you will need to sign for it. Every package is shipped with a tracking number so you can see how close it is at any given time.

Storage

SD Bullion Review - Scam Or Legit Company?

Direct storage services are offered for platinum, silver, and gold. When you make a purchase, you can have the order shipped to your depository account. Every time you make purchases afterward, you can add to your personal storage vault.

You will need to open a depository account with the company. This can be done by calling the trading desk at normal business hours. If you're a new customer, you'll get three months of free storage. After that, the base price is ten dollars per month. Depending on what you're storing, you might pay more.

Every deposit is backed by a full insurance policy from Lloyds of London, which covers the melt value of the stored products.

There are annual storage fees, which are calculated based on the value of your holdings:

  • Gold is 0.29 percent of your holdings
  • Platinum is 0.29 percent of your holdings
  • Silver is 0.39 percent of your holdings

Selling

SD Bullion Review - Scam Or Legit Company?

SD Bullion will buy back palladium, platinum, silver, and gold. You just have to follow these steps:

  • Call and confirm the price.
  • Print the purchase order the company sends you.
  • Package the items along with the purchase order.
  • Ship the package.
  • Wait one to three days after receipt to get your payment.

Pricing

The company's pricing is about average when compared to other options on the market. They claim that they sell for the lowest prices in the industry. While we can't guarantee that, we can say that they sell for close to market price.

Another encouraging aspect of the company is that they don't charge service or commission fees. All you need to pay is the final price.

Is SD Bullion a Scam?

SD Bullion Review - Scam Or Legit Company?

SD Bullion is not a scam. In fact, they're one of the more favored companies in the industry. There are thousands of glowing reviews from happy customers, and third party watchdogs give them good marks. They demonstrate consistently good customer service and attention to detail.

Since the company ships globally, they're a good choice for people from the international market. They're also a good choice if you want a one-stop shop for precious metals, copper, and all the accessories you could need. Since they don't charge commissions or service fees, their prices are about average.

Is SD Bullion Safe?

SD Bullion Review - Scam Or Legit Company?SD Bullion Review - Scam Or Legit Company?

The company has been accredited with the Better Business Bureau for years. They hold an A+ rating with the organization. There are also no complaints from customers in the database of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

If you want your assets to be stored securely instead of shipped to your home, that's no problem. The company offers direct storage. You don't even need to arrange for transport to a safety deposit box.

The company takes pains to make sure that all transactions are safe through every step of the process. Your private information is secured through an SSL Certificate on the website. The company works only with encrypted payment processors and fraud defense software.

Every package is shipped securely. The packaging is discreet, so people don't know who sent it or what is inside. As long as you don't waive the signature, your package will also be fully insured. If the contents are lost in transit, you can be compensated for the loss.

Customer Reviews and Complaints

SD Bullion Review - Scam Or Legit Company?SD Bullion Review - Scam Or Legit Company?

As mentioned, the company has an A+ rating with the BBB. This indicates that they are trustworthy and attentive to consumer needs. Out of 216 reviews on the BBB website, the overall ranking is a 4.9 out of 5. That's staggeringly high!

Meanwhile, Trustpilot has more than 1,500 reviews. The company's average score is 4.5 out of 5, indicating generally positive feedback.

Consumers consistently praise the professionalism and courtesy of the customer service representatives. They are also impressed by how quick and easy the online order process is. Many other bullion dealers force you to complete your order with a phone call, but SD Bullion has a shopping cart built right in.

So what are people complaining about?

As with any large company, you're bound to find some negative reviews. The content of those reviews tells you a lot about the company's practices. What upsets people the most when it comes to SD Bullion?

We've found that the two most consistent complaints are:

  • Customers are unhappy about being charged order cancellation fees and market loss coverage.
  • Shipping delays sometimes lead to long pauses between payment and receipt.

Neither of these things points to a systemic failure in the company itself. Rather, these are issues that you should be aware of before buying. Make sure you're truly committed to the order if you want to avoid a hefty cancellation fee. And be aware that you might need to wait longer than you would with some other dealers.

Customer Support

There are time limitations to the company's customer support. You have to contact them during business hours, since they aren't available on weekends or during the night.

As long as it's business hours, though, you can choose from a phone call or a live chat. The live chat support option is a great feature that makes it much easier to get answers to your questions.

If you do need an answer after hours, you can fill out the contact form on the company website. You will be sent an email answer to your question.

Phone lines are open 8 AM to 6 PM Eastern on Monday through Thursday. On Friday, the hours are 8 AM to 5 PM.

Live chat is available from 8 AM to 6 PM Eastern on Monday through Friday.

Potential Drawbacks

Despite consistently excellent performance, the company does have some potential drawbacks. These won't be deal breakers for everyone. But if these points are an issue for you, you might find another dealer that better suits your needs.

Here are some things to keep in mind:

  • Returns are unlikely to be approved, and there are hefty order cancellation fees.
  • Storage prices are calculated based on your holdings instead of held at a flat rate, which means that the more gold you accrue, the more you pay.
  • The company does not have the fastest shipping, which has led to frustration from some customers.
  • The dealership does not work with precious metals IRAs, so if you want to roll over your IRA funds, you should work with a more specialized company.
  • There are no rare numismatic coins available through the brokerage.

Again, none of these are objectively bad things. But they might make a difference depending on what sorts of purchases you need.

Final Thoughts

SD Bullion is one of the most convenient global marketplaces for buying precious metals. Customers are especially fond of the ease of use. Unlike many other companies, you don't have to make any phone calls or research any prices. You simply load your online shopping cart, check out, and you're good to go.

The company offers storage options. It also ships to 28 different countries. In the US, all orders over 199 dollars ship for free. The thousands of glowing online reviews prove that this company is legit.

Just keep in mind that it might not be the right fit for everyone. If you're investing in an IRA, you'll want a dealership that specializes in retirement rollovers. If you're looking for numismatic coins, you'll want to check a different marketplace.

All in all, this is a solid option if you want a convenient way to buy gold online.

Although we do think that SD Bullion is a very solid company, we believe that there are better companies out there to make your investment with.

===> Click here to see our top 5 recommended companies

Or you can get a free precious metals investment kit from our #1 recommended company right now!

Or, continue with SD Bullion...